Garfish can be pursuated to take larger flies like this Copper Shrimp, but really small, bright flies size 10-14 are the right choice for these large eyed hunters.
The problem is one of hooking. The fish will see and strike the larger fly, but the hook will rarely penetrate the hard mouth. Smaller flies have a greater chance of sticking once they have a grip.
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This photo explains
This photo explains why I've never landed a garfish! I used to hook the larger ones in the sea of Cortez, in Baja (30+ inches)... had a great fight until they all bit off, but never landed one, since they would never hit even the lightest wire leader. The acrobatics of the fish made it all seem worthwhile ,though, with most of it out of the water!