I want to catch a dogfish and a gar

I've never caught a gar or a dogfish. I would like to add it to the list this summer. Where would be the best place to fish for them? Northeast Wisconsin is "local" for me and I'd prefer not to travel too far, but I'm not opposed to that either. I just want to catch one of each. 

As far as NE WI, I've caught them in boat lagoons and small weedy bays off of Green Bay.  Quite a few in Little Sturgeon, but I spent most of my time in that area too.  I'd think its all the same over there.

Never caught one before today and I got two on tip ups lol

These were on Partridge Lake, and have to imagine some Wolf River backwaters would have them too. 

Hey PJL2112, right in your own backyard! We caught numerous dogfish last summer on the Duck Creek river and garfish are  in Shawano Lake. I'm sure you could also catch dogfish on Suamico & Oconto rovers.

We get dog fish while bass fishing in Spooner area. Spinner bait works best as they cut off lures quickly. DO NOT put your finger in mouth, it's  like a vice gripe!!!

When I lived in Stevens Point, a friend took me to the backwaters of the SP FLowage. He told me to clean out my tackle box of all of the dud lures that I had and bring them along. The dogfish were on their beds for the spawn. All you had to do was get a lure near them and they'd attack it. Shallow weeds were the ticket and I think it was late spring/early summer. Check to see when they spawn. They are very aggressive and a blast to catch.

Around 35 years ago when I lived in the Wausau area I used to target dogfish on purpose in the shallows of the Eau Claire Flowage. I used Tiny Torpedos and other small floating baits that could be twitched in the open pockets of the weed flats and up in the backwaters. It was always a little creepy when you would get them up in the boat and they would start barking, but they fought like beasts and the hits were explosive.

 Mid-summer Mississippi River backwaters are full of Long Nose and Short Nose Gar. I hard part is getting a hook to stick in that narrow beak. A piece of cut bait, with a short section of soft nylon rope that is frayed, will work very well. The cut bait will bring them in and the rope gets tangled in their teeth, so they will not fall off.

Fish one of the flowages and in Late May Early June to catch Dog fish.  Jig and Minnow just like you are targeting Walleyes. We catch them on the Willow and Nokomis during this time frame. Catching Gars is a different animal I can't help you on that. Shoot them with your bow. 

I've actually started targeting bowfin rather specifically in the last couple of summers while fishing on the Mississippi. You want a fish to wake like a musky? Blow-up on frogs and work you in shallow water? Crush buzzbaits, and other similar top-water options. Bowfin are whatchu want to fish for then... 

I almost only use top-water frogs with metal/steal leaders and 30-40# powerpro on a biatcaster setup. 

I have no idea how you'd target them up north because they seem to live in rather specific chunks of habitat on the river. I'd go with hot day, shallow water and topping out weed. Not necessarily lily-pads or spadderdock though. Don't seem to target that type of floating vegetation as often it seems. 

Backwaters of Mississippi in summer you will run across them pretty regularly.  To be honest, they really are kind of a buzz kill for me when I catch them.  You think you have something great on and it's just a dogfish. 

These are fish usually caught by accident or they just get in the way when panfish are biting.