A “monster”-sized alligator gar caught in East Texas may break records held for more than 70 years after a nearly three-hour battle to reel in the beast.
Experienced angler Art Weston and professional fishing guide Capt. Kirk Kirkland potentially made history by catching a 283-pound alligator gar after only hoping to get a 130-pounder.
Weston, a resident of Kentucky, traveled to Texas’s Lake Sam Rayburn to join Capt. Kirkland on his boat, the “Garship Enterprise,” on September 2. What the two reeled in took about two hours and 45 minutes, and even more impressively, it was done on just a six-pound line.
“All of a sudden, one of the reels started to scream — the fish just grabbed the bait and absolutely just took off in a straight line,” Weston told Fox News.
He recalled that the pair of fishermen did not even realize just how massive the gar was until the last 20 minutes of reeling. “I remember yelling, ‘Oh my God, that’s a monster!'” said Weston.
Once brought to shore, the fish measured in at a whopping 100 inches long and 48 inches around.
According to Kirkland, it was “pretty exhausting to catch fish like that.”
The anglers had reeled in two smaller alligator gar earlier in the day but did not give up until they found their record-breaker.
“The drawback of this area was that there would be fewer fish,” Weston said of their choice to fish in Lake Sam Rayburn, which is ideal for its sandy bottom and minimal snags.
“I was willing to take that trade-off to see if we could get records,” he added.
According to the International Game Fish Association (IGFA), Weston’s world records are “currently pending” for the All-Tackle and Men’s 3-kg (6 lb) Line Class for alligator gar.
📍 Sam Rayburn Lake, TX, 9/2/23
— IGFA (@TheIGFA) September 12, 2023
Art Weston landed this massive 128.37-kilogram (283-pound) alligator gar to potentially set the IGFA All-Tackle & IGFA Men’s 3-kg (6 lb) Line Class World Records for the species. This record is currently pending, read more: https://t.co/WalXuHkT3z pic.twitter.com/rcLXuzBqtX
“After recording the weight on a certified scale, Art was able to release the fish safely,” IGFA said in a statement on Facebook.
The association’s president, Jason Schratwieser, praised the two anglers:
Art Weston and Captain Kirkland are both passionate conservation-minded anglers who continue to demonstrate that breaking barriers, and world records, is still possible within the sport of fishing. Catches like this are the result of months of meticulous planning and preparation, including an understanding of IGFA Angling Rules which promote ethical sportfishing practices.
According to Schratwieser, the massive alligator gar will beat existing records held for more than 70 years, “resulting in one of the greatest recreational angling achievements to happen this decade.”
“It was a pretty unbelievable accomplishment to have on your books,” said Kirkland.
“I can’t say enough about Captain Kirk, and how he has helped me land so many wonderful fish,” Weston told Fox News, adding that there are “not too many guides that will put up with a record hunter and all the effort it takes, but he is the best there is.”
In June, Breitbart News reported on a lady angler who set a world record by catching a 12-pound bass in Texas.
