Brinkman, Oklahoma State University, personal communication). Gars are exclusively found in North America, Central America, and Cuba, ranging from southeastern Canada. George(Areas north of the dam, west of Hwy 39 and south of the Hwy 39 bridge at Omaha, GA side only. Lake Lanier’s Striped Bass record is a massive 47 pounds. This means even at higher levels it does not create a mat on the water but can be seen as a green tint in the water. Scott Evans and a team of hunters caught a 900 pound alligator at Lake Eufaula on Friday. Reed Memorial Wildlife Area, Lee’s Summit, MO. Lake Lanier is just 60 miles north of Atlanta and 150 miles southeast of Chattanooga, Tenn. Are there alligator gar in Lake Murray? May 7, 2023 September 14, 2022 by Brent Pollock. Caleb caught. Lake. "The alligator is the largest gar, reaching up. Alligator Spotted in Lake Lanier - Cumming, GA - State officials say the gator presents little threat unless someone intentionally disturbs it. Lake Lanier. September 18, 2022 by Brent Pollock. Fear no more, watergoers — Lake Lanier's rogue alligator has been apprehended. Solomon David (part 1). It is often associated with, but not closely related to,. Lufkin native Mason DuPree was at work when his friend called him, telling him that his uncle was out on Rayburn and saw alligator gar spawning. Filled in 1942,…. There was a large population of black carpenters, bricklayers, and. Please don’t try this at home. Coloration is generally brown or olive above and lighter underneath. 14 May, 2023, 12:30 pm. He says at first he thought it was a large gar fish poking out of the water. Wanted to get everyone's opinion on this. Lake Lanier’s Striped Bass record is a massive 47 pounds. It can grow up to 8 feet long and weigh more than 300 pounds. How to Get Fishing Bait. " The American alligator is black in color with rows of rough scales, or scutes, along its back. Use pliers to remove the bones connecting the dorsal fins to the spine. Young may be seen at the surface in debris such as leaves and twigs. 6 165 Table 2. Art Weston hold more than 50 current or pending fishing world records, but he will likely soon add two more to. As a result, considerable effort has been spent in recent years to gain a. Gar average three pounds on Lanier, but can reach up to 20 pounds. The reptile was caught and transported to an alligator range in south Georgia in May 2016. State wildlife officials are warning boaters and swimmers to be on the lookout for the gator. Payton Moore dreams of giant fish. Program: Texas A&M. According to the department, alligator gar can weigh more than 300 pounds and measure more than eight feet long. 21, 2023 at 6:19 PM CDTAlligator gar 153-183 28. 19, 2010, in Decatur County. They are the only species of the family Lepisosteidae found in New Mexico. We sampled the alligator gar population in the Red River drainage of Oklahoma–Texas from March 2006 to April 2008 to evaluate population characteristics, identify efficient sampling techniques, and evaluate. Anglers on the Rio Grande are still chasing the next record. A new record was set in April for the largest alligator gar caught at Lake Corpus. Jason Clark caught the alligator that had been spotted on Lake Lanier. Brayden. Included on the monster fish list are alligator gar, lake sturgeon, paddlefish, flathead catfish, and blue catfish. On a hot morning in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, two men pulled up nets from a lake in hopes of catching alligator gar, one of the largest and most feared fish. By Dyanne Fry Cortez “We live in Germany. 0. com. before deciding to drain the more than 200,000-cubic-meter lake earlier. The genus may have been present in North America for about 100 million years. Map. EXPLORE. Alligator spotted in Lake Lanier. A giant alligator weighing nearly 1,000 pounds was caught in Lake Marion. Historically there have been numerous other reports of 20 feet long alligators across the [email protected] of alligator gar, a non-native predator fish mostly found in North America, in Srinagar’s Dal Lake on Thursday not only surprised experts in Kashmir, but also triggered a flurry of. Cypress Lake, Louisiana. READ SOMETHING ELSE. 8 — Striped Bass, White Bass and/or Hybrid White-Striped Bass — 15, only two of which can be 22 inches. Just wondering because according to UGA's fishery department, NO River systems in Georgia Waters have them. Carters Lake-Home to good numbers of keeper-size channel catfish. There are seven known species of gar, which include the alligator, Cuban, Florida, longnose, shortnose, spotted, and tropical varieties. Lake Lanier Fish – Alligator Gar. Alligator gar prefer large rivers that have a large overflow