Alligator Gar Fishing
at Cayuga, Texas
The Highway 287 bridge at Cayuga is the front door to the best alligator gar water on earth — and Anderson County is our home county. We have fished the river below that bridge since 1985.
Book online Call (903) 724-6888Cayuga, TX 75832 · Anderson County · 29 miles from our home dock in Palestine
This is not a destination we travel to
Cayuga is a small community in northwest Anderson County, 29 miles from Palestine and 23 miles from Athens. Anderson County is where Bubba Bedre started fishing this river on the family ranch at age 10. He is 51 now. Everything below that 287 bridge is water we grew up in — not water we booked a trip to.
Plenty of guides advertise Cayuga. Most are meeting clients at a highway bridge and running a stretch they learned in the last few years. That is a fine way to catch a fish. It is a very different thing from four decades of knowing where a specific log jam moved after a specific flood.
The Trinity through this reach is slow, muddy and low on oxygen — exactly what alligator gar evolved to own. Other predators struggle in that water. Gar gulp air straight off the surface through a specialized swim bladder. Murky current, stacked baitfish, deep holes and long hot summers make it perfect monster habitat.
The large majority of our 41 IGFA World Records were set on this stretch of river.
The Cayuga reach, top to bottom
Texas Parks and Wildlife uses the Highway 287 bridge near Cayuga as a named landmark when it manages alligator gar on the Trinity. Everything below it is the managed trophy zone. Here is that water in order.
US Highway 287 Bridge
When TPWD closes and reopens the river during spawn, this bridge is one of the reference points in the announcement. Everything downstream of it falls inside the Trinity River special regulation zone.
Richland Creek Confluence
Richland Creek dumps into the Trinity just above here, with the Richland Creek Wildlife Management Area holding the floodplain on the west bank. That inflow changes clarity, temperature and bait movement on a different schedule than the main river. It is the most misread piece of water on this stretch.
Tennessee Colony to Long Lake
Slow, deep, warm and timber-lined. This is the reach that produces. The oxbows and cut banks through here hold the highest concentration of trophy-class gar anywhere on the Trinity.
Palestine & the Anderson County Bottoms
When the Cayuga reach is blown out or off-color, we drop down here the same morning. One phone call, no rescheduling. Palestine trip details →
State Highway 7 at Crockett
The bottom of the upper trophy zone. Below this the river changes character heading toward Livingston, where our Houston-side guides pick it up. Houston trip details →
157 million years in the making
Alligator gar have been in this river system since before the Rocky Mountains existed. The stretch below Cayuga is one of the last places on earth where they still get to grow to full size.
The bigger they are, the deeper they hold
Most first-timers are surprised by what a normal day on this stretch looks like. Here is what our guides see year over year, and where in the river column those fish live.
Routine catch
Bread-and-butter fish on a typical six-hour trip. Strong, prehistoric, photo-worthy. You will likely land several.
Trophy class
Show up most weeks in season. Plenty of our clients land their first triple-digit gar on their very first trip.
Monster class
The fish that made the Trinity famous. Multiple 200+ pounders landed by our clients every year — the class our IGFA records came from.
We cannot promise a specific size — no honest guide can. What we guarantee, and have for 19 years, is that you will encounter and get real shots at trophy alligator gar on every trip.
I remember when you never saw a boat on this river for weeks at a time, and the alligator gar were so thick in parts you could almost walk across them on the tops of their backs. Bubba Bedre — on the Trinity since 1985
Trinity River gar regulations at Cayuga
Cayuga sits inside the Trinity River special regulation zone. These rules are different from the Texas statewide gar rules, and visiting anglers get them wrong constantly. Here is what actually applies on this water.
- 48-inch maximum length limit. On the Trinity from the I-30 bridge in Dallas downstream to the I-10 bridge in Chambers County — which includes the entire Cayuga reach — only alligator gar under 48 inches may be retained.
- Daily bag limit: one fish. One alligator gar per angler per day inside this zone.
- Fish over 48 inches require a harvest authorization. TPWD runs an annual random drawing. Applications open September 1 through 30 through the Texas Hunt & Fish app or online. Winners are notified by October 15 and the authorization runs through August 31 of the following year.
- Night bowfishing restriction. From a half-hour after sunset to a half-hour before sunrise, taking or possessing an alligator gar with archery equipment or a crossbow is prohibited in this zone unless you hold a harvest authorization.
