I always have to catch myself when I spot a gar while fishing in Florida. Working a topwater plug near a shoreline, I’ll often notice a gar breaking the surface with its long snout and sharp teeth. Immediately, I’ll think “alligator gar.” But that’s an assumption, given there are five native species of gar in the US, including the alligator, longnose, spotted, shortnose and Florida gars. The Florida specimen is more common in my neck of the woods.
But this isn’t about Florida. If we’re being honest, it’s entirely about Texas and an angler named Art Weston. But more on that later.
Any alligator gar fisherman worth their salt has heard of the Trinity River in Texas. No other waterway produces more International Game Fish Association (IGFA) world records for alligator gar than this lengthy stretch that flows far southeast from Dallas. In total, 24 IGFA record-setting alligator gar catches are from the Trinity. For comparison, there are only 39 records for alligator gar currently held by the IGFA (although a smattering of junior records are wide open). Thirty-six of the 39 records hail from Texas, with three others from Louisiana.
Alligator gar reach epic sizes, growing to lengths of 10 feet and weighing more than 300 pounds. The alligator gar is just about the largest freshwater fish in North America, second to the white sturgeon. What makes them unique compared to most fishes — but similar to species such as bowfins and snakeheads— are their ability to “breathe” air with a modified swim bladder. Not surprisingly, you’ll find gar swimming in backwaters, pools and floodplains with less current.
A commercial fisherman accidentally caught the largest alligator gar I’ve ever heard of from Mississippi’s Lake Chotard via a gill net. The gar measured 8.5 feet long and weighed 327 pounds. This happened in 2011, and the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks weighed, photographed and recorded the catch. That fish is now on display at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science in the state’s capital city.
Beyond that behemoth, let’s take a look at five eye-opening alligator gar records. An expert at targeting IGFA world records, angler Arthur “Art” Weston holds 12 current alligator gar records, as well as records for other freshwater species such as catfish, muskellunge, dorado, bass and crappie. Each of the gar catches below belong to Weston.
IGFA All-Tackle Alligator Gar Record — 283 Pounds
If you check the record books, the majority of alligator gar world records are less than 5 years old. Weston’s records date back to 2022. In September of 2023, he hit the motherlode with his all-tackle catch from Sam Rayburn Lake in Texas. The 283-pound alligator gar was caught using a 6-pound-test line. That means his fish also holds the 6-pound record. Weston was fishing with IGFA Captain Kirk Kirkland, likely one of the best guides for gar fishing in the world.
“When I put the tape on her she was an amazing 100 inches long, with an impressive 48-inch girth,” Kirkland recalled. “We quickly set up our tripod system to get the weight of our catch. We both had a look of shock when the scale just kept going higher and higher.”
Two-Pound-Test Alligator Gar Record — 153 Pounds
In April of 2025, Art Weston was trophy hunting with noted IGFA guide Kirk Kirkland when they hit the jackpot. Trophy hunting is misleading, as it implies Weston kills the gars he targets, when in fact Weston takes special care to weigh and release them.
The scene was Lake Livingston in Texas, and tackle strength was just two pounds. But when the fight was finally over, Weston brought to scale a 153-pounder. The 7-foot, 3-inch alligator gar broke his own line-class record — a 110-pounder from Texas’ Choke Canyon Reservoir. The fish was weighed, photographed, and released according to IGFA regulations.
30-Pound-Test Alligator Gar Record — 190 Pounds
On Sep. 18, 2024, Weston was fishing with 30-pound gear when he hooked an alligator gar in Choke Canyon, near Three Rivers, Texas.
“When I became serious about fishing, especially in the context of record hunting, I realized that success depended more on meticulous planning and preparedness than mere luck,” Art Weston told the IGFA in an interview. “I relish the challenge of setting records, and even when I encounter failures, I find satisfaction in analyzing what went wrong and devising solutions to address those shortcomings.”
He was successful on this day, landing a 190-pounder that hasn’t yet been topped in the IGFA record books.
50-Pound-Test Alligator Gar Record — 182 Pounds
Art Weston prefers spin gear when targeting alligator gar.
“Spinning gear is paramount for gar fishing when using cut bait, especially with the inclusion of a bait-runner feature [on the reel],” he told the IGFA. “Alligator gar often pick up bait and hold it in their mouths without swallowing immediately. If you attempt to set the hook or apply pressure prematurely, the gar might simply open their mouths and release the bait.”
Fishing in an area where he caught record-size alligator gar in the past, Weston hooked up to a massive fish with 50-pound tackle. The Choke Canyon region of Texas produced another giant for him. Weston hauled in the fish successfully — a 182-pounder — on Sept. 21, 2024.
8-Pound-Test Alligator Gar Record — 183 Pounds
One might ask how Art Weston is able to land such large predators on light lines. In April of 2025, he hauled in a 183-pounder from Sam Rayburn Lake near Lufkin, Texas. He was using just 8-pound-test line. It’s now the current line-class record for 8 pounds. The answer lies in a gar’s habit to come to the surface during fights.
“This behavior is the single most critical factor enabling the landing of these large fish when using light lines,” he told the IGFA. “A skilled guide can position the boat close to the gar when they surface, providing an opportunity to land them. Additionally, some gar don’t surface as frequently as others and may remain motionless on the bottom for over half an hour.”
That rolling behavior is not all that different from a tarpon. And both species have the ability to breathe air. In fact, anglers can find the two species together in brackish backwaters of certain southern states. But to catch a record-breaking gar fish? You’ll likely have to head to Texas. And you might want to be on the same boat as Art Weston and his trusted guide, Kirk Kirkland.
