Minnesota angler lands 2-pound bluegill to set new state record

Minnesota fisherman Chris Mulcahy has officially entered the state record books after landing a giant bluegill that weighed 2 pounds, setting a new Minnesota state record for the species.

Mulcahy, of Waterville, caught a fish while fishing at Big Stone Lake in western Minnesota on May 29. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources The catch was recently certified as the new state-record bluegill after its weight was confirmed on a certified scale. According to the DNR, the fish exceeded the previous record by 3 ounces.

The catch was one of nine new state-record fish certified by the Minnesota DNR this spring, highlighting what fisheries officials describe as exceptional fishing opportunities across the state.

For panfish fishermen, a fish of this size is exceptionally rare. While many fishermen consider a 10-inch bluegill a trophy, fish reaching the 2-pound mark are almost unheard of. Bluegills generally grow slowly, and reaching record-class sizes often requires a combination of abundant forage, strong genetics, and a fishery capable of producing older fish.

Mulcahy’s record fish came from Big Stone Lake, a 12,600-acre boundary water shared by Minnesota and South Dakota. The lake is renowned among Midwestern anglers for producing quality panfish, walleyes, northern pike and perch. Shallow prairie lakes provide extensive habitat and fertile waters that help support strong forage populations and fast-growing fish.

The Minnesota DNR’s State Record Fish Program has been recognizing exceptional catches for nearly a century. In recent years, the agency expanded the program to include additional catch-and-release categories, allowing fishermen to earn record recognition without harvesting the fish. However, weight-class records still require the fish to be kept and weighed on a certified scale.

While many fishing records have fallen in Minnesota in recent years, a 2-pound bluegill remains one of the most impressive freshwater catches an angler can make. Mulcahy’s fish is now the largest bluegill officially recorded in Minnesota and will be remembered as one of the state’s most notable panfish catches for years to come.

keith lusher

Keith Lusher is an award-winning outdoor journalist who lives in Covington, Louisiana. He owns and operates NorthShoreFishingReport.com and writes a weekly outdoors column for the Slidell Independent Newspaper. He also writes for the St. Tammany Parish Tourism Commission’s VisitTheNorthshree.com. He is the former host of The Northshore Fishing Report radio show and is on the board of the Louisiana Outdoor Writers Association. Keith contributes to numerous publications both online and in print and is proud to promote the unique fisheries of South Louisiana. To contact Keith email: keithlusherjr@gmail.com