Record Alligator Gar

**clayton** · 11-06-2009, 02:14 PM

Bowfishing is huge here, and I got this email from a friend.

Below is a 8'2" 244.5lbs Sam Rayburn Record Alligator gar.

Here is a link to the Aim-Low bowfishing photos.

I know harvesting these beautiful fish may be controversial, but I thought the sheer size of this one was worth seeing. Please forgive if it offends.

**Northernguy** · 11-06-2009, 02:20 PM

Its a chance of a lifetime catch!
It was also a great breeder fish!
Catching those Monster fish must be a huge rush but bow fishing kind of eliminates the catch and release method.
Not a fish I would like to eat.The smaller ones are for that.

**clayton** · 11-06-2009, 02:22 PM

Yeah, no kidding. Can you imagine the 6ft fillets?

**Red** · 11-06-2009, 03:25 PM

Eh, to bad he had to kill it. Not my cup of tea, most of meat will go to waste, a fish like that can produce up to 400 eggs.

**tori.lock** · 11-06-2009, 03:56 PM

Beautiful animal dead, so I can't imagine what it would have looked like alive.

**clayton** · 11-06-2009, 04:17 PM

I agree, it seems to be such a waste for only a few minutes of fun. I would have loved to see this fish in a huge public aquarium... perhaps to view from the top and bottom.

**bigbad-ratman** · 11-06-2009, 04:21 PM

i watched a show awhile back that featured abit about gar, and the "experts" said that we would never see any truely monsterous fish anymore because fo the prsessure on them. so always believe the experts people!!!

**Wiggs** · 11-06-2009, 05:08 PM

Originally Posted by bigbad-ratman

i watched a show awhile back that featured abit about gar, and the "experts" said that we would never see any truely monsterous fish anymore because fo the prsessure on them. so always believe the experts people!!!

They never said "never" they said we wouldnt see as many.

**lobsternoob** · 11-06-2009, 11:24 PM

wow, that is a really fricking impressive fish. It is a shame that there's no way of releasing it at that point, but in their position I can't imagine passing up a catch like that either. A lot of times seeing a monster fish I think how cool it would be to see it in its natural habitat, that thing, no way. At least I'd have a built in defense mechanism to get away, I'd shoot out an ink cloud like a squid, except mine would be brown. Yeah I'd definitely mess my pants If I saw that sucker swimming near me.

**Demjor19** · 11-09-2009, 12:12 PM

I love seeing posts of people killing fish on fishkeeping forums...seems kind of backwards. That's probably a 25+ year old fish going to waste!

BTW...That's not even the record. There have actually been larger ones caught on rod and reel (7'-9" and 279 lbs). Largest bow kill was (8'-0" and 290 lbs). The largest ever officially recorded by other means was (8'-5" and 356 lbs). This is all per the most recent data I have read...the bow kill record may have actually passed the 300 lb mark...I haven't verified that yet though.