Record Sunfish and Alligator Gar, Unique Fishing Tournament and More

This weekend marks the unofficial arrival of summertime as Memorial Day arrives on the calendar. While there will be plenty of holiday cooking going on, don’t forget what the holiday represents—the chance for a grateful nation to give thanks and pay tribute to American soldiers who have sacrificed their lives while serving our country.

In addition to Monday’s solemn remembrance, there will also be plenty of boating, fishing, camping and more, weather permitting of course. 

As you get ready to celebrate the holiday weekend with family and friends, here’s the latest Game & Fish Magazine News Digest:

Unique Catch-and-Release Tournament in Texas

While traveling across the nation, finding a cool fly shop is no trouble in the Rocky Mountain West or near the saltwater. But one of the best anywhere is Living Waters Fly Shop in Round Rock, Texas, just a few miles north of downtown Austin.

In what is likely the nation’s first such effort, owner Chris Johnson’s fly shop organized and pulled off a unique catch-and-release tournament that benefits nearby Brushy Creek and the Lone Star State’s official fish, the Guadalupe bass.

“Our Guadalupe Bass Repatriation event last Saturday was a huge success, thanks to the supervision of Texas Parks and Wildlife, the generosity of YETI, and the participation of our community anglers!” stated Living Waters in a social media post. 

“Together we caught over 50 Guadalupe bass—including one angler's very first Guad on the fly,” the report continued. Participants transported their fish from Brushy Creek back to the fly shop using aerated coolers donated by Yeti. From there, Texas Parks and Wildlife drove them down to the A. E. Wood Fish Hatchery in San Marcos to be PIT-tagged and sampled for genetic analysis before being restocked in the south fork of Brushy Creek above Brushy Creek Lake.”

In all, it was a win-win-win-win event for the Guadalupe bass, the state of Texas, the anglers themselves and Living Waters Fly Shop.

“We are immensely grateful for the outpouring of support for this event. Thank you to everyone who participated in expanding the current range of our beloved state fish and for making a lasting difference through local fisheries conservation!”

Another Record Alligator Gar in Texas?

If the name Art Weston seems familiar, it should be because the globe-trotting Kentucky angler has been making quite a name for himself in the alligator gar category.

One of those instances happened back in 2023 when Weston caught a 283-pound alligator gar in Texas, topping a 72-year-old world record mark in the process.

And it appears that Weston’s name is headed for the International Game Fish Association record books yet again, thanks to another gator gar tale spun deep in the heart of Texas.

“On April 8, 2025, Art Weston was fishing at Lake Livingston, Texas, when he landed this incredible 69.40-kilogram (153-pound) alligator gar,” noted an IGFA social media post a few days ago. “With this fish, Art could potentially set the IGFA Men's 1-kg (2-pound) Line Class World Record for the species. Art was fishing with Captain Kirk Kirkland aboard the Garship Enterprise when this potential record gar struck his cut bait. After recording the weight on his certified scale, Art was able to release the fish safely. This record is currently pending and under review.”

While it’s not official yet, it might soon be because Weston is quite familiar with the record process and the needs of the IGFA in verifying a record catch. Stay tuned, we’ll keep you updated if this indeed becomes an amazing world record in the 2-pound test category.

Sunfish Run Continues for Mississippi Angler

Last year, we reported that Mississippi panfish angler Eric Mayo had landed a new Mississippi state record longear sunfish while using a Z-Man soft plastic bait on a homemade 1/16-ounce jighead. 

Well, the Magnolia State angler's record run continues this spring, according to a story posted by Yahoo! Sports. In fact, according to author Dac Collins, Mayo has seen two more panfish records added to his resume this spring.

On April 11, Mayo was fishing in a family farm pond near Petal, Miss., when he caught a new record longear sunfish, breaking his record from last year. And then the very next day, before his new record could even be certified, he went out and duplicated his record-breaking feat all over again! 

For the record, Mayo's current record longear—assuming Mayo hasn't bested this record once again—measured 8.5 inches in length with a weight of .65 pounds, according to the Mississippi Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks.

As if that's not enough, this spring, Mayo has also landed another Mississippi state record for the redspotted sunfish thanks to a specimen weighing 0.32 pounds.

Diminutive or not, Mayo is making a name for himself in the Mississippi record books, and the spring is not over yet! A look at the Mississippi Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks record book webpage shows that Mayo now has a total of 10 different state records with either rod and reel or fly fishing gear.

Busy Boating Weekend Demands Safety on the Water

While flooded waterways in the northern part of Texas and drought-plagued spots in the southern state will present a whole array of boating safety issues this holiday weekend in Texas, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department announced this week that state game wardens will be on lakes, river, streams and inshore areas to help keep the weekend as safe as possible. 

The same is true in many other states where boating, fishing and camping are a part of the holiday weekend plans. But boating safety isn’t just the responsibility of law enforcement, it’s also the responsibility of boaters.

While this is not an exhaustive list by any means, it can serve as a fair start for your holiday boating safety considerations:

• First, be sure that you are wearing a U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device (PFD) when on the water. As the saying goes, no one is waterproof when on the water, and if you don't wear it, it can't save your life in a mishap. Also, remember that proper sizing is important when selecting a PFD. TPWD says that a PFD that is too small may not keep you afloat, and one that is too large may fall off on impact if you are suddenly thrown into the water.

Also, remember that PFDs should be snug around the torso. When lifting on the shoulder straps, they should not come past the bottom of the ears. PFDs are sized by weight and chest size, so try on a PFD before purchasing it to ensure a proper fit.

For full PFD legal requirements, visit your local fish and wildlife agency's website.

• Enroll in a boater safety education class. While requirements vary across the nation, in Texas, anyone born on or after September 1, 1993, who wishes to operate certain vessels on the public waterways of Texas must have this requirement met.
• Never drink and operate a boat; it's a deadly mix. And never ride in a boat with someone who is drinking and operating the craft.
• Given your exposed condition and low profile to the water, be especially careful when enjoying personal watercrafts, canoes, kayaks and float tubes. Always be on the lookout for potential trouble.
• Other boating safety tips to consider include the following: not overloading your boat; always operating at a safe speed; always having a passenger serve as a lookout in addition to the operator; watching out for low water areas, floating hazards, or submerged objects; and keeping an eye to the sky for threatening weather (if you hear thunder, see lightning, or spot a storm moving in your direction, get off the water and into a safe place.)
• Again, check your state regulations for full requirements and safety regulation details. You can also gain boating and water safety information by visiting the U.S. Coast Guard's online Boating Safety Resource Center. 

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