World Record ~ 4 Lbs. 12 oz. Caught at Ketona Lake, AL on Apr. 9, 1950 by angler T.S. Hudson
Scientific name ~ Lepomis Macrochirus 
Other names ~ Bream, Brim, Sun Perch, Blue Perch, Blue Sunfish, Copperbelly, Blue Bream,  Copperhead Bream, Red Breasted Bream, Bluegill Sunfish, Roach
Identification ~ The Bluegill has a significantly compressed oval or roundish body, a small mouth, and a small head. Bluegill are highly variable in color ranges, from dark blue or almost purple to yellow, with six to eight vertical bars on the sides and a red to orange belly. There is abroad , round black flap on the back of the gill cover. The colors are very vivid in the males when they are spawning.
Size ~ Blugill can reach a length of 16 inches and a weight of over 4 pounds, but in most areas Bluegill are between 4 and 12 inches. Most angler caught Bluegill are around 8 inches and under 1 pound.
Habitat ~ Although the Bluegill is mainly a lake fish it can be found  inhabiting ponds, slow moving streams and rivers, swamps, and vegetated lakes. The Bluegill prefers to holdup in quiet still waters. Native to the eastern half of the US and northeast Mexico, bluegill have been transplanted all over North America, Europe and South Africa. Bluegill can live in brackish waters, too.
Feeding Habits ~ Bluegill feed on insects, fish eggs, crayfish, small minnows, worms, and snails. They feed mostly at dusk and dawn and feed at all depth levels from the surface to the bottom depending on the time of day and water temperatures.