Paul Easley catches and releases 8-foot alligator gar on Lake Texoma. The alligator gar (Atractosteus spatula) is a ray-finned euryhaline fish related to the bowfin in the infraclass Holostei /hoʊˈlɒstiaɪ/. However, anecdotal reports suggest they can grow up to 10 ft (3 m) in length, and weigh as much as 350 lb (159 kg). It was coming up, but it was dead weight and it didn’t seem to be moving at all. Growing the Next World Record Alligator Gar! Copyright © 2008-2021 BroBible. Fishing World Records. In many areas, keeping alligator gar as pets is illegal, but they occasionally show up in fish stores. For what it’s worth, this happened years ago but Field and Stream just updated the story so it has been published again and since most of us missed the story back then I figured it was newsworthy today. Alligator gar require a very large aquarium or pond, and ample resources for them to thrive in captivity. 3 oz. The all-tackle fishing world record for alligator gar was a 279-pound fish caught in Texas back in 1951. Growing the Next World Record Alligator Gar! At Garzilla We believe in catching big fish and that World Records should be BIG! The fossil record traces its group's existence back to the Early Cretaceous over 100 million years ago. [46][47], Atractosteus gars, including alligator gar, tropical gars, and Cuban gars, are considered good candidates for aquaculture, particularly in developing regions, where their rapid growth, disease resistance, easy adaptation to artificial feeds as juveniles, and ability to tolerate low water quality are essential. [24], The long-time public perception of alligator gar as trash fish or a nuisance species has changed, with increasing national and international attention on the species as a sport fish, which some have attributed to features on popular television shows. Anecdotal reports have been made of alligator gar captured in various parts of India, but are believed to be the result of incidental releases by aquarium hobbyists and the like. The gar was 8 ft 5 1⁄4 in (2.572 m) long, weighed 327 lb (148 kg), and its girth was 47 in (120 cm). Show More Show Less. For starters, it took him forever to haul this fish into his boat. The most northerly verified catch was in Meredosia, Illinois, in 1922. In 1991, fishing guide Kirk Kirkland anecdotally reported catching an alligator gar measuring 9 ft 6 in (2.90 m) on rod and line from the Trinity River. [43], Declining populations of alligator gar throughout their historic range have resulted in the need to monitor wild populations and regulate commercial harvests. In August 2015, an alligator gar was found entangled in cloth inside a well in Dadar, where it had been living for quite some time. [37] In June 2016, a 3.5-ft alligator gar was caught from Subhash Sarovar Lake in Kolkata. [7] Records of historical distribution indicate alligator gar once inhabited regions as far north as central Kansas, Nebraska, Ohio, Iowa, and west-central Illinois, where they are now listed as extirpated. Gars are often referred to as "primitive fishes", or "living fossils" because they have retained some morphological characteristics of their earliest ancestors, such as a spiral valve intestine, which is also common to the digestive system of sharks, and the ability to breathe both air and water. [25] Among the first to enact restoration and management practices was the Missouri Department of Conservation in partnership with Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky, Illinois, Alabama, Mississippi, Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana. The original name was Lepisosteus spatula, but was later changed by E.O. We currently hold the largest alligator gar record ever officially recorded on FLY fishing gear. On June 27, 2020, an alligator gar measuring 112 cm (3 ft 8in) was reported dead on the coast of Gonyeli Dam, North Cyprus. Gar oil was also used by the people of Arkansas as a repellent for buffalo gnats. [9][10] Fish and Wildlife Service, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Jason Schall RETIRED RECORD Our first IGFA world Record 130LB line class. Early settlers tanned the skins to make a strong, durable leather to cover their wooden plows, and make purses and various other items. [8] Williams donated it to the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science in Jackson, where it will remain on display. [16][17] Despite being a highly evolved species, alligator gar are often referred to as "primitive fishes" or "living fossils"[18][19] because they have retained a few morphological characteristics of their earliest ancestors with seemingly few to no apparent changes, such as a spiral valve intestine, which is also common to the digestive system of sharks, an abbreviate heterocercal tail, and a swim bladder lung for breathing in both air and water. [11] The bladder not only provides buoyancy, but also enables them to breathe in air, which is why they are able to inhabit bodies of water in which most other fishes would die of suffocation. Tex., S.D. Most females do not reach sexual maturity until after their first decade of life, while males reach sexual maturity in half that time. Share. [53], Ray-finned euryhaline fish related to the bowfin in the infraclass Holostei. In total, this alligator gar weighed 327 pounds and measured 8-feet 5 1/8 inches long with a 47-inch girth. World War II veteran and local council member Guillermo “Bill” Valverde of Mission, Texas, managed to wrangle the giant fish out of the water and seal his name in the fishing records. No state angling record exists because only those with a scientific collector’s permit can possess and harvest this species in Florida. xxv, 490 pp. He contacted the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks and the gar was certified as a … The fish has been donated to the Museum of Natural Science in Jackson, Mississippi. Tap to unmute. It was the world’s largest, setting the record at 15 feet 9 inches long, and weighing 1,011.5 pounds. For nearly a half century, alligator gar were considered "trash fish",[3] or a "nuisance species" detrimental to sport fisheries, and were targeted for elimination by state and federal authorities in the United States. It is suspected that the fish had been released recently and could not cope with the environment and died, however, it could be that the fish was resident