floodplane, but these rivers have all but disappeared in North America due to the use of dredging, dams. The biggest alligator gar documented was caught in Mississippi’s Lake Chotard in 2011 and weighed a massive 327 pounds. In 2005 a man caught a Mekong catfish of 9 feet, weighing 646 pounds, taking the world record for the biggest catfish in. Shaw, 50, reeled in a lake-record alligator gar of 216 pounds, and caught a longnose gar of 18 pounds, that was also a lake. May 1, 1995. Record: 45-25. Spotted bass in the two pound range are common and fish exceeding four pounds are often found on the end of. Villagers who like Alligator Gar all the time: Einar. On a Jekyll Island golf course in 1994, a golfer was bitten trying to retrieve a ball. There are two very different summertime approaches to catching largemouth bass on Lanier. Franklin/American Museum of Natural History. Solomon David. Jason Clark of Southeastern Reptile Rescue captured a three-foot alligator Wednesday night in Lake Lanier after the gator was first spotted in early July. This animal is the second largest freshwater fish species in North America. Hunting in the refuge is not allowed). Other game species like bluegill and walleye, plus more, also attract anglers. Srinagar- The discovery of rare Alligator Gar Fish in Dal Lake has not only taken the locals in Kashmir by surprise and triggered a debate on social media platforms but has. I have caught a few largish gar when I got lucky and hooked them just right so the line didn't touch the teeth. What is the biggest bass caught in Lake Lanier? October 15, 2022 September 12, 2022 by Brent Pollock. Don’t get too excited, though, as there have been sightings in the southern part. The alligator gar is found in the Yakima River at Bateman Island in Richland in Tri-Cities. Srinagar: The discovery of a carnivorous Alligator Gar fish in Kashmir’s famous Dal Lake has set the alarm bells ringing among scientists and authorities as its presence poses a great threat to the native fish species. Alligator gar can live for many decades. Alligator gar is the largest of the gar species. Why is Lake Lanier water green? January 1, 2023 September 13, 2022 by Brent Pollock. Female crappies can lay between 5,000 and 6,000 eggs and live up to 10 years. But avid angler Olaf Nelson, who in 2013 was the first to catch an alligator gar in Illinois in 50 years -- a 2-footer in a stocked lake -- said they're important whether anyone wants to fish for. At the time, 1,100 Black people owned land and operated businesses in Forsyth County alone. Quests. Two species are native to Michigan waters: longnose gar and spotted gar. An angler and a professional guide may have broken two fishing records after they reeled in a massive alligator gar. It was caught in Lake Eufaula by the Lethal Guide Service hunting team back in 2019. Jun 10, 2022 at 10:29 AM EDT. “I heard the reel go off. It is one of the two extant species in the genus Alligator, and is larger than the only other living alligator species, the Chinese alligator. It is considered the largest alligator gar ever caught in Lake Corpus Christi. Where is the best fishing in Missouri right now? Pomme de Terre Lake, Pittsburg, MO. Alligator gar get big — really big — and they look like something that should be swimming around with dinosaurs, not bass and crappie. According to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, while the gator does not pose a threat to public, people should still give the animal space. Lures come with pre-tied leaders of 30-pound monofilament. Teamwork and grueling hours produce a 705-pound, 12-foot, 6-inch giant gator for two Georgia brothers. S. Black and/or White. LUFKIN, Texas (KETK) – Three East Texans reeled in over 500 lbs of alligator gar at Sam Rayburn Reservoir. 4. You can follow seagulls hovering over Lanier until your $75,000 boat runs out of gas. Illinois Department of Natural Resources is restocking alligator gar in cooperation with one of the U. Spread the love “DNR says Lake Murray does not have alligators. A small alligator recently spotted in Lake Lanier has been causing such a stir, you’d think someone had seen the Loch Ness monster. Harrison’s big fish took a small 1/8-ounce jig. These fish can get large, too. 3-13. That’s why we wimps can shout “Hoo. The body is covered with hard, diamond-shaped scales. Lake Lanier (officially Lake Sidney Lanier) is a reservoir in the northern portion of the U. Six of these incidents happened as a result of the human stepping on or otherwise making contact with a submerged alligator. There is no mandatory harvest reporting for alligator gar. Charles and Cody Quirk with Big Al. A 207-pound alligator gar set a record