Texas Fishing: Matagorda Bay alligator gar is a real monster

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A fish and wildlife technician with Texas Parks & Wildlife's Coastal Fisheries hauled in a monster alligator gar in Matagorda Bay, about 90 miles south of Houston.

The leviathan was released back into the bay (enjoy some nightmares, Matagorda Bay wade fishers!) so no word on the official weight and length, but by the fish's massive size and toothy grin, you can tell where the alligator gar gets its name.

According to Coastal Fisheries, fully grown alligator gar can reach up to 8 feet in length and weigh more than 300 pounds – or about the equivalent of a slightly taller Shaquille O'Neal, but with a mangled bear trap for a mouth.

This particular gar dwarfed wildlife technician Kevin Willis in a Texas Parks & Wildlife Facebook photo earlier this week.

Check out some more of the biggest fish recently caught in Texas in the photos above ...