What Is Considered A "big" Bluegill?

[NC_Bass6]

yesterday i was fishing from shore with a few friends. we wanted a more relaxed way to bass fish so we decided to try out live bluegill. we never made it to bass fishing because the bluegill were so darn fun! not to mention all the bluegill were too big to put a hook through. the only place i have ever seen bluegills this big were in the bass pro shops tank. i was wondering if these were actually big bluegills or am i just so used to puny bluegill. this is probably the smallest one i caught all day, the bigger ones filled up my hand and then some. 

[GeorgiaBassBros]

I consider anything over a pound big, but the gills around here get huge

[5dollarsplash]

I use rule of hand.  Any bluegill much bigger than my hand is big lol.  I almost always take my ultralite along, just in case its a slow bass bite or I see a bluegill opportunity thats too great to pass up.

[Bangin' Bucketmouths]

It all depends on where you live. Most places a large Bluegill is roughly a pound. Here in Florida though, Bluegill are not considered big until they're a pound and a half, and I've caught some big ones, including a 2 pounder. The world record was caught in Cali and weighed a ridiculous 3 and a half pounds. Any big bluegill will be one that has given up that tan coloration for the dark purple and blue body, and will often have a white spot on its head. These are called "shellcrackers" and for good reason, these will crush small baits harder than almost any fish besides a bowfin.

[wnybassman]

Around here I consider anything over 9 inches a really good one.

[derekxec]

there is a small lake in wellington florida that holds lots of 2lb bluegills (you can get to the lake on flying cow road its near the gate for the wildlife preserve) and that are that deep purple/blue color also and they hit skitterwalks/spooks haha

[Tuckahoe Joe]

Scroll through the pages of this thread.  There are pics of some MONSTER bluegill.

 

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/112221-id-really-like-to-get-a-message-to-fish-chris/?hl=bluegill

[tholmes]

I use rule of hand.  Any bluegill much bigger than my hand is big lol.  I almost always take my ultralite along, just in case its a slow bass bite or I see a bluegill opportunity thats too great to pass up.

Yep! If it's the size of my hand or bigger, then it's worth filleting and frying.

 

Tom

[Bluebasser86]

When they're hard to get my hand around then I know they're big. I like the big bull gills that get the double foreheads when they get real big. 

[Comfortably Numb]

Here are the citation requirments for NC

 

http://www.ncwildlife.org/Fishing/FishingRecords/NCAnglerRecognitionProgramNCARP.aspx

 

11" or 1 pound is a citation.

 

I catch them 10" here in Va and consider that big. Still looking for that 11"+.

[MitchTBF]

The New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife recognizes Bluegills (any Sunfish species) over 1 pound or at least 9 inches long as large enough to have tested the angler's skill and be worthy of recognition.

 

The largest I have ever caught was 9 and a half inches long.

 

[moguy1973]

It all depends on where you live. Most places a large Bluegill is roughly a pound. Here in Florida though, Bluegill are not considered big until they're a pound and a half, and I've caught some big ones, including a 2 pounder. The world record was caught in Cali and weighed a ridiculous 3 and a half pounds. Any big bluegill will be one that has given up that tan coloration for the dark purple and blue body, and will often have a white spot on its head. These are called "shellcrackers" and for good reason, these will crush small baits harder than almost any fish besides a bowfin.

 

 

This is a big bluegill (actually a redear which is technically different than a bluegill, still a sunfish though).  It's the current world record at 5lb 8oz. out of Lake Havasu in Arizona

[Bangin' Bucketmouths]

This is a big bluegill (actually a redear which is technically different than a bluegill, still a sunfish though).  It's the current world record at 5lb 8oz. out of Lake Havasu in Arizona

my mistake, I should have rechecked my sources, all that I know is that I saw in a Field and Stream magazine maybe 4 years ago the WR caught in Cali, and the said it was 3 and a half pounds. Thanks for the correction.

[derekxec]

good lord lol biggest sunfish ive ever seen! 

[wademaster1]

10"+ is a trophy.....but they do get bigger.....