Kentucky Angler Lands Gargantuan, Prehistoric Alligator Gar in Four-Hour Marathon

Art Weston, a Kentucky fisherman, just might have hooked his way into the record books after reeling in a monster alligator gar that looks like it swam straight out of the Jurassic era. The catch happened at Lake Livingston in Texas, with the expert guidance of Captain Kirk Kirkland. And yes, his boat is charmingly named "The Garship Enterprise"—someone out there is clearly living their best Star Trek-fishing crossover dream.

Weston described the adventure as an "epic battle" that stretched over nearly four hours and covered more than two miles of lake. The fish itself? A mind-boggling 153 pounds and stretching 7 feet 3 inches long. That’s the kind of fish you’d expect to see in a museum, not dangling from a fishing line.

Alligator gars are often called "living fossils," with their lineage tracing back almost 100 million years. It's a little wild to think something that ancient is still lurking in Texas waters, waiting to test the patience (and biceps) of modern-day anglers.

Weston explained that the fish kept to depths 8-12 feet below the boat and would rest on the lake bottom for ten minutes at a time, turning what should have been a tug-of-war into a marathon. Armed with 6-foot steel leaders and a sturdy j-hook, Weston's reel was set to a low drag, letting the fish run without breaking the line. It was all about finesse—letting the fish tire itself out rather than just muscling it in. Talk about a test in patience and nerves.

There were plenty of ways this could have gone sideways: twisted lines, snags, or the fish spitting out the bait. But the stars aligned, and Weston is now waiting to see if this will be certified as the largest freshwater fish ever caught on 2-pound test line, a feat with less than a 1% chance of success. If approved, it'll be a pending world record in the 2-pound line class by the International Game Fish Association—and the sixth largest ever, even counting saltwater giants.

This isn’t Weston and Kirkland’s first rodeo, either. Last May, while chasing another big catch, they accidentally hooked a 200-plus-pound alligator snapping turtle. Just your average day of fishing, apparently—dinosaurs and prehistoric reptiles all in the mix.

The International Game Fish Association is reviewing the catch for official record status. Meanwhile, somewhere in Kentucky, Art Weston is probably still grinning—and maybe giving his arms a well-deserved rest.