Texas Fisherman Shatters Records with Astounding 207-Pound Catch
A Texas fisherman now has his name in the record books thanks to a massive haul in Lake Corpus Christi.
Paul Hefner caught a 207-pound alligator gar on April 13, 2023 that measured 90 inches in length, according to the all-tackle records page for Lake Corpus Christi.
The Texas Parks & Wildlife Twitter account posted a picture of Hefner lying on the ground next to the huge catch, which measures a good bit longer than him.
The post goes on to assure people that alligator gar, despite looking terrifying, are actually not a threat to humans.
There are no confirmed attacks on people, according to Texas Parks & Wildlife. They are described as "sluggish and docile" and are considered a challenge to catch because they are slow to take the bait.
"They look like something that should be swimming around with dinosaurs, not bass and crappie," the Texas Parks & Wildlife page says. "But it is not just their looks that are unique. Alligator gar are like few other fishes that swim in our rivers, reservoirs and estuaries. Even among the four species of gar that occur in Texas - longnose, spotted, shortnose, and alligator gar - this species is unique."
They've actually been around as long as the dinosaurs and are native to Texas.
But if you're a fisher in El Paso, you're likely going to have to make a trip toward the coast if you want to catch one in Texas.
And if you thought Hefner's catch was massive (it was), it still isn't the biggest alligator gar caught. That would be a 327-pound catch in Mississippi.