world record bluegill

[Ryan McCaw]

was there a new world record set out in AZ this year for bluegill. I thought I heard something about it this summer being caught in Lake Havasu but am not sure.

[Ryan McCaw]

I found this site where they gave the details but weren't sure if it was going to be a new WORLD record or not. 5-pound, 8.8-ounce, 16.75-inch redear sunfish. I am not sure if the world record people lump redears in with bluegills or if they are purists.

http://www.gameandfishmag.com/2011/06/03/new-world-record-sunfish/

[Jeffrey D. Abney]

This fish is well documented on this site including the best Shellcracker Taxidermy I've ever seen by Bigbluegill.com featured member Tim Overbaugh........

[Ryan McCaw]

So was it confirmed as a new world record? I cannot find that discussion string.

[Jeff Soto]

No they are separate fish.  Same sunfish family, but they look different, eat different foods, fight different, (real drag pullers!) and their meat taste different than the Bluegill.  I see a lot of people that call other sunfish Bluegill, like Green Sunfish, Pumpkinseed and Redears.  That's like calling a Brown Trout or a Cutthroat Trout a Rainbow...

I would like to see someone catch a new World Record Bluegill.  (...and I'd like it to be me!  LOL!) 

[Ryan McCaw]

Oh, I know the differences but many record keepers lump them all together. Race you to the new bluegill record!