there for years. Alligator gar can reach lengths of up to 10 feet and weights up to 350 pounds, although most large adults range from 5–8 feet long and weigh between 100 and 300 pounds. The fossil record traces its group's existence back to the Early Cretaceous over 100 million years ago. The world record for the oldest known gar was caught in 2011 in Mississippi and was determined to be at least 95-years-old, according to the Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife. Chicago, Illinois. Alligator Gar usually measure a few feet in length and under 50 pounds but he quickly realized this was a prehistoric beast when it was virtually impossible to get in the 16-foot aluminum boat: “I was almost finished for the day and had caught about 90 percent of my weekly quota,” says Williams. Info. Specialists from Cyprus Wildlife Research Institute collected the fish and explained its species to be alligator gar (Atractosteus spatula). The all-tackle record was a 302 lb (137 kg) alligator gar caught on a trotline in 1953 by T.C. The largest fish I’ve ever caught was a Blue Marlin but we were fishing for Marlin, I saw it strike the bait, I knew what was happening. They lunge forward, and with a sweeping motion, grab their prey, impaling it on their double rows of sharp teeth. I imagine there aren’t too many precise scales around Vicksburg, Mississippi capable of measuring 300+ pound fish. That fish was determined to be 99 years old! Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, "Atractosteus spatula (Bernard Germain de Lacépède)", "Vicksburg Man Catches 327 Lb. In November 2008, a [26] The sticky eggs then attach to submerged vegetation, and development begins. That fish is also the all-tackle world record according to the International Game Fish Association’s online database. If playback doesn't begin shortly, try restarting your device. caught on 16 lb tippet 83. lbs. Populations are now located primarily in the southern portions of the United States extending into Mexico. They occasionally ingest sport fish, but the majority of stomach content studies suggest they feed predominately on forage fishes such as gizzard shad and invertebrates and water fowl. Cass Anderson is Editor-in-Chief of BroBible. This page was last edited on 25 March 2021, at 20:24. Populations of alligator gar have been extirpated from much of their historic range as a result of habitat destruction, indiscriminate culling, and unrestricted harvests. A necropsy will be applied to find out more. “I honestly felt like I had hung up on a log. In the Southern United States, as well as in parts of Mexico and Cuba, broodstocks have already been established, and are being maintained in their respective regions, where they already are a popular food fish. World's Biggest Gar Alligator. But he was able to get that sorted out. [28] They have occasionally been seen in the Gulf of Mexico. [20], Alligator gar inhabit a wide variety of aquatic habitats, but most are found in the Southern United States in reservoirs and lakes, in the backwaters of lowland rivers, and in the brackish waters of estuaries, bayous, and bays. The second biggest alligator gar to date was a 279-pound specimen caught in Texas back in 1951. How big is the biggest alligator gar? It’s 15 feet and 9 inches long, and weights about 458.8 Kg.Since the records are clear and the aligator is at a display at the Mann Wildlife Learning Museum in Montgomery, Alabam, we can go ahead and say its the largest aligator recorded in the world. The indictments resulted from an undercover sting operation by special agents with the U.S. “It had been a good morning, the boat was full of fish.”, But as Williams began pulling up that last net, which was set in about eight feet of water 75 yards off shore, it seemed to hang up on something. Alligator gar are being cultured in ponds, pools, raceways, and tanks by federal hatcheries for mitigation stocking, by universities for research purposes, and in Mexico for consumption. Males release clouds of milt to fertilize the eggs as they are released into the water column. Williams’ fish measured 8-feet, 5.25 inches, with a 47.95-inch girth. “We landed there in the bottom of the boat together and I was so tired I couldn’t move. [29] Reports suggest alligator gar were once numerous throughout much of their northern range, but valid sightings today are rare, and may occur once every few years. Fish and Wildlife Service and the FWC. The hype that followed the hunt made going to work nearly impossible for Stokes, she says. Glassell initially set the world record in 1952, when he became the first … The half-hour program ran for three years as part of an educational series titled "Exotic and Unusual Fishes", produced by Earthwave Society. [49] In June 2011, three men from Florida and Louisiana were indicted on charges of illegally removing wild alligator gar from the Trinity River in Texas, and attempting to ship them to Japan for private collectors. “At first I didn’t think he was that big. The largest alligator gar fish ever caught on rod-and-reel was one captured in 1951 in the Rio Grande River. The Alabama Alligator (The Stokes Alligator) – 15 feet and 9 inches (4.8 meters). The problem at the moment was trying to get the massive fish in the boat. Current largest alligator gar on the fly record. There is also a small cottage industry that designs and sells jewelry made from the ganoid scales of alligator gar; some tan the hides to produce leather for making lamp shades, purses and a host of other novelty items. All gars have torpedo-shaped bodies, but some distinguishing characteristics of adult alligator gar include their large size; heavy bodies; broad heads; short, broad snouts; large, sharp teeth; and double row of teeth on their upper jaws. The 1980s brought a better understanding of the ecological balance necessary to sustain an ecosystem,[4] and eventually an awareness that alligator gar were no less important than any other living organism in the ecosystems they inhabit. They are also a popular fish for public aquaria and zoos. As big as this fish is, it's not a state or world record. IS THERE A HEAVEN OR HELL? Once the water temperature has reached 68 to 82 °F (20 to 28 °C), and all the other criteria are met, gar move into the grassy, weed-laden shallows to spawn. 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