Alligator gar put up a fight like no other fish.
The largest freshwater predator fish here in the United States is the gigantic alligator gar. These toothy predators grow to huge lengths and can weigh hundreds of pounds given enough time and food resources. These fish are true survivors because they were still on this planet when dinosaurs were roaming the earth.
That's a fitting fact because these fish look a lot like dinosaurs. For anglers looking for a challenge, these fish put up one heck of a fight.
The biggest alligator gar in North America can be found living in Texas. The Trinity River is a prime location to target them. In this video, a six-footer gives an angler a fight to remember.
What a great fight and a catch! The strength and power of the alligator gar is likely only rivaled by that of another prehistoric monster, the white sturgeon. This was a large gar. However, much larger specimens measuring eight to nine feet are caught every year. There are rumors this species can get up to 10 feet and weigh upwards of 300 pounds. In Texas, there are many stories and old, faded photos that seem to showcase fish growing much larger than that.
Unfortunately, for many years this species was thought of as a "trash fish" that preyed upon native game fish species. As a result, many were culled from their native ranges. Fortunately, attitudes are slowly changing, and this species has a much more favorable reputation. And regulations intended to sustain a healthy population. Many people now make targeting these fish a bucket list item for the pure novelty of tangling with a prehistoric monster.
Fish over six feet are likely to be at least 40 to 50 years old, so we were glad to see a survivor like this released back into the wild to fight another day.
For more outdoor content from Travis Smola, be sure to follow him on Twitter and check out his Geocaching and Outdoors with Travis YouTube channels.
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