URBANA, Ill. — The fifth annual Illinois 4-H Hooks-Us-Together statewide fishing tournament concluded with a record-setting year, drawing 321 entries from 4-H youth across Illinois. The virtual event, held during May, June, and July, challenged participants to submit photos of their catches alongside a ruler to verify length, along with a second photo of themselves holding the fish. Each entry included the angler’s name, county, and date of catch.
Prizes were awarded for the longest fish in four categories: largemouth bass, crappie, channel catfish, and bluegill. The 2025 State Champions are:
State Champion Winners
- Largemouth Bass (23 inches) – Tie: Caleb Wenzel (Saline County) and Eli Zimmerman (Tazewell County)
- Crappie (15 inches) – Miles Robinson (Fulton County)
- Channel Catfish (32 inches) – Katelyn Clagg (Macoupin County), caught at Lake Carlyle
- Bluegill (10 inches) – Brogan Keltner (Stephenson County)
Honorable Mentions
- Green Sunfish (11.5 inches) – Jacob Wenzel (Saline County)
- Common Carp (20 inches) – Fulton Kirkpatrick (Grundy County)
- Albino Channel Catfish (24 inches) – Kase Heine (Jackson County)
- Blue Catfish (29 inches) – Owen Monahan (McLean County)
“The Hooks-Us-Together tournament is a fun and meaningful way to promote 4-H Sportfishing projects,” said Curt Sinclair, University of Illinois Extension Specialist for 4-H Youth Development. “It gets youth outside, encourages exploration of nature, and helps spark a lifelong passion for fishing and conservation.”
Special thanks to 4-H volunteer Steve Moffit for generously donating Bass Pro Shops gift cards to each of the championship category winners.
For more information about 4-H programs in Illinois, visit the 4-H website.
Media Contact: Curt Sinclair Extension Specialist, 4-H Youth Development University of Illinois Extension, sinclair@illinois.edu
About Illinois 4-H:
Illinois 4-H is the flagship youth development program of University of Illinois Extension, administered through the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. Through hands-on learning and life-changing experiences, Illinois 4-H prepares youth to be Beyond Ready — ready for college, career, military service, entrepreneurship, and more. Young people build confidence, leadership, and resilience as they explore interests from agriculture to computer science. Independent research and national surveys confirm the powerful outcomes of 4-H: participants are 40% more likely to pursue a college degree, twice as likely to obtain technical training, and two times more likely to serve in the military. With a legacy of cultivating leaders, Illinois 4-H continues to grow the next generation who are equipped to thrive in life and work today and beyond.
University of Illinois Extension develops educational programs, extends knowledge, and builds partnerships to support people, communities, and their environments as part of the state's land-grant institution. Extension serves as the leading public outreach effort for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences in all 102 Illinois counties through a network of 27 multi-county units and over 700 staff statewide. Extension’s mission is responsive to eight strategic priorities — community, economy, environment, food and agriculture, health, