Local man lands state record fish

CHAFFEE -- Larry Wolfe of Chaffee is the new state record holder for the Alligator Gar.

The Missouri Department of Conservation presented Wolfe with a plaque recognizing the achievement on July 5th.

Wolfe landed a 127-pound adult, thought to be about 50-years-old, in the Diversion Channel on May 21st. He shot the fish with a bow.

Wolfe, who has been fishing since he was a little boy, was surprised at how big the Gar actually was when he tried to land it.

"It was a lot bigger when I got him in the boat than when I shot it," he said.

Alligator Gar are the largest fish in North America. They were common in the bootheel swamps and backwaters until the 1970s. They have been in decline since.

In 2006, US Fish and Wildlife Service and MDC approved a plan to reintroduce the fish back to the Mingo National Refuge. Wolfe would like the ancient giants to stage a comeback.

"I think it's a great idea," he said.