- Art Weston, 52, was fishing with Captain Kirk Kirkland on Lake Sam Rayburn when he caught the huge fish
- The alligator gar broke the existing Texas state record, the body of water record, the International Game Fish Association all-tackle world record and the 6-pound line class record
A huge 283-pound alligator alligator caught in Texas has broken four different state and world records.
Art Weston, 52, was fishing with Captain Kirk Kirkland, a fishing guide with the International Game Fish Association, at Lake Sam Rayburn when he caught the huge fish on September 2.
The Sam Rayburn Reservoir is known for producing giant alligator garfish.
According to Kirkland Facebook After the post, the duo caught the fish on a six-pound line and spent 2 hours and 45 minutes reeling it in.
When measured, the fish turned out to be 100 centimeters long (over 20 centimeters) with an impressive girth of 48 centimeters. The average length of this fish usually goes up to eight inches.
Art Weston, 52, was fishing with Capt. Kirk Kirkland, an International Game Fish Association fishing guide, at Sam Rayburn Lake when he caught the huge fish on September 2.
According to Kirkland’s Facebook post, the duo caught the fish on a six-pound line and spent 2 hours and 45 minutes reeling it in
The Sam Rayburn Reservoir is known for producing giant alligator garfish
With its unique size and weight, the alligator gar broke the existing Texas state record, the body of water record, the International Game Fish Association world all-tackle record and the 6-pound line class record.
The previous IGFA all-tackle record was held by a fish weighing 279 pounds, which had remained unbroken since December 2, 1951.
Kirkland told Fox News Digital, “It’s extremely rare to catch a fish that size on six-pound line. It’s quite an achievement.
“It broke the existing Texas state record. It broke the water body record. It broke the International Game Fish Association’s world all-tackle record. And it broke the 6-pound line class record.
‘Four in one fell swoop. That’s really nice when you do one fish that yields four records for you.’
When measured, the fish turned out to be 100 centimeters long (over 20 centimeters) with an impressive girth of 48 centimeters. The average length of this fish usually goes up to eight inches
The alligator gar can live for decades and scientists suspect it can live more than 100 years
Alligator gars are known to be sluggish and docile and are slow or hesitant when swallowing bait. They do not cause serious harm to people
Weston was elated and ‘on top of the world’ when he heard the news.
“It feels surreal, to be honest, that a single fish and a story would generate so much interest,” he said.
Alligator gar can live for decades and scientists suspect they can live more than 100 years.
These fish develop quickly and reach a length of up to 60 cm within their first year of life. By the time they reach age 20, they can be up to two meters tall. From then on, growth typically slows down, but does not stop completely.
Alligator gars are known to be sluggish and docile and are slow or hesitant when swallowing bait. They do not cause serious harm to people.
They only pose a danger to people when fishermen try to land and handle these large, powerful fish.
In addition to having a mouthful of sharp teeth, alligators are also covered in sharp, bony scales. If fishermen are not careful, they can easily become injured or bruised.