The Record Bluegill Sunfish For Every State In America

Bluegill are the one of the most accessible, popular, and best tasting freshwater fish in North America. And pound for pound, they might be one of the hardest fighting.

Part of the Sunfish family, bluegill prefer warm water lakes, rivers, creeks, and ponds. Bluegill are opportunists when it comes to feeding and will commonly eat things like plankton, insects, worms, and small minnows.

Bluegill often swim in shallow water areas littered with grass, wood, or structure. These shallow water dwellings provide bluegill with both food and protection from other fish.

Bluegills have small mouths so use downsized tackle to target these spunky panfish most effectively.

Most of my fishing experiences are in the north where we consider any bluegill over 8 inches to be a fatty. In fact, it may take bluegill in Wisconsin over 5 years to grow 8 inches.

Below is the list of the largest bluegill ever recorded for every state in America (except Alaska)

StateWeightAnglerWaterbodyYear CaughtAlabama4 lbs 12 oz (World Record)T.S. HudsonKetona Lake1950AlaskaN/AN/AN/AN/aArizona3 lbs 15.68 ozChristopher MapesGoldwater Lake2004Arkansas3 lbs 4 ozAlbert SharpFulton County1998California3 lbs 14 ozMichael HoloubekRancho Murieta Reservoir2008Colorado2 lbs 9 ozGregory WallaceTotten Reservoir2019Connecticut2 lbs 4 ozDaniel GesnerPrivate Pond1996Delaware3 lb 10 ozClifford SnyderDiamond Pond2001Florida2 lbs 15 ozJohn LeMasterCrystal Lake1989Georgia3 lb, 5 ozP.F. GummShamrock Lake1977Hawaii8 ozJune MaedaLake Wilson2000Idaho3 lbs 8 ozDarrell GrimC.J. Strike Reservoir1966Illinois3 lbs 8 ozDarren MayFarm Pond1897Indiana3 lb. 4 oz.Harold L. CateyPond1972Iowa3 lbs 2 ozPhil AlgreeFarm Pond1986Kansas2 lbs 5 ozRobert Jefferies, ModocFarm Pond1962Kentucky4 lbs 3 ozPhil ConyersStrip Mine Lake1980Louisiana1 lb 10 ozMike LambN/A1999Maine8 ozLiam ClaytonKnight Pond2008Maryland3 lbs 7 ozSarah BrennemanDeep Creek Lake1998Massachusetts2 lbs 1 ozHeather BulgerSouth Athol Pond1982Michigan2 lbs 13 ozN/AVaughn Lake1983Minnesota2 lbs 13 ozN/AAlice Lake1948Mississippi3 lbs 7 ozFarm PondGerald Thurmond1995Missouri3 lbsPrivate PondRobert Giovanini1963Montana2 lbs 10 ozPeterson's Stock DamBrent Fladmo1983Nebraska2 lbs 13 ozGrove LakeGary Ralston1977Nevada4 lbs 12 ozColorado RiverMike Tahash2010New Hampshire2 lbs 1 ozGoodwins PondJustin Therieau1992New Jersey3 lbsFarm PondDom Santarelli1990New Mexico3 lbs 2 ozLovington LakeThomas Smith1963New York2 lbs 8 ozKohlbach PondDevin VanZandt1992North Carolina4lbs 5 ozHenderson County LakeDanny Case1967North Dakota2 lbs 12 ozStrawberry LakeBudd Hystad1963Ohio3 lbs 4 ozSalt Fork LakeWillis Nicholes1990Oklahoma2 lbs 6 ozKay Co. PondTom Shorter1987Oregon2 lbs 5 ozFarm PondWayne Elmor1981Pennsylvania2 lbs 9 ozKeystone LakeTom Twincheck1983Rhode Island2 lbs 1 ozN/AC. Rizzo1987South Carolina3 lbs 4 ozLancaster County LakeJ.P. Hegler1973South Dakota3 lbs 4 ozStanley Co. Stock DamScott Sanner1980Tennessee3 lbsFarm Pond + Fall CreekBrad Pendergrass + Thelma Grissom1987, 1977Texas2 lbsLampasas RiverGibbs Milliken1999Utah2 lbs 7 ozMantua ReservoirJack Rask199Vermont2 lbsMiller PondJohn Konya2020Virginia4 lbs. 8 ozPrivate PondThomas Jones1970Washington2 lbs 5 ozTampico ParkRon Hinote1984West Virginia2 lbs 12 ozPondMark Lewis1986Wisconsin2 lbs 10 ozLake MichiganTom Glafcke1995Wyoming2 lbs 15 ozPondStock Pond, Niobrara County2008

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