Every Bluegill State Fishing Record

With very few exceptions, it’s safe to say that the majority of anglers grew up fishing for bluegill or other panfish.

And for good reason.

For starters, they are everywhere! Bluegill can be caught in practically every freshwater lake and stocked pond in the United States. In fact, bluegill and other panfish are so common that they might attack your bait when fishing for trout, crappie, or other smaller species.

Also, bluegill are super easy to catch. They are one of the simplest species to hook and retrieve, especially for those just getting started with fishing.

While bluegill aren’t the biggest or most exciting species in the world, any time an anglers can haul in the largest recorded fish of any species in his state, it deserves recognition.

Related: Our choices for the best panfish rods and reels for beginner, intermediate, and even the most serious of anglers

A Wide Variety of Sizes, but All Records…

As you will see on the records list below, the current world record bluegill, caught on Alabama’s Ketona Lake, weighed an astonishing 4 pounds, 12 ounces!

For comparison, that is heavier than a lot of experienced anglers’ personal best largemouth bass.

Caught in 1950 by T.S. Hudson, not only is the Alabama state record the largest recorded bluegill in state, national, and world history, but it is the oldest active bluegill state fishing record in the United States.

Hawaii and Maine, however, share the distinction of producing the lightest blue state record. Both states — which, understandably, are at extreme points — hold a state record that is a mere 8 ounces.

It should also be noted that Alaska does not have a record bluegill listed, thus it has been omitted from the list.

Every Bluegill State Fishing Record

State	Weight	Location	Angler	Year
Alabama	4 pounds, 12 ounces*	Ketona Lake	T.S. Hudson	1950
Arizona	3 pounds, 15.68 ounces	Goldwater Lake	Christopher Mapes	2004
Arkansas	3 pounds, 4 ounces	Fulton County	Albert Sharp	1998
California	3 pounds, 14 ounces	Rancho Murieta Reservoir	Michael Holoubek	2008
Colorado	2 pounds, 9 ounces	Totten Reservoir	Gregory Wallace	2019
Connecticut	2 pounds, 4 ounces	Private Pond	Daniel Gesner	1996
Delaware	3 pounds, 10 ounces	Diamond Pond	Clifford Snyder	2001
Florida	2 pounds, 15 ounces	Crystal Lake	John LeMaster	1989
Georgia	3 pounds,, 5 ounces	Shamrock Lake	P.F. Gumm	1977
Hawaii	8 ounces	Lake Wilson	June Maeda	2000
Idaho	3 pounds, 8 ounces	C.J. Strike Reservoir	Darrell Grim	1966
Illinois	3 pounds, 8 ounces	Farm Pond	Darren May	1987
Indiana	3 pounds,. 4 ounces.	Pond	Harold L. Catey	1972
Iowa	3 pounds, 2 ounces	Farm Pond	Phil Algree	1986
Kansas	2 pounds, 5 ounces	Farm Pond	Robert Jefferies, Modoc	1962
Kentucky	4 pounds, 3 ounces	Strip Mine Lake	Phil Conyers	1980
Louisiana	1 pounds, 10 ounces	N/A	Mike Lamb	1999
Maine	8 ounces	Knight Pond	Liam Clayton	2008
Maryland	3 pounds, 7 ounces	Deep Creek Lake	Sarah Brenneman	1998
Massachusetts	2 pounds, 1 ounces	South Athol Pond	Heather Bulger	1982
Michigan	2 pounds, 13 ounces	Vaughn Lake	Unknown	1983
Minnesota	2 pounds, 13 ounces	Alice Lake	Unknown	1948
Mississippi	3 pounds, 7 ounces	Gerald Thurmond	Farm Pond	1995
Missouri	3 pounds	Private Pond	Robert Giovanini	1963
Montana	2 pounds, 10 ounces	Peterson’s Stock Dam	Brent Fladmo	1983
Nebraska	2 pounds, 13 ounces	Grove Lake	Gary Ralston	1977
Nevada	4 pounds, 12 ounces	Colorado River	Mike Tahash	2010
New Hampshire	2 pounds, 1 ounces	Goodwins Pond	Justin Therieau	1992
New Jersey	3 pounds	Farm Pond	Dom Santarelli	1990
New Mexico	3 pounds, 2 ounces	Lovington Lake	Thomas Smith	1963
New York	2 pounds, 8 ounces	Kohpounds,ach Pond	Devin VanZandt	1992
North Carolina	4 pounds, 5 ounces	Henderson County Lake	Danny Case	1967
North Dakota	2 pounds, 12 ounces	Strawberry Lake	Budd Hystad	1963
Ohio	3 pounds, 4 ounces	Salt Fork Lake	Willis Nicholes	1990
Oklahoma	2 pounds, 6 ounces	Kay Co. Pond	Tom Shorter	1987
Oregon	2 pounds, 5 ounces	Farm Pond	Wayne Elmor	1981
Pennsylvania	2 pounds, 9 ounces	Keystone Lake	Tom Twincheck	1983
Rhode Island	2 pounds, 1 ounces	Unknown	C. Rizzo	1987
South Carolina	3 pounds, 4 ounces	Lancaster County Lake	J.P. Hegler	1973
South Dakota	3 pounds, 4 ounces	Stanley Co. Stock Dam Scott Sanner	Scott Sanner	1980
Tennessee	3 pounds	Farm Pond (Pendergrass) and Fall Creek (Grissom)	Brad Pendergrass and Thelma Grissom (tie)	1987 (Pendergrass) and 1977 (Grissom)
Texas	2 pounds	Lampasas River	Gibbs Milliken	1999
Utah	2 pounds, 7 ounces	Mantua Reservoir	Jack Rask	1993
Vermont	2 pounds	Miller Pond	John Konya	2016
Virginia	4 pounds,. 8 ounces	Private Pond	Thomas Jones	1970
Washington	2 pounds, 5 ounces	Tampico Park	Ron Hinote	1984
West Virginia	2 pounds, 12 ounces	Pond	Mark Lewis	1986
Wisconsin	2 pounds, 10 ounces	Lake Michigan	Tom Glafcke	1995
Wyoming	2 pounds, 15 ounces	Pond	Rod Horsley	2008

At Premier Angler, we strive to keep our records as up-to-date as possible, checking every state’s data several times per year. That said, we are human and, with a ton of content on our website, we may miss recent changes. If you notice an inaccuracy or inconsistency, please let us know in the comments below.