In a feat that defies the laws of angling, a Texas fisherman has landed a 153-pound, 7-foot-long river monster using a line so light it's barely visible and it may have just set an astonishing new world record.
LAKE LIVINGSTON, Texas – It sounds like a fisherman's tall tale, but the documentation is in. Art Weston, an angler already legendary in the record-setting community, has accomplished what many would consider impossible. On April 8, Weston, with the help of expert guide Kirk Kirkland, successfully battled and landed a prehistoric-looking alligator gar weighing a staggering 153 pounds.
The catch alone is impressive. But what makes this a truly mind-bending achievement is the equipment: it was all done on a 2-pound test line.
This specialized line is as thin as a strand of dental floss. It's designed to snap with more than two pounds of pressure, making the idea of using it to catch a creature weighing over 75 times its breaking strength a near-total impossibility.
A Four-Hour Battle of Finesse
Weston and Kirkland didn't just stumble upon this monster; they were on a mission. The duo set out on Lake Livingston with the single, audacious goal of breaking the International Game Fish Association (IGFA) record for the largest fish ever caught on a 2-pound line.
When the 7-foot-plus gar struck, it wasn't a fight of brute force. It was a grueling four-hour marathon of pure patience and skill.
"It was a delicate, high-stakes dance," a report from the team described. The battle involved:
Boat Drags: The ancient fish, far too powerful for the line, pulled the boat around the lake.
Deep Dives: The gar repeatedly dove deep, forcing Weston to maintain perfect, feather-light tension to avoid an instant "snap."
A Risky Tangle: At one point, the ultra-thin line became dangerously tangled, threatening to end the entire attempt.
Against all odds, the duo's expertise prevailed. They managed to bring the massive, armored fish boatside, where it was carefully documented and measured.
A Champion for a Misunderstood Giant
True to the spirit of modern conservation, the giant was released alive and unharmed to continue its reign in the lake. The catch is now officially pending certification by the IGFA.
For Weston, who already holds an incredible 80 IGFA world records, this catch is about more than just another trophy. It's about shining a spotlight on one of North America's oldest and most misunderstood fish.
Alligator gar, which can live for decades, are often undervalued. Weston hopes this catch inspires a new generation of anglers to pursue them with a conservation-first mindset.
His philosophy is both simple and powerful: "If you kill a giant, it won’t be replaced in your lifetime."
If certified, this catch will not only shatter a world record but also stand as a global symbol of incredible skill, patience, and profound respect for one of the planet's last true freshwater predators.