They may attain lengths of eight feet or more and weigh well over 200 pounds. During the wee hours of the morning, just when the spirits of most men have been lulled into a tranquil state of numbness, prehistoric-looking creatures that would shock the imagination go on the prowl on lakes and rivers all over East Texas. They cruise the shallows to dine on unwary bream, shad, bass or virtually any other form of piscatorial life that gets too close, occasionally pausing to rest beneath overhanging limbs, atop lush moss beds, or just about anywhere they please for that matter.
Alligator gar can do that.
They can do what they want, because they're pretty much the king of the walk. Often measuring in excess of seven feet in length and weighing considerably more than the average man, the alligator gar is by far the largest fish swimming in freshwaters of my home state. Perhaps that's why avid bow fishers consider it the ultimate target on a sultry summer night. They're big, tough and powerful. And on top of all of that, they're downright ugly.