Virginia man reels in record-breaking, 23-pound longnose gar

Sept. 9 (UPI) -- Wildlife officials in Virginia said an angler broke a state record when he reeled in a 4-foot, 6-inch longnose gar that weighed 23 pounds.

The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources said Shawn Kennedy, of Providence Forge, was fishing in the Pamunkey River when he hooked the massive gar.

The fish measured 4 feet, 6 inches long and had a girth of 17 1/2 inches, the department said.

Kennedy's gar beat the previous record of 21 pounds, 13 ounces, which was set by Blake Deal when he reeled in a gar from Lake Gaston in 2019.