for Lake Corpus Christi before it was released back into the water recently. The remaining three were the result of an alligator mistaking the human for prey. The alligator gar, a fish that can live more than 50 years and weighs upwards of 300 pounds, is protected from overfishing in Texas. From the range maps, one can gather that Cobb County, Lake Allatoona, Lake Lanier, and the entire north- eastern region of Georgia, should be Water Moccasin free, and any snake we see in the water is most likely the harmless Water Snake. Its diet depends on the most readily available food source, usually gizzard shad ( Dorosoma cepedianum ), and other species not prized for sport fishing. Not even a little bit. ” Blake is a bass fisherman and never really focuses on any other species of fish, but on this day he was in for a big surprise. The ray-finned euryhaline fish having a mouth like that of an alligator was caught during a deweeding operation in the famous lake. The alligator gar is the largest gar species alive today. Lake Lanier has a new neighbor – an alligator. They are the only species of the family Lepisosteidae found in New Mexico. Using a J-hook and a six-pound fishing line, the giant fish was caught, weighed, and then released. Is there alligator gar in Lake Lanier? There are alligator gar in Lake Lanier, but they’re not very common. Learn about some of the best lakes in Florida for boating and why you should visit them. The carnivorous nature of this exotic fish, with its alligator-like head and pointed teeth, has sparked mixed. Weiss, Lanier, and Hartwell!! Oct 7, 2010 #14. The alligator gar was 7-foot, 8 inches long. 10-year-old Emily Myers caught an 8-foot-2 alligator gar in a Houston waterway on Sunday. American alligators are not endangered and are much larger, typically ranging between 11 and 16 feet long. (WALB) - A huge alligator, taken just after the start of Georgia’s 2020 alligator hunting season may not impress champion gator hunters like “King-of-the-Swamp” Troy. I had let the slack run out of the line, and honestly, I wasn’t. In 2009, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) reacted to the increased harvest of trophy alligator gar by imposing a one-fish-per-day bag limit. What state has the most alligator gar? In Georgia, one of the best places to pursue longnose gar is on Lake Lanier in Hall County. After catching big stripers we had a little fun being in the lead for the lake lanier billfish classic series! Shooting for the money!A Kentucky angler and a Texas fishing guide have teamed up to catch a 283-pound alligator gar at Sam Rayburn Lake that could break an International Game Fish Association (IGFA) world record for. The tiny critter — it’s estimated to be about. If you have never caught a Spotted Bass you are in for one of the hardest fights pound for pound that exist. Humans tend to consume crappie for their mild and sweet taste. Gar average three pounds on Lanier, but can reach up to 20 pounds. Fish of the Week! Season 1/Episode 12: Alligator Gar feat. A close-up of the record-breaking alligator gar caught in Alabama. They can weigh over 300 pounds. Longnose gar can grow to over four feet long in Michigan, but never reach the massive proportions of alligator gar, which can weigh over 300 pounds and measure over eight feet long. They are also the. 9, 1912, an 18-year-old white woman named Mae Crow was raped and. m. Caleb McClure caught a 27 lb 4 oz, nearly 5-foot-long longnose gar in June that dwarfs many other lake species. #shorts #alligatorgar #alligator #prehistoric #prehistoricanimals #fish #an. As some other commenters correctly pointed out, this is not an alligator gar (Wikipedia link). However, these reptiles are not native species to the waters here. China Officials Drain 30-Acre City Lake to Search For Invading Alligator Gar—Don’t Find It. In this case, foreseeable future for the alligator snapping turtle is 50 years. TEXAS WILDLIFE: 10-foot alligator causes Houston 'traffic jam,' removed and rescuedLake Lanier Fishing. The waters are too cold for alligators to survive long-term. ©Jim Schwabel/Shutterstock. Are there giant catfish in Lake Lanier? May 25, 2023 September 16, 2022 by Brent Pollock. A specimen from Vermilion Parish, Louisiana, was documented at 9 feet, 8. The baby gator, estimated at no longer than three feet, raised eyebrows after being spotted. 5 meters (8. Wednesday near Don Carter State Park, located on the Chattahoochee River portion of Lake Lanier. Alligator photo courtesy Georgia Department of. Okay, not really bacon, but you know what we mean. The saline levels in Lake Pontchartrain have dropped over the last few decades, so there might be more alligators showing up. 682) among the nonhybrid individuals of the four gar species examined. With a streamlined body, armor-like scales, and a fearsome appearance, the American Alligator Gar is a formidable predator and the largest freshwater fish in Georgia. 