I don't believe gar have the greatest of eyesight, but they do inspect a prey item before they decide to eat it. They'll coast right up next to a fish, inspect it, then attack it from the side so that the fish is perpendicular in their mouth. Even with it in their mouth already, they're still "tasting" it, making sure they still want it. When they've figured out it's what they want, they turn it so that it can slide down their throat.
Like Travis said, go with live bait. If you can spot him, get a free swimming large minnow, maybe a creek chub, and get it to swim close enough that he can spot it. Wait and wait and wait. Maybe tear your line up pretty good, wrapping it around that bony snout and teeth, but at least you'll get him. Never caught a 35 pounder myself, but plenty in the 10-15 range.
