The Lakes Where Bluegill Reach Record Size

Most bluegill fit in your palm and weigh less than a pound. Every fish below shattered that math, from two-pounders up to a four-pound-twelve-ounce world record that has stood since 1950. These are the outliers, the certified giants entered into the record books by state agencies and the IGFA. Plenty come from farm ponds, but this list sticks to public lakes and reservoirs you can actually fish, counting up from the lightest state record to the heaviest catch ever weighed. One exception is now off-limits, and its story was too good to leave out.

1. Big Stone Lake, Minnesota

Big Stone Lake, a 26-mile-long (42 km) "riverine lake" straddling the Minnesota-South Dakota border near Ortonville, is where Minnesota's newest state record bluegill was caught on July 7, 2026. Angler Dale Hoffman of Ramsey landed a 2-pound, 3-ounce (0.99 kg) male here, measuring 11.6 inches (29.5 cm) long. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reported that the fish came from about 10 feet of water on a simple slip-bobber rig baited with red worms.

The lake forms the headwaters of the Minnesota River and reaches a maximum depth of just 16 feet, with abundant vegetation that feeds thriving bass and panfish populations. It is also a repeat record-breaker, since a 2-pound bluegill came out of the same water just weeks earlier, in May 2026. Big Stone set Minnesota's bluegill record twice in a single season. Big Stone Lake State Park, on the Minnesota shore, has boat launches, camping, and a dozen public fishing accesses around the lake. Anglers exploring the region can also check out the 8 Most Beautiful Lakes In Minnesota or the 9 Best Lakeside Towns In Minnesota for more of the state's water-based getaways.

2. Keystone Lake, Pennsylvania

Also known as Keystone Reservoir or Plum Creek Reservoir, Keystone Lake in Armstrong County has held Pennsylvania's state record bluegill since 1983. Tom Twincheck of Blairsville landed a 2-pound, 9-ounce (1.16 kg) fish, according to the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. The lake, formed by damming Plum Creek near the Keystone Generating Station, covers roughly 863 acres (349 ha) and stays open to public boating and bank fishing decades after the record was set.

This is not the Keystone State Park lake near Derry, a separate body of water entirely; the Armstrong County Keystone Lake is a working reservoir best known among locals for muskie and panfish. Its record has stood for more than four decades, a testament to just how large the original catch was for its era. For more of the state's fishing destinations, see the 9 Best Lakeside Towns in Pennsylvania or the 6 Best Lakeside Towns In Pennsylvania.

3. Totten Reservoir, Colorado

Set in agricultural land in Montezuma County near Durango, the 250-acre (101 ha) Totten Reservoir is where Gregory Wallace caught Colorado's state record bluegill on June 13, 2019, a fish weighing 2 pounds, 9.5 ounces (1.17 kg) and measuring 12.75 inches (32.4 cm) long. Colorado Parks and Wildlife manages the reservoir as a state wildlife area, fed by an inlet from the Dolores River, and holds a minimum conservation pool to protect the fishery.

Totten sees far less fishing pressure than Colorado's better-known lakes, and its record-setting bluegill was a reminder that the state's warm-water panfisheries can rival its famous trout streams. The reservoir is open to the public from an hour before sunrise to an hour after sunset, with a boat ramp and restrooms on site, though the north shore closes each spring for wildlife protection. Travelers based nearby can pair a visit with a stop in Durango, Colorado, or explore more of the region's small towns among the 9 Eclectic Small Towns In Colorado.

4. Green Bay, Wisconsin

An arm of Lake Michigan rather than an inland lake, Green Bay stretches some 120 miles (193 km) between Wisconsin's eastern shore and Michigan's Upper Peninsula. This water gave up Wisconsin's state record bluegill on August 2, 1995. Angler Drew Garsow of De Pere landed a 2-pound, 9.8-ounce (1.19 kg) fish, a record that, per the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, still stands three decades later.

Warm, shallow water near the mouth of the Fox River and the cold depths of open Lake Michigan combine into unusually rich conditions for panfish, walleye, and yellow perch alike. The city of Green Bay sits at the bay's southern end, while the Door Peninsula divides it from the main body of Lake Michigan to the north. Visitors exploring the Wisconsin shoreline can read more about the 7 Most Beautiful Lake Towns in Wisconsin or the Door Peninsula itself.

