Trinity River alligator gar harvest drawing opens soon

TYLER, Texas ( KETK ) – The annual Trinity River alligator gar Harvest Authorization drawing application process will open to the public on Sept. 1.

According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the random drawing selects anglers who will get to harvest an alligator gar that’s over 48 inches long from part of the Trinity River.

Licensed anglers can enter the drawing from Sept. 1 to Sept. 30 by using the TPWD’s recently updated Texas Hunt & Fish phone app or website.

“Fishing for alligator gar on the Trinity River is world renowned and truly a bucket list item for any angler,” Tim Birdsong, Director of TPWD’s Inland Fisheries Division said. “With this drawing system, we are able to offer 150 anglers the opportunity to harvest the fish of a lifetime while also fulfilling our resource management goal of conserving this unique resource for current and future generations of anglers.”

The TPWD noted that, like all alligator gar harvested, the fish caught from the authorization drawing must be reported on the Texas Hunt & Fish app.

“Gathering data on alligator gar harvest through the Texas Hunt & Fish app and online enhances our understanding of their distribution, sizes and numbers. It helps us maintain the best possible fishing opportunities into the future,” Birdsong said.

Anglers who are selected in the drawing will be notified on Oct. 15. The authorizations are valid until Aug. 31 in a section of the Trinity River from the I-30 bridge in Dallas to the I-10 bridge in Chambers County to the south.

A one-fish-per-day bag limit still applies to authorization winners, according to the TPWD. To learn more about the authorization drawing and the rules that apply to winners, visit the TPWD online .

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