7-Foot Prehistoric Alligator Gar Caught in Alabama, Breaks Previous State Record [See Photo]

A father and son had a record-breaking catch just days after Thanksgiving.

Father and Son Capture a Huge Alligator Gar

Keith Dees and his son, Huntley, were fishing in the Mobile-Tensaw Delta days after Thanksgiving when they caught the biggest alligator gar in the state.

The duo has a tradition of fishing on holiday, and their latest expedition snagged them several redfish, largemouth bass and the most unforgettable catch in their lives, with Dees saying it was "a day we'll never forget," Newsweek reported.

According to Dees in a post on Facebook, he and Huntley went fishing, and at about 11:30 a.m., they decided to fish one more spot. He made a cast, and his chatter bait went slack about halfway to the boat. He reeled as fast as he could and saw a big fish swimming by his trolling motor.

He had no idea what the fish was until it surfaced 30 minutes later. It took 2.5 hours before they got a rope and tied it around the fish and into their boat.

The 7-foot alligator gar weighed 165 pounds on one scale and 175 pounds on another. Dees said the state record was 151 pounds. However, at the time, he no longer cared if the catch would break the record because, for him, it was already a memory that he and his son would never forget.

Dees' post received several responses, with many expressing awe at the sight of the massive catch. Many congratulated him for the catch. Several urged him to weigh the fish on certified scales.

One said it was a fish of a lifetime. Another described the fish "dinosaur" due to its huge size.

Some also asked what line Dees used to catch the fish. Another asked if the boat flipped when they took it home.

The fish stayed alive and was weighed at Orange Beach Marina. It broke the state record with an official weight of 162 pounds.

Newly Captured Alligator Gar Breaks State Record

After finding out its official weight, Dees catch broke the state record. He told Outdoor Alabama, the official website of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) (via Newsweek), that he was aware the fish was big. However, he never thought it was a state record.

He added that breaking a state record had never crossed his mind. At the time, he said he loved to cook and would want to catch the fish to eat it.

Dees said he got a bunch of cajun, and they cut it in steaks and medallion and blackened it. According to him, it was delicious, and he got a bunch of meat in the freezer.

What is an Alligator Gar?

Alligator gar has no relation with alligators. However, it got the name due to its crocodilian head and razor-sharp teeth.

It is the largest of seven known gar species. This megafish has a torpedo-shaped body with glistening armored scales. They can grow up to 10 feet long, and historical records suggest they can weigh up to nearly 350 pounds, according to National Geographic.

They are the largest fish species in North America. They spend almost all of their time in freshwater.

Their prehistoric relatives appeared 157 million years ago. They live in many parts of the world. However, gars now only live in North and Central America.

They were historically found through the Mississippi River Valley. It is believed that they have lived as far north as Iowa and as far west as Kansas and Nebraska.

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