'Chaotic scene': Perry grandmother saves 3 family members from house fire, fire department saysHunters must apply for a special license to participate and are limited to one alligator. During the day, use a high resolution electronic fish finder to locate brush piles in 20 to 40 ft of water on the lower half of the lake. , 12-oz. It is also stocked with rainbow trout. Lake Lanier is famous among striper anglers because of its excellent striped bass fishing. 32"N, 46°7'19. The Sugar Land resident set sail down a Houston bayou Thursday, determined to catch one of the largest alligator gars Texas has potentially ever seen. This summer, Lanier anglers should target areas near the back of coves around natural cover, such as downed trees or brush. Key Points: When full, the water surface of Lake Lanier is 1,071 feet above sea level. Sections. Balus Creek Public Boat Launch Ramp. A 207-pound alligator gar set a record for Lake Corpus Christi before it was released back. Lake Lanier is located about 60 miles north of Atlanta. The lake record Large Mouth bass is over 17 pounds. The near record alligator is believed to be the second largest alligator ever caught in the state, only. It was there that, in 2019, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) harvested a 700-pound, 13-foot, 4-inch alligator – one of the biggest ever caught. The body is covered with hard, diamond-shaped scales. — People visiting a reservoir in Coweta County will notice an. These fish weigh up to 5 pounds and are 7 to 12 inches long. Alligator Gar. W. May 1, 1995. Spread the love. Females lay a single clutch of 30 to 50. An alligator, which is estimated to be about 2-to-3-feet long, has been seen on the north end of Lake Lanier near Don Carter State Park. Gar average three pounds on Lanier, but can reach up to 20 pounds. Statewide reporting is mandatory. During the fall, spotted bass are transitioning back to the surface. Feb 2016. Coloration is generally brown or olive above and lighter underneath. It’s a long-lived leviathan with some of the eldest individuals swimming this very moment, having hatched when Apollo 10 navigated around the moon in May of 1969. 13:41. Before then, people resided in a town called Oscarville, which was primarily an African American community. Lake Lanier. The state record for an alligator gar fish is 302 pounds, which was caught on a trotline in 1953. The record was set on September 10, 2016, and is now a six-year. The gar was so big, it measured a little more than 7'8". 5 cm TL and weighing 18. There’s a new state record redbreast sunfish! Angler Lester Roberts broke the previous record set in 1998 with his 1-lb. This carnivorous fish poses a significant threat to native fish species in the lake. A summery day at Georgia’s Lake Lanier ended in tragedy on Thursday when Thomas Shepard Milner was electrocuted after jumping off of his family’s dock into the lake below. Allatoona Lake has 12,010 acres of land and 270 kilometers of coastline. In 1997 the combo struck gar again when he and a friend used it to take down a 6-foot 7-inch alligator gar on Lake Corpus Christi. Harrison’s fish tops the state longnose gar record previously held by Gerald Kennedy, who caught a 30-pound, 13-ounce fish from Lake Lanier in 2013. In Oklahoma, alligator gar are mainly found in the Red River system, which includes Lake Texoma and its tributaries. Gars are elongated, cylindrical fish with long snouts with numerous prominent teeth. However, these reptiles are not native species to the waters here. Throw on hot coals for 5 minutes each side. Fishing At Lake Lanier AKA: Lake Sidney Lanier Fishing for largemouth bass, spotted bass, channel catfish, flathead catfish, black crappie, walleye, rainbow trout, bluegill, green sunfish, redbreast sunfish, redear sunfish, warmouth, white bass, yellow perch, striped bass and longnose gar at Lake. 55 kilogram) world record Alligator gar and the 302 pound (137 kilogram) Alligator gar measured a little over 7 ½ feet (2. In addition to being a great striper fishery, the lake has healthy populations of catfish, bass, crappie, sunfish, walleye, perch, and gar. Between 1994 and 2020, CNN reported that 203 people died on Lake Lanier due to boating accidents and drownings — these are two very prominent dangers on the lake. The fisherman's brother, Gerardo Benitez. After I grew up a bit, I sort of put those stories in the back of my mind. Lots of gar on upper lake Lanier on both arms