Kentucky big fish hunter finds wealth of record class fish on Texas waters.

Story and photography by Matt Williams

Big fish hunter Art Weston was back in Texas a few months back. Not surprisingly, he was up to his old tricks again.

Weston is an adrenaline junkie and world record chaser from Union, KY. His motto: Go big or don’t go at all.

He’s been pretty successful at closing the deal, too.

Since 2017, Weston has set 78 IGFA angling records linked to 14 freshwater species and six different countries. Most are line class world records.

IGFA is short for International Game Fish Association. Based in Florida, the IGFA is the official records keeper of fresh and saltwater angling records around the globe.

Weston has achieved plenty of success reeling in true heavyweights using specialty tackle better suited for much smaller fish. Many of his IGFA records have come from Texas waters. Sam Rayburn, Choke Canyon, Walter E. Long, LBJ and the Trinity River are among them.

Weston has broken several of his own records multiple times. One that probably won’t be cracked again any time soon is the IGFA Men’s 6-pound line class world record for alligator gar he caught and released in Sept. 2023. The fish weighed a whopping 283 pounds.

Well known fishing guide Capt. Kirk Kirkland steered Weston to the giant gar at the upper reaches of Sam Rayburn near Lufkin. The monster gar ate a thick slab of fresh carp Weston was soaking on bottom in about 15 feet of water near the State Highway 103 Bridge.

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