–There are an estimated 9,200 alligator gar 42 inches or longer in the upper Trinity (from below DFW to Lake Livingston). Had either of them known, Texas might have a new record. Pierce, Jr., found on his trotline in 1953. The gator measured over 13-feet-8.5-inches in length and weighed in at over 900 pounds. A Texas fisherman said it took him about 30 minutes to reel in an alligator gar measuring 7 feet, 5 inches long and weighing in at a staggering 190 pounds. As big as the fish is, it’s nowhere near the state record. Alligator gar, once thought of as trash fish good only for killing and leaving to rot, are quickly gaining status as a worthy catch-and-release gamefish. Braxton Bielski stands with the Texas state record alligator taken during a public hunt on the James E. Daughtrey WMA. It is illegal to release fish after shooting them with lawful archery equipment. “Even low levels of overharvest can have dramatic results. Your email address will not be published. The overall state record is 302 pounds, caught in 1953 not far from Crawford’s boyhood home on the Nueces River. Bow fishing, rod and reel and trotlines are all legal methods for harvesting the limit of one fish per day. The alligator gar is among the largest species of freshwater fish found in North America. http://www.tabc-training.com Huge Gator #1 The first and second slides were taken by a KTBS helicopter flying over Lake Conroe ! TPWD has on-going efforts to get a better understanding of alligator gar population abundance, size and age structure, harvest, aging methods, movement and habitat needs, contaminants and genetics. I personally prefer to catch and release all Alligator Gar back into the water unless they are trophy catches. And fishing guide Kirk Kirkland reported a 9-foot, 6-inch 365-pounder in 1991 from the Trinity. The state record for an alligator gar taken with a bow and arrow is an 8' 0" long 290 lb. 2 spot with 215-pound alligator gar.215-Pound Alligator Gar Not Eligible for Louisiana State Record. >> Click Here: Articles about Illinois. Your contact information is used to deliver requested updates or to access your subscriber preferences. Troy’s gator turned out to be a female measuring 10½ feet long. According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the state record for an alligator gar catch is 302 pounds. What is the biggest fish caught in Texas? Pierce, Jr., found on his trotline in 1953. Texas Return to record search | Submit your record! Fishing in Texas – Your Comprehensive Resource. and cookie statement. “If we waited to see an actual decline, it would take decades to rebuild the population.” “Mathematical models and TPWD research suggest that alligator gar are very sensitive to overharvest,” explains TPWD research biologist Warren Schlechte. The oldest current record on this list is Bill Valverde’s 279 pound alligator gar, caught on the Rio Grande back on January 1, 1951. The record … Required fields are marked *. What makes this gar exceptional is that the Alligator Gar Texas state record … –Alligator have a low natural mortality (less than 9 percent per year on average). Not a bad haul for a 2 day roadie! The world record, caught in Mississippi in 2011, measured 8 feet 5 inches and weighed 327 pounds. Texas Alligator Gar Fishing in Trinity River below Dallas. If you would like to submit a photo of your fish for our fishing pictures or of a state record fish e-mail them to us. This 60-year-old Alligator gar is the Texas state record catch, at 197 pounds. With their massive, armor-plated body and mouth bristling with teeth, alligator gar look prehistoric–and they are. When Joseph Williams of  Cleveland went fishing in the Trinity River below Lake Livingston dam April 14, 2011, he was prepared to catch a big fish–a big alligator gar, the biggest freshwater fish in Texas. Perhaps because of their fierce appearance, alligator gar have been feared and blamed for attacks on humans, though there are no documented cases. Fly Rod Only | Private Water Records | The following notes are from the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department’s garfish profiles. Not a bad haul for a 2 day roadie! For example, harvesting 9 percent of the population annually instead of the 3 percent to 4 percent currently being harvested can result in a 53 percent reduction in population in 25 years, and it would take 50 years for the population to recover even with no harvest.”. 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