and there used to be literally thousands of 3+ footers in Little River area. Lake Lindsay Grace (Wayne Co. A creature known as a “living fossil” – the alligator gar – has found its way to Kansas for the first time in documented history. While you can’t expect to catch them that big every time, most of the lake’s gars. All that to say, there are some. Elouisa. temminckii is one of the heaviest freshwater turtles in the world. Field & Stream Online Editors. To change the bait, equip the fishing rod and press the right mouse button. This summer, Lanier anglers should target areas near the back of coves around natural cover, such as downed trees or brush. The massive reptile was found in the. The species was not known to exist in either Lake Norman or the Catawba River. . In this instance, call the N. by Insha Shirazi SRINAGAR: In a surprising turn of events, an alligator gar fish (Atractosteus spatula), native to North America, was discovered in Kashmir’s Dal Lake last week, raising concerns about its impact on the local ecosystem. M. Lake Marion. These giant fish have a growing, almost cult-like following of anglers, and for good reason. Im not talking about big long noses, I mean alligator gar. 5lber caught on big baits. Over the years the gar has achieved fish-tale notoriety, including a grainy picture on the Internet of a 10-foot alligator gar stretched out on a board in Mississippi, circa 1910. The Altamaha boasts three state record catfish: an 83 pound flathead, a 44 lb, 12 oz channel cat and a 93 pound blue catfish. 📷 D. In June 2017, a 101-pound flathead was caught on a limb line on the lower river. Top photo of Lake Lanier by User: PBT1981, via Wikimedia Commons. The American alligator, found in the southeastern US, may be found in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Even Fish & Game had to hold their nose putting the Alligator Gar on the endangered species. 940-452-8283. Hefner explained how to age a catch. Duane Raver, USFWS. Tom Mann had 1 in his aquarium in Eufaula he took out of Lake Eufaula, but that was caught back in the 70's I believe. Lake Lanier boasts over 38,000 acres of the best Striped and Spotted Bass fishing in the country. . Alligator. Lake Lanier Videos. The fish was weighed 327 lb (148 kg), and it had a. A summery day at Georgia’s Lake Lanier ended in tragedy on Thursday when Thomas Shepard Milner was electrocuted after jumping off of his family’s dock into the lake below. Georgia Department of Natural Resources officials confirmed they have received multiple reports of alligator sightings at Lake Lanier this summer. It weighed 356 pounds and was caught in Arkansas' Horseshoe Lake in 1931. Alligator Gar one of four species in Kentucky. Since then, the record has held steady, although a few have. In fact, the world-record alligator gar, caught in Mississippi in 2011, was probably around 95 years old at the time. Lake Blackshear, in addition to being part of the Jackson River system, is in Jackson County,. American and/or Hickory. By Tom Regan, WSB-TV August 30, 2016 at 6:01 pm EDT. Last year, TPWD biologists analyzed the stomach contents of 392 gator gar collected at Falcon Lake on the Texas/Mexico border and found carp, tilapia and shad. gov or by calling the Fisheries Division at 615-781-6575. Most live to be around 50 years old. Before then, people resided in a town called Oscarville, which was primarily an African American community. officials wrote. Alligator gars are one of the biggest freshwater fish in North America. Growth of older fish is much slower, taking about 10 years to attain a total length of 1 mAlligator gar reach an enormous 13 feet long and fatten to a plump 300 pounds. Lake Lanier Striper Video with a 28 and 18. Males can attain a size of more than 14 feet (4. The baby gator, estimated at no longer than three feet, raised eyebrows after being spotted several times since mid. These lures are designed so that the user can control how deep they dive. He and his expert guide Kirk Kirkland released the giant fish back into the water. An alligator, which is estimated to be about 2-to-3-feet long, has been seen on the north end of Lake Lanier near Don Carter State Park. BENEFITS Alligators are important in nature. 66 °Support Now. Brent saw several 4- to 6-foot males circling and thrashing around a. 13:41. Alligator gar is the misunderstood "big daddy" of freshwater fish. Army Corps of Engineers for flood control, power generation, and recreation. 