Testimonials

This is the real deal for alligator gar - I mean as good as it gets if you want to use sporting tackle to tangle toe-to-toe with one of the greatest sportfish in North America.

Captain Kirkland absolutely knows this fish; everything from where it's found,
to how it acts and reacts in various situations, to how best to catch it.
He also loves and respects the gator gar for the true North American iconic sportfish that it is.

My three days of filming with Kirkland was one of the greatest experiences in my 30 years in the sportfishing industry.

Doug Stange, Editor in Chief of In-Fisherman Television & Publications

In May 2005 we had the pleasure of a one-week trip with Kirklands Guiding Service. We started out with some awesome fishing on the Trinity River, but after a couple of days the conditions changed and the fishing turned very difficult with only a few cautious bites for 3 days.

It is in situations like these you can tell apart the good fishing guides from the average. A really good guide will always keep trying and seek alternative locations, techniques and methods to get those fish biting again.

We truly benefited from Kirks huge effort and his vast experience as a fishing guide targeting the Alligator Gar. On the last day we had some unbelievable fishing with 6 bites in two hours. The biggest of the Gars landed weighed 155 lbs –our second Gar over 150 lbs from the Trinity that week.

We can highly recommend Kirklands Guiding Service to all fishermen looking for an extraordinary fishing experience.

European fishermen dreaming of catching an Alligator Gar can benefit from Kirks help when planning a trip to Texas. He will bring you a huge step closer to the fish of your dreams.

Jesper & Martin Svendsen, Fishing Tackle Retail

Dear Capt. Kirk,

Number 1 : we had a lot of fun
Number 2 : we caught some big fish

You were sad we didn’t catch so well on our trip with you in June 2005 – but let me tell you (again): I have traveled many places in the world in pursuit of freshwater giants, and NOWHERE has a “bad trip” ended with us landing fish of 134, 96, 80… lbs.

It’s a unique thing to have so solid access to giant freshwater predators, and with a dedicated guide like you, it can’t go wrong !

Thanks for a unique experience – I’ll be back next year…

Johnny Jensen, Freelance Sportfishing Journalist

Dear Capt. Kirk,

I've fished many different places, all over the world, for so many different species of fish, yet never experienced anything like the fishing we did. Such peaceful, meandering rivers, seemingly so far away from civilization. You'd never expect such creatures to exist in them. What a cool sight, when those monster's heads come out of the water, thrashing and knashing!

I was really impressed with the size and number of alligator gar in your rivers too. It's hard to imagine so many one hundred pound plus fish, in such proximity. No one believes how many big fish we caught, even when I show them the pictures!

I'd also like to thank you for the hospitality, and great service. You went above and beyond, to insure we had a great time, as well as great fishing. I look forward to bringing my wife and sons out to fish with you soon.

Best regards and thanks,

Dale M. Rothstein, Fishing Facts Magazine

The alligator gar is an incredible, prehistoric-looking fish, with awesome teeth and equally sharp scales. To hook a hundred pounder and see it leap clear of the water on a bright, sunny Texas day is an experience to savour.

The Trinity River and surrounding waters are great places to fish, and Kirk certainly knows all the hotspots.

I have enjoyed many angling adventures around the world, and catching a beast that looks more like an alligator with a pike's head is right up there with the best of them.

Nigel Botherway, Sportfishing Journalist & TV Presenter

Dear Kirk,

After a long time of planing my trip to Texas, and still longer waiting for this trip,
I had a much better time with you than I ever expected. The last 10 years I fished a lot of different places all over the world, with a lot of different fishing guides, but I never ever had a fishing guide like you, Kirk.

24 hours a day, 7 days a week you gave 100% to find and catch the Gars.
We went many, many miles by car and with the boat, but that's not all; in the end you even jumped in the muddy Trinity-River to save a tangled Gator Gar for us. You are "Mr.Hundred-Percent" in my eyes!

And we had great succes !! I think, there is no other place in the world where it is possible to catch more huge freshwater fish in a range like in Texas!

Thank you very much for the fun, for catching fish, for a new fishing experience,
and for giving all the best every day! I will come back next year, that's for sure!

Florian Läufer, Sportfishing Journalist

Dear Kirk,

you have been my first fishing guide and it seems to be that the first fishing guide I got to know happened to be the best fishing guide of the world.

For 12 days we have had a time with new impressions every day and you have only been thinking of our success to the very last our.

I shall come back, that’s for sure!

Ben Boden, Fishing Book Editor