What is the biggest bluegill ever caught? (2023)

What is the biggest bluegill ever caught?

The current all-tackle bluegill record is held by T. Hudson, who caught a 4-pound 12-ounce fish on April 9, 1950 in Alabama's Ketona Lakes. No other details about the catch are recorded by the IGFA, but subsequent stories say the fish was 15 inches long and had an incredible 18.25-inch girth.

You're probably not far from good bluegill fishing. Reelfoot is a top destination for big bluegill and plenty of them. But it's hardly the only one. Clemons also recommends Guntersville Lake in northern Alabama and Lake Seminole on the Georgia-Florida line for strong numbers of big 'gills.

5-pound 12.8-ounce World Record Sunfish.

Given all that information, the best advice is to keep fish greater than 6 or so inches but less than 8. Or in more general terms, keep the mid to large size bluegill but throw back the largest ones you catch.

In this area, bluegills are generally considered trophies if they are at least 10 inches long. Actually, bluegills that hit eight inches are big bruisers, and finding impoundments with sunfish this size makes it worthwhile to break out the ultralight gear.

According to the National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame, the largest black crappie ever caught weighed 6 pounds even. A fisherman landed it in 1969 in Westwego Canal, Louisiana.

The most common baits are worms and night crawlers because they are readily available and bluegill love them. The key is to use only a piece of a worm—just enough to cover the hook. Other productive baits include crickets, grasshoppers, red wrigglers and meal worms. Artificial lures also work well for bluegill.

The common length for bluegill is 7.5 inches (19.1 centimeters) with the maximum reported length being 16 inches (41 centimeters). The heaviest published weight for a bluegill is 4 pounds 12 ounces (2.2 kilograms).

What state has the biggest bluegill?

To raise big bluegill, we want numerous small bass eradicating one to three-inch bluegill. Surviving adults will grow bigger and faster with less competition for feed. A few bass may reach 14 to 16-inches, but not many due to a limited food chain. If you catch a larger one, move it to your bass lake.