LIVINGSTON, TX—In a shocking twist of events, longtime fisherman and Livingston resident, Billy Joe Jenkins, has come forward with a wild assertion that the massive alligator gar he recently reeled in from Lake Livingston was not a natural occurrence, but rather a failed government experiment.

According to Jenkins, the 8-foot-long, 300-pound behemoth was not your typical fish. “I knew somethin’ wasn’t right when that gar started talkin’ to me in Russian,” Jenkins recounted, adjusting his Stetson hat. “Then it just up and disappeared right before my eyes, like it had some kinda cloaking device or somethin’.”

Speculation around town is running rampant, with some locals suggesting the gar may have been part of a secret government program gone awry, while others believe it may have been a leftover prop from a Hollywood film shoot gone awry.

When reached for comment, a spokesperson from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department vehemently denied any involvement in a covert project involving genetically modified fish. “These claims are as absurd as they are unfounded. The only thing fishy here is the fisherman’s tale,” the spokesperson stated.

Despite the official denial, Jenkins stands by his story, insisting that the alligator gar was “definitely not from around these parts.” As for the fate of the mysterious fish, Jenkins plans to display it in his front yard as a warning to any other fish thinking about crossing paths with the residents of Polk County.

In the meantime, residents are advised to remain vigilant while fishing in Lake Livingston, as reports of strange sightings and unexplained phenomena continue to surface.