Ohio State Record Bluegill: 3 lb 4 oz
The Ohio state record bluegill weighed 3 lb 4 oz and measured 12.75 inches. It was caught in 1990 from Salt Fork Reservoir by Willis D. Nicholes, and the Ohio Division of Wildlife still recognizes it as the state mark 36 years later.
Where the record came from
The record came from Salt Fork Reservoir. 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 Ohio lakes we do grade instead.
Bluegill records by state
Ohio ranks 2 of 12 among the states in our index for record bluegill. Illinois holds the heaviest at 3 lb 8 oz, set in 1973.
| # | State | Weight | Year | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Illinois | 3 lb 8 oz | 1973 | Farm Pond |
| 2 | Ohio (this page) | 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 Ohio
19 of Ohio's 21 standing records are heavier than the 3 lb 4 oz bluegill — unsurprising, since record weight tracks species size more than anything about the water. 8 Ohio records have stood longer, the bluegill mark dating to 1990.