5. Salt Fork Lake, Ohio

The centerpiece of Salt Fork State Park, Ohio's largest state park, Salt Fork Lake covers 2,952 acres (1,195 ha) near Lore City in Guernsey County. It holds the state's record bluegill: a 3.28-pound (1.49 kg) fish measuring 12.75 inches (32.4 cm), caught by Willis D. Nicholes of Quaker City on April 28, 1990, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. The record has stood for more than three decades on a lake known primarily for its largemouth bass and muskellunge fisheries.

For more activities on water and land, the 17,000-plus-acre park around the lake has two marinas, a swimming beach, an 18-hole golf course, and hiking trails leading to features like Hosack's Cave and the historic Kennedy Stone House. The lake's size and mix of habitat, open water alongside weedy coves, likely explain why both trophy bass and a record-book panfish have come out of it. For more of the state's outdoor destinations, see The Best State Parks to Visit in Ohio or The Most Picturesque Towns In Ohio.

6. C.J. Strike Reservoir, Idaho

Formed by a dam on the Snake and Bruneau rivers in southwestern Idaho, the 7,500-acre (3,035 ha) C.J. Strike Reservoir has held Idaho's state record bluegill since 1966. Angler Darrell Grim landed a 3-pound, 8-ounce (1.59 kg) fish, according to Idaho Fish and Game's certified weight records. No length or girth was recorded for the catch, but at 3.5 pounds it remains one of the heaviest state-record bluegill in the country nearly six decades later. That makes it the longest-standing record on this list.

Idaho Power Company manages the reservoir with free public access, and it is known today for exceptional variety, home to more than 20 fish species including bass, trout, catfish, and sturgeon alongside its panfish. Campgrounds sit along the shore, and visible ruts from the historic Oregon Trail cross the surrounding high desert. Travelers curious about the state's other waters can browse the 11 Most Beautiful Lakes In Idaho for more options.

7. Goldwater Lake, Arizona

A 15-acre (6 ha) mountain lake about four miles from downtown Prescott, Goldwater Lake is where Christopher Ray Mapes of Prescott Valley caught Arizona's state record bluegill on May 2, 2004, a 3-pound, 15.68-ounce (1.81 kg) fish measuring 15.75 inches (40 cm), according to the Arizona Game and Fish Department. That fish sits just a fraction of an ounce under four pounds, second only to the world record on this list. The lake takes its name from longtime Prescott mayor Morris Goldwater and sits within a pine forest that the city's parks and recreation department manages.

Divided into upper and lower sections, each behind its own small dam, Goldwater Lake is open to kayaks, canoes, and electric-motor boats on the upper waters, while the lower section is limited to shore fishing and float tubes. Swimming is not allowed in either section. The lake's small size and easy access from town make it a popular family destination alongside Prescott's other waters. Anglers can also read about the 8 Most Beautiful Lakes In Arizona or the 10 Best Lakeside Towns In Arizona for more of the state's fishing spots.

8. Ketona Lake, Alabama

No bluegill anywhere has ever topped the fish pulled from Ketona Lake, a flooded former limestone quarry in Tarrant, just outside Birmingham. On April 9, 1950, angler T.S. Hudson landed a 4-pound, 12-ounce (2.15 kg) bluegill measuring 15 inches (38.1 cm) long with an 18.25-inch (46.4 cm) girth, a catch still recognized today by the International Game Fish Association as the all-tackle world record. It broke an earlier record set in the same lake just three years prior, in 1947.

Ketona Lake's history is as unusual as its record fish. Crews quarried it for limestone in the late 1800s, it flooded after mining stopped in 1932, and it later became a popular local swimming spot before Tarrant annexed the area in 1973. Today the lake is privately owned by the Drummond Company and closed to the public, so anglers cannot fish the water where fishing's most famous bluegill was caught. Travelers to the Birmingham area can instead explore the 10 Most Beautiful Lakes In Alabama for public waters worth a visit.

Chasing A Record-Book Panfish

These eight bodies of water show just how much variation exists among the country's biggest bluegill. Some records, like Idaho's and Pennsylvania's, have stood for generations, while Minnesota's was set within the last few months. Whether the record is a two-pound panfish or a four-and-three-quarter-pound legend, each of these waters is a reminder that even the humble bluegill can turn into the catch of a lifetime.