- Mandatory harvest reporting. Any alligator gar harvested from Texas public fresh water must be reported within 24 hours through the Texas Hunt & Fish app or online.
- Temporary spawn closures. TPWD can close stretches of the Trinity on short notice when spawning conditions hit — typically water above 68°F combined with moderate flood stage. The Highway 287 bridge near Cayuga is one of the boundary markers used in those announcements.
Summarized from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department published rules. Confirm current regulations in the TPWD Outdoor Annual before your trip.
What this means for your trip: Garzilla is catch and release by preference, so the harvest rules rarely come into play. The spawn closures do — and they are announced with almost no notice. We track them daily. If the Cayuga stretch closes, we move you to open water instead of calling to cancel.
What a Cayuga day looks like
Trips start at 6 hours. You can add hours when you book or on the water. Big fish do not run on a clock, and we would rather you have the time than watch one.
First-Time Anglers
The Trinity through this reach is wide, slow and sheltered — comfortable water to learn on. Your guide sets every rig, ties every leader and puts the rod in your hands. Most of our world records were caught by clients, not guides.
Families & Kids
We keep families together instead of splitting them across two days. Shade, coolers, bathroom stops and a pace that works for younger anglers. Tell us the ages when you book and we match the boat and the guide to the group.
Trophy Hunters
If you want a 200-pound class fish and nothing else, say so. We run the deep holes and the timber, sit on bait longer, and fish the parts of this river that produce records instead of numbers.
Everything Is Provided
Rods, reels, heavy tackle, terminal gear, leaders, bait, ice and coolers. You bring a Texas fishing license, sun protection, non-marking shoes, food and drinks. That is the whole list.
Getting to Cayuga
Dallas:~83 miles, about 90 minutes via I-45 and US-287
Fort Worth:~107 miles
Houston:~173 miles, about 2.5 hours north on I-45
Athens:
23 miles · Palestine:
29 miles
Flying in? We arrange airport pickup for international clients.
Coming from a metro? See Dallas gar fishing, Houston gar fishing, or our international angler page.
Every fish goes back
Alligator gar grow slowly and live past fifty years. The reason this stretch still produces 200-pound fish is that the people who know it best stopped killing them. We release everything.
Cayuga month by month
Our season runs April through September. Water temperature drives everything on this river. Once the Trinity settles into the mid-70s and climbs, alligator gar feed hard and surface often.
| Month | Water | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| April | 62–72°F, often high | Season opens. Spring rain keeps the river up and off-color. Fish are moving but not yet locked into summer patterns. Fewer boats, and some of the year's biggest fish come off April trips when conditions cooperate. |
| May | 70–80°F, falling | Spawn window. TPWD can close stretches with little notice when water clears 68°F alongside flood stage. We track it daily and reroute if needed. Fishing is strong on either side of a closure. |
| June — peak | 80–88°F, stable | The best month on this river, full stop. Water stabilizes, gar surface constantly, feeding is aggressive all day. June fills 6–8 weeks out every year. |
| July | 85–92°F, low | Hot and consistent. Low clear water concentrates fish into deep holes and timber, which makes them findable. Early launches beat the heat. |
| August | 86–94°F, low | Same pattern as July with more heat. Excellent surface activity at first light and again late. Strong trophy month. |
| September | 78–88°F, cooling | Season closes out. Cooling water triggers a solid late feed. Also the month TPWD's harvest authorization drawing opens. |
| Oct–Mar | Off-season | Gar trips resume in April. We switch to thermal hog hunting, available year-round. |
Conditions we check before every Cayuga launch: USGS gauge readings above and below the 287 bridge, Richland Creek inflow and clarity, Trinity River Authority release schedules, water temperature at depth, and any active TPWD spawn closure. If those numbers say the Cayuga reach is wrong that day, we launch elsewhere on the corridor and you still fish. Current conditions go up on our Trinity River fishing report.
41 world records came out of this county
There are a number of good guides working the Trinity now — several of them learned on our boats. We are glad the fishery supports them. But if you are choosing who to spend a day with, the differences are worth knowing.
41 IGFA World Records
More certified world records for alligator gar than any other guide team on earth, and the large majority set on this stretch of the Trinity. See all 41 →
19 Years Guiding, 41 on the Water
Garzilla was the first professional alligator gar guide service in Texas, founded in 2007. Bubba has fished Anderson County since 1985 — that is a family ranch, not a marketing line.
