8-Foot Alligator Gar Caught in Texas Just a Few Inches Short of the Largest One Ever Caught

Payton Moore, a professional angler and YouTuber, shared on his YouTube account a video of him with a massive fish that have more in common with dinosaurs than most seafood today. This monstrous creature is called the alligator gar, which Moore describes as a throwback to the past.

The angler used his 80-pound test line with wire and a short length of 100-pound test monofilament to catch the alligator gar in Texas, as reported in the online news outlet Chron. It is considered one of the biggest specimens caught of the species, with only a few inches short of the largest one caught in 2011.

The Alligator Gar of A Lifetime Caught in Houston, Texas

In the 15-minute-long video Moore shared on YouTube, he showed the 300-plus-pound, 8-foot-2-inch alligator gar he caught in an undisclosed strong back eddy of a Houston-area bayou. He explained that these fish come up to breathe and with their modified swim bladder, these fish could gulp atmospheric air.

The 32-year-old conservationist and former member of Houston Zoo's education team said that he used a hook that can be easily unhooked from the fish's mouth, joking that he feels like walking a T-rex as he films his catch. He also noted that he decided to use the circle hook and catch-and-release tactics to incorporate conservationism into his videos.

As for its size, Moore estimates that the one he caught could be in league with the biggest alligator gar caught in Lake Choatrd in Mississippi in 2011 that measures 8 feet and 5 inches in length, and weighs 327 pounds.

Moore describes his catch as a "bittersweet" experience since it is thrilling to catch an enormous Cretaceous-era fish, but at the same time, he had to return it to the lake. But he emphasized in his comment in his video that catching an alligator in a lake of that size is good news and is worthy of protection and conservation as they are not only incredible animals but also very important to the ecosystem.

Why is Alligator Gar Important?

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said that there are seven types of gar in the world, although fossil records show that there could be more. Today, the alligator gar is the largest species that dates back to 157 to 215 million years ago.

These species are capable of breathing air that helps them survive in waterways where oxygen levels are low. The alligator gar Moore caught is estimated to be between 50 to 100 years old.

They are commonly found in Texas and play a crucial role in the ecosystems they inhabit. According to Texas Parks & Wildlife, the alligator gar is a cornerstone of the natural; biodiversity in the state and is also a prized catch among recreational anglers.

Also, the alligator gar plays an important role in keeping the aquatic ecosystems of Texas healthy. They maintain the healthy number of many other species, like sharks in marine ecosystems. Watch Moore's video of reeling in the alligator gar below.

Check out more news and information on Fish in Science Times.