World record green sunfish
CASPER – “Just one more cast, please,” Chris Castleman pleaded several times the evening of June 7. Since his dad relented, it might be fitting to give him an assist for the new Wyoming green sunfish state record his 14-year-old son now holds.
On the very last of the “just one more” casts, Chris hooked a nice fish on his worm and bobber. He and his dad, Allen, knew the fish was much bigger than the panfish they’d been catching the evening of June 7 at Bryan Stock Trail Pond in Casper and thought it might even be a nice bass. Landing it surprisingly revealed the same species of panfish they’d been catching.
“But just about four times bigger,” Allen said.
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Other anglers at the pond suspected the fish was something special and encouraged the duo “to get it checked out.” That not only included weight — but also species. Neither the Castlemans nor their fellow anglers knew if it was a bluegill, green sunfish or pumpkinseed.
Sportsman’s Warehouse didn’t know either, but the father and son were further encouraged by an employee there declaring, “That’s the biggest panfish I’ve ever seen.”
The next morning Ridley’s Market generously w
The Biggest Panfish of All Time
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The term “panfish” dates back 200-plus years and simply refers to any fish that can fit into a pan. Depending on the size of your pan, that could be a pretty big fish. Today, the definition is a bit more specific, usually meaning a small, freshwater fish species cooked whole or filleted in a pan or skillet. Even the largest of some panfish species would still easily fit in the average skillet.
However, the individual fish we’re highlighting below are another story altogether. These are the true giants of the panfish world. So go find the biggest pan around, because we’ve rounded up the biggest panfish of all time, according to the “all-tackle records” recorded by the International Game Fish Association.
Bluegill: 4 pounds, 12 ounces
The current all-tackle bluegill record is held by T. Hudson, who caught a 4-pound 12-ounce fish on April 9, 1950 in Alabama’s Ketona Lakes. No other details about the catch are recorded by the IGFA, but subsequent stories say the fish was 15 inches long and had an incredible 18.25-inch girth.
Bluegills are found throughou
Green sunfish
The
Green sunfish
(
Lepomis cyanellus
) is a small freshwater sunfish, a type of bream, native to the central United States and found in waterways across Alabama.
The native range of the green sunfish extends from the Apalachicola watershed on the east to the Rio Grande in the west, and as far north as the Great Lakes. They are rapid colonizers of intermittent streams and have also been spread intentionally as well as accidentally along with larger sportfish. They are sometimes disliked by anglers because their aggressive behavior gives them a competitive edge over the larger, more popular bluegill and spotted redfish. Green sunfish have been established in Europe, Asia, South American and Africa as introduced exotics, and are considered an invasive species in the western U.S. and eastern Florida.
The green sunfish is generally blue green on its back and sides with metallic pale bluish streaks near its head and along the lateral line and dusky vertical bars which are most pronounced in females. The scales show varying amounts of yellow or yellow-orange on the ventral sides and the edges of its fins, especially during spawning season. The fish displays pr
Freshwater Fish State Record Program Rules
Species
Weight
Angler
Location
Date
Photo
Bass, Hybrid
25 lb, 8 oz
David Hobby
Lake Chatuge
May 1, 1995
Bass, Largemouth
22 lb, 4 oz
George Perry
Montgomery Lake
June 2, 1932
Photo not available (as nice as it may have been to see!).
After more than 90 years, this legendary catch is STILL a Georgia State Record and tied as the World Record. It has long been the topic of articles, debates and even books. More information on the largemouth bass record.
Bass, Redeye
3 lb, 7 oz
Steve Williams
Lake Hartwell
April 17, 2004
Bass, Rock
1 lb, 0 oz
Jeffrey Forester
South Chickamauga Creek
April 6, 2024
Bass, Shoal (TIE)
8 lb, 5 oz
Joseph Matthew McWhorter
Chattahoochee River
December 23, 2021
Bass, Shoal (TIE)
8 lb, 5 oz
Clark Wheeler
Flint River
April 16, 2022
Bass, Smallmouth
7 lb, 2 oz
Jack Hall
Lake Chatuge
March 28, 1973
Bass, Spotted
8 lb, 2 oz
Wayne Holland
Lake Burton
February 23, 2005
Bass, Striped (TIE)
63 lb
Kelly A. Ward
Oconee River
May 30, 1967
Bass, Striped (TIE)
63 lb
Terry McConnell
Lake Rich