Illinois State Record Bluegill: 3 lb 8 oz
The Illinois state record bluegill weighed 3 lb 8 oz. It was caught in 1973 from Farm Pond in Jasper County, and the Illinois DNR still recognizes it as the state mark 53 years later.
Where the record came from
The record came from Farm Pond in Jasper County. We don't carry a water-quality grade for it: our index covers standing lakes with enough EPA Water Quality Portal samples to score, which leaves out rivers and tributaries, Great Lakes water, and smaller ponds that are rarely sampled. Browse the Illinois lakes we do grade instead.
Bluegill records by state
Illinois ranks 1 of 12 among the states in our index for record bluegill. No state we track has produced a heavier one.
| # | State | Weight | Year | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Illinois (this page) | 3 lb 8 oz | 1973 | Farm Pond |
| 2 | Ohio | 3 lb 4 oz | 1990 | Salt Fork Reservoir |
| 3 | Indiana | 3 lb 4 oz | 1972 | Pond |
| 4 | South Dakota | 3 lb 4 oz | 1980 | Stanley County Stock Dam |
| 5 | Iowa | 3 lb 2 oz | 1986 | Farm pond |
| 6 | Missouri | 3 lb | 1963 | Farm Pond |
| 7 | Minnesota | 2 lb 13 oz | 1948 | Alice Lake |
| 8 | Michigan | 2 lb 12 oz | 1983 | Vaughn Lake |
| 9 | North Dakota | 2 lb 12 oz | 1963 | Strawberry Lake |
| 10 | Wisconsin | 2 lb 9.8 oz | 1995 | Hayes Lake |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | 2 lb 9 oz | 1983 | Keystone Lake |
| 12 | New York | 2 lb 8 oz | 1992 | Kohlbach Pond |
Each figure comes from that state's own fisheries agency. Agencies differ on what they certify — some recognize catch-and-release length records alongside weight — so treat this as a comparison of standing certified weights, not a single national list.
How it ranks inside Illinois
17 of Illinois's 19 standing records are heavier than the 3 lb 8 oz bluegill — unsurprising, since record weight tracks species size more than anything about the water. 2 Illinois records have stood longer, the bluegill mark dating to 1973.