Seven Boats, Not One
A single-boat operation can only sell you the water it can reach. We cover the Trinity from Dallas to Livingston. If Cayuga is blown out, you still fish that day. Meet our guides →
28 Celebrity Clients
Gordon Ramsay, Jeremy Wade, Matt Hughes, Steve Backshall, Johnny Morris and 23 more. Hall of Fame →
30+ TV Productions
BBC, National Geographic, Animal Planet, ITV, NHK Japan, River Monsters. When a network needs a gar on camera on a deadline, they book the team that can produce one.
TPWD Advisory Committee
Bubba Bedre sits on the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Advisory Committee and founded the Texas Gar Fishing Association — the industry body for this species.
I've been on a lot of guided trips, but nothing compares to this. We landed a 200+ pound alligator gar on the Trinity. The guides were professional, patient, and knew exactly where to go. Travis B. — Dallas, TX
★★★★★ 258+ verified reviews · 4.9 average
Cayuga TX gar fishing FAQ
Do you guide alligator gar fishing at Cayuga, TX?
Yes. Cayuga sits in Anderson County, our home county. The Highway 287 bridge at Cayuga is the top of the stretch we have fished since 1985. We run seven boats across the Trinity corridor and launch on the Cayuga reach whenever conditions there are best. Call (903) 724-6888 or book at bookeo.com/garzilla.
Where exactly is the Cayuga stretch of the Trinity River?
Cayuga is a small community in northwest Anderson County, Texas, about 29 miles from Palestine and 23 miles from Athens. The Trinity crosses US Highway 287 just west of it, near the mouth of Richland Creek and the Richland Creek Wildlife Management Area. Texas Parks and Wildlife uses the Highway 287 bridge near Cayuga as a named boundary landmark when managing alligator gar on the Trinity.
Can I keep an alligator gar caught near Cayuga?
Under TPWD rules on the Trinity from the I-30 bridge in Dallas down to the I-10 bridge in Chambers County, only alligator gar under 48 inches may be retained, with a daily bag limit of one fish. Keeping a gar over 48 inches requires a harvest authorization from the annual TPWD drawing that opens September 1–30. We are catch and release by preference on every trip — these fish are slow-growing and live 50+ years.
How long are your Cayuga trips?
All trips start at 6 hours. You can add hours when you book or on the water. Big fish do not run on a schedule.
Is this a good trip for beginners or families?
Yes. The river through this reach is wide, slow and sheltered — comfortable water for first-timers and kids. We supply all rods, reels, tackle and bait, and the guide sets every rig. No experience needed. With seven boats we keep larger families and groups together instead of splitting you across days.
When is the best time to fish for alligator gar near Cayuga?
April through September, with June as the peak month. Once the Trinity settles between roughly 75 and 90 degrees, gar feed hard and surface often. TPWD can also temporarily close stretches during spawning conditions, so booking with a guide who tracks those closures daily matters more here than most places.
How far is Cayuga from Dallas and Houston?
About 83 miles from Dallas, roughly 90 minutes down I-45 and US-287. About 173 miles from Houston, roughly two and a half hours north on I-45. Most Dallas clients drive down the morning of the trip. Houston clients often stay overnight in Palestine.
What happens if the river is blown out or closed?
We move. Seven boats cover the Trinity from Dallas to Livingston, so if the Cayuga reach is muddy, high, or under a TPWD spawn closure, we launch you somewhere the fish are that same day. A single-boat operation cannot do that — it can only reschedule you.
Do I need a Texas fishing license?
Yes. Every angler 17 and older needs a valid Texas freshwater fishing license. Buy one online at tpwd.texas.gov, sold by the day, week or year, or at sporting goods stores in Palestine and Athens. We do not sell them on the boat.
Are alligator gar dangerous?
No. Alligator gar are not dangerous to people. They have impressive teeth and serious size, but they are slow-moving ambush predators that target fish, birds and small mammals — not anglers. Our guides handle every fish boatside and teach proper technique on your trip. More on the species on our alligator gar facts page.
Ready to fish the Cayuga reach?
April through September. Trips start at 6 hours. Peak summer dates fill 6–8 weeks ahead. Tell us which city you are coming from and we will put you on the right stretch.
Book online WhatsApp us (903) 724-6888
Garzilla Guide Service · Palestine, Texas · Est. 2007