Below is the list of the largest bluegill ever recorded for every state in America (except Alaska)
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, woods, 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.
Bluegill
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 to be 8 inches long.
State | Weight | Angler | Waterbody | Year Caught |
Alabama | 4 lbs 12 oz (World Record) | T.S. Hudson | Ketona Lake | 1950 |
Alaska | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/a |
Arizona | 3 lbs 15.68 oz | Christopher Mapes | Goldwater Lake | 2004 |
Arkansas | 3 lbs 4 oz | Albert Sharp | Fulton County | 1998 |
California | 3 lbs 14 oz | Michael Holoubek | Rancho Murieta Reservoir | 2008 |
Colorado | 2 lbs 9 oz | Gregory Wallace | Totten Reservoir | 2019 |
Connecticut | 2 lbs 4 oz | Daniel Gesner | Private Pond | 1996 |
Delaware | 3 lb 10 oz | Clifford Snyder | Diamond Pond | 2001 |
Florida | 2 lbs 15 oz | John LeMaster | Crystal Lake | 1989 |
Georgia | 3 lb, 5 oz | P.F. Gumm | Shamrock Lake | 1977 |
Hawaii | 8 oz | June Maeda | Lake Wilson | 2000 |
Idaho | 3 lbs 8 oz | Darrell Grim | C.J. Strike Reservoir | 1966 |
Illinois | 3 lbs 8 oz | Darren May | Farm Pond | 1897 |
Indiana | 3 lb. 4 oz. | Harold L. Catey | Pond | 1972 |
Iowa | 3 lbs 2 oz | Phil Algree | Farm Pond | 1986 |
Kansas | 2 lbs 5 oz | Robert Jefferies, Modoc | Farm Pond | 1962 |
Kentucky | 4 lbs 3 oz | Phil Conyers | Strip Mine Lake | 1980 |
Louisiana | 1 lb 10 oz | Mike Lamb | N/A | 1999 |
Maine | 8 oz | Liam Clayton | Knight Pond | 2008 |
Maryland | 3 lbs 7 oz | Sarah Brenneman | Deep Creek Lake | 1998 |
Massachusetts | 2 lbs 1 oz | Heather Bulger | South Athol Pond | 1982 |
Michigan | 2 lbs 13 oz | N/A | Vaughn Lake | 1983 |
Minnesota | 2 lbs 13 oz | N/A | Alice Lake | 1948 |
Mississippi | 3 lbs 7 oz | Farm Pond | Gerald Thurmond | 1995 |
Missouri | 3 lbs | Private Pond | Robert Giovanini | 1963 |
Montana | 2 lbs 10 oz | Peterson’s Stock Dam | Brent Fladmo | 1983 |
Nebraska | 2 lbs 13 oz | Grove Lake | Gary Ralston | 1977 |
Nevada | 4 lbs 12 oz | Colorado River | Mike Tahash | 2010 |
New Hampshire | 2 lbs 1 oz | Goodwins Pond | Justin Therieau | 1992 |
New Jersey | 3 lbs | Farm Pond | Dom Santarelli | 1990 |
New Mexico | 3 lbs 2 oz | Lovington Lake | Thomas Smith | 1963 |
New York | 2 lbs 8 oz | Kohlbach Pond | Devin VanZandt | 1992 |
North Carolina | 4lbs 5 oz | Henderson County Lake | Danny Case | 1967 |
North Dakota | 2 lbs 12 oz | Strawberry Lake | Budd Hystad | 1963 |
Ohio | 3 lbs 4 oz | Salt Fork Lake | Willis Nicholes | 1990 |
Oklahoma | 2 lbs 6 oz | Kay Co. Pond | Tom Shorter | 1987 |
Oregon | 2 lbs 5 oz | Farm Pond | Wayne Elmor | 1981 |
Pennsylvania | 2 lbs 9 oz | Keystone Lake | Tom Twincheck | 1983 |
Rhode Island | 2 lbs 1 oz | N/A | C. Rizzo | 1987 |
South Carolina | 3 lbs 4 oz | Lancaster County Lake | J.P. Hegler | 1973 |
South Dakota | 3 lbs 4 oz | Stanley Co. Stock Dam | Scott Sanner | 1980 |
Tennessee | 3 lbs | Farm Pond + Fall Creek | Brad Pendergrass + Thelma Grissom | 1987, 1977 |
Texas | 2 lbs | Lampasas River | Gibbs Milliken | 1999 |
Utah | 2 lbs 7 oz | Mantua Reservoir | Jack Rask | 199 |
Vermont | 2 lbs | Miller Pond | John Konya | 2020 |
Virginia | 4 lbs. 8 oz | Private Pond | Thomas Jones | 1970 |
Washington | 2 lbs 5 oz | Tampico Park | Ron Hinote | 1984 |
West Virginia | 2 lbs 12 oz | Pond | Mark Lewis | 1986 |
Wisconsin | 2 lbs 10 oz | Lake Michigan | Tom Glafcke | 1995 |
Wyoming | 2 lbs 15 oz | Pond | Stock Pond, Niobrara County | 2008 |