News Release

FORT WAYNE — Fort Wayne resident Kyle Hammond caught a 9-pound, 11-ounce spotted gar on Rivir Lake in Chain O’Lakes State Park on July 11, besting the previous Indiana state record of a 6-pound, 12.5-ounce fish caught in 2017 from a gravel pit in Vermillion County.

Hammond was targeting gar from his kayak and landed the record catch within 20 minutes of starting to fish. He was using a spinning rod and reel with a white zoom fluke.

The Hoosier angler captured the entire catch on video as part of his hobby of actively posting his fishing trips on his YouTube channel, Indiana Kayak Fishing Journal. Hammond is also the current state record holder for shortnose gar, having caught that record fish in 2021.

Gar are usually found in shallow water around vegetation and have been seen in 71% of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources fisheries biologists’ glacial lake surveys. Anglers who want to target the species or another Indiana sport fish can use DNR’s Fisheries Status & Trends dashboard to find lakes where they are most abundant.

To learn more about the Indiana Record Fish program, click here.

Learn about purchasing a fishing license here.