Monster alligator gar weighing 283-pound caught in Texas after nearly 3-hour struggle, new fishing records set
alligator gar at Sam Rayburn Reservoir in southeast Texas, he did not know that he had broken two fishing records. He and his expert guide Kirk Kirkland released the giant fish back into the water. Now they are waiting to hear from the International Game Fish Association about whether they have set two new world records. The IGFA celebrated Weston's catch and described the records as 'pending' in a Facebook post.
Caught in Sam Rayburn reservoir
Weston joined Kirkland on his boat, the 'Garship Enterprise', and went out to Lake Sam Rayburn in the hope of catching the gargantuan. Situated about 140 miles northeast of Houston, Sam Rayburn Reservoir is known for producing very large alligator gars, which are distinctive-looking freshwater fish with long snouts and large and pointed teeth.
Weston and Kirkland chose this reservoir because they were fishing with a six-pound line and needed a place that offered a sandy bottom with minimal snags.
Alligator gar weighs 283 pounds
According to Fox News Digital, the two men fought the alligator gar for two hours and 45 minutes. When the colossal creature was finally brought to the shore, they were shocked to see it. The fish was 100 inches long and 48 inches around. It weighs 283 pounds, a new all-tackle record.
Female?
Solomon David, an aquatic ecologist at the University of Minnesota, told 'Live Science' that the colossal creature was likely a female because female alligator gars can grow larger than males. He also estimates the alligator gar to be between 50 and 80 years old.
Largest recorded alligator gar
The largest recorded alligator gar was caught in 2011 and it weighed 327 pounds. It was caught by a commercial fisherman Kenny Williams at Lake Chotard in
