10 inch BG’s are common in ponds in Texas. The red ear sunfish (shellcrackers) actually outgrow the BG around here in public waters but not so much in private ponds. I’m raising some Georgia Giants, a hybrid BG, in a small kid’s pond as an experiment and 10 months after stocking, I’m catching 9 inch fish on flys. Lots of fun.
Hey Meadowlark,
Man, anytime I catch a 10-inch bluegill it’s a topic of conversation with the fellas at work next day.
If your friend considers 10-inch ‘gills “normal size” specimens, either I’m in immediate need of all-new friends or else I need a bag of what he’s smokin’!
My average-size 'gill is…well…aw, shucks, I’m reluctant to even guess.
Joe
“Better small than not at all.”
Sorry, Meadowlark, scrolling the thread I got corn-fused on who initiated it.
Joe
“Love many, trust few, always paddle your own canoe”
BG’s on the upper side of 9" are venturing into the “trophy” area around here, even if it is the bottom of it. We have pestered one, and ONLY one, at 13".
But hey, last weekend we stopped at a little pond and pestered some of these…NOTHING over about 4"! 
Even that was a hoot. 8)
lee s–
If what you were catching is what you have pictured, that there’s a green sunfish (the bigger mouth and more bass-like profile is the giveaway). A 10" green is possible, but relatively rare compared to the 4"-7" range you usually find them in. They fight like the devil, though, don’t they?! Plus I’ve had them attack and get hooked on flies bigger than they are!
To get the larger gills, 10" and over, you need to have a good supply of predators to keep them in check.
Leave the larger bass and catfish and take the smaller gills. You will lget bigger gills in a few years.
Rick
Rick,
That is so true around here. I think our gills would be better if there wasn’t so much tolerance/encouragement for folks to keep the big bass. I’ve known people who kept the large bass without any plan to use it for anything except bragging rights. They were too poor to have it mounted and admitted they didn’t eat bass.
One time I nearly had one of them convinced to release theirs, but they insisted they had to prove they’d caught it and neither of us had a camera.
On the other hand, they won’t keep a large gill because they don’t respect them. Good for genetics, but they don’t think that deep.
:?
Many, many farm ponds are ruined by the exact attitude, MO. Very sad. As records show, they can be tremendous fisheries if people work on maintaining a proper balance. JGW
Hi Genben,
The mature bluegills I have been catching lately have been in the 7 to 8.5 inch range. (Measured several.)
A 10" bluegill can be caught, and bigger ones, but a 10" gill is a very good gill in my book.
Regards,
Gandolf
[b]I know ten inch bluegills exist,but seldom find any around here. The pond (South Lake)is the closest place for me to fish. I seldom have found any gills over 6 inches there. Made my first trip there in several years and used my kayak. The wind was gusting at a bit over 20 mph and I was without an anchor. The gills were hungry and every one I caught looked lean. I was surprised to catch a few in the 7-8 inch range.
I’m hoping to get back on the water soon to explore a bit and see if some bigger gills are residing there.
I used to catch a few gills every year that were over 10 inches,but that was in Arkansas, and I knew every rock,stick,weed and bream bed in the lakes around there. Hopefully with the yak I’ll be able to scout up some grown-up gills around here.
Rodger I’druther be fishing. [/b]
Genben, I live in wichita and let me say that 10 inches for a giller is right about average for this area. When you start catching 12-13" inch fish on a three wt, take pics and watch your friend’s jaw drop!!!
Here in Arkansas, a 10" gill is a big’un. A one pound gill is a lifetime trophy. For Kansas, these have to be exceptional.
The record Blue Gill in TN. is 3lbs. I have caught many in the 10-12 inch size here. My average size is in the 6-8 inch size. John
The ones here in VA average 4-6 inches. Some of the bigger redear ones are about 10-11 inches, never caught one of those though.
Here in central California a 10 inch gill is huge!
Bob
Just as a for what it’s worth…
According to the Kansas Department of Wildlife and parks website the record Blue Gill in the State was 11 inches and 2 lbs. 5 oz. It was caught in a farm pond in Scott county in 1962.
Ed