22 lb, 4 oz. Jason Clark of Southeastern Reptile Rescue captured a three-foot alligator Wednesday night in Lake Lanier after the gator was first spotted in early July. Watch This Insatiable Alligator Turn A Huge Python Into Its Afternoon Snack. Office: (843) 546-0113. The most polluted lake in Georgia is Lake Lanier. Gar. The reservoir is located in Gwinnett County, a northern. Public Boat Launch Ramps & Landings. The gar was so big, it measured a little more than 7'8". They are often called living fossils for a reason. The best summer fishing spots for gar are the back of coves around natural cover, such as downed trees or brush. We sampled the alligator gar population in the Red River drainage of Oklahoma–Texas from March 2006 to April 2008 to evaluate population characteristics,. According to Discover Lake Lanier, approximately 11. The SSA report, produced with input from many partners, underwent independent peer and partner review. There have been occasional sightings of alligators but it is rare. The historical range of Alligator gar extended from the Ohio and Missouri Rivers throughout the central and lower Mississippi River drainage and along the Gulf Coastal Plain from the Econfina River, Florida westward to Texas and. The Racist History Of Lake Lanier. Keith Dees The alligator gar on Keith Dees's boat. WATCH. Growing appreciation of biodiversity and the role of apex predators, along with the increasing popularity of multispecies and trophy-oriented angling, has elevated the status of gars—in particular, the Alligator Gar Atractosteus spatula—among anglers and biologists alike. The remaining three incidents were a result of the alligator mistaking the human for prey. It is considered the largest alligator gar ever caught in Lake Corpus Christi. It’s a reservoir that covers 59 square miles. C. The spring and fall months also are proven to be productive, but you won’t have much luck during the cooler months of winter. Lake Lanier also supports healthy populations of bass, catfish, crappie, walleye, perch, sunfish, and gar. The tried and true method is to fish deep water structure with SuperSpin tipped with a soft plastic swimbait. Lake. This means even at higher levels it does not create a mat on the water but can be seen as a green tint in the water. 5 inches and 302 pounds. Young may be seen at the surface in debris such as leaves and twigs. One of the more recent encounters, according to committee members, involved an alligator lunging at a pet in East End Park. Gill nets. Lake Lanier. Fluctuations in the depth of Lake Lanier occur. The lake was created when the Chattahoochee River was dammed by the Buford Dam in the 1950s. Allatoona connects a network of boat ramps, day-use areas, and camps. Alligator spotted in Lake Lanier. 8 million people visit this reservoir every year. It’s Called an Alligator Gar because It looks like an Alligator. For a river that flows for about 436 miles through one of the busiest cities in the Southeast, the Chattahoochee River is popular with tourists and water sports enthusiasts. “They reach 5 feet in roughly 12 years, and then they hit a wall, growing only about. A pair of San Antonio anglers reeled in what they are calling a "river monster" last week near Three Rivers. After I grew up a bit, I sort of put those stories in the back of my mind. 25 pounds. 2 during a weeklong trip to Sam Rayburn Lake, about. This park on the western bank of Lake Lanier is near the Buford Dam at the lake’s southern end. The statewide rule limits anglers to the take of one alligator gar per day on all waters using any legal means except Lake Falcon, where anglers are allowed to take 5 fish per day. Length-3. In 1975 Clay wrote that “the largest one on record, a female taken from Belle Island Lake, Vermilion Parish, Louisiana, was nine feet, 8 1/2. Watch This Insatiable Alligator Turn A Huge Python. The world’s largest alligator gar was caught in a Mississippi lake and weighed 327 pounds! About Alligator Gar. . . As the name implies, Alligator. That particular fish weighed in at. Falcon Lake Alligator Gar Fishing Exceptions. Art Weston, a Kentucky resident, went to East Texas to catch the alligator gar. A Texas man is about to claim the new alligator gar world record for a monstrous fish he took out of the Amistad Reservoir. I caught my first gar on lanier this weekend and it made me wonder how many there are on the lake, and how many times when I'm striper fishing and I think it's spots messing with my bait it's actually gar. Updated: Apr 10, 2023 / 06:19 PM CDT. I have had some of these gar for over 4 years now. It was caught out of a Mississippi lake, an oxbow of the Mississippi River, in a fisherman’s gill net. Bass, Largemouth. That long-standing world record (also listed in the Texas game fishing records) tipped the scales at a massive 279 pounds. A 207-pound alligator gar set a record for Lake Corpus Christi before it was released back.