Insanely Rare and Terrifying Jet Black Gar Caught in Texas

Two fishermen were in complete shock when they saw what was on the other end of their hook during a fishing trip in Galveston. 29-year-old, Justin Jordan and Terrell Maguire were out last week fishing when they spotted something peculiar.

MENACING-LOOKING FISH

Jordan described noticing a "menacing-looking" fish in the marshes. Maguire quickly cast his fly and the mysterious fish took the bait almost immediately.

What came next was a shock to both the men. "The fish started jumping out of the water and going crazy," Jordan said. "When we got it over to the boat and it reached the surface, we saw it and it was jet black."

MELANISTIC TYPE OF GAR

Jordan said he immediately recognized it as a melanistic alligator gar; these particular gars have a high level of melanin, making them quite darker than the typical olive-brown color alligator gars typically have.

THE RARITY

According to National Geographic, melanistic alligator gars can grow up to 10 feet and weigh as much as 350 pounds! The alligator gar that Maguire reeled in was only about five feet long.

The two men were excited about their catch, "We took some pictures and picked it up and then put it back in the water and let it loose," Jordan said, "It was really cool it was special. It’s almost like it was meant to happen, that we were supposed to catch that fish," he added.

Jordan has been fishing in Galveston his whole life and has been a fishing guide for a year, but he says he has never once seen, let alone caught, a melanistic gar before. The catch was truly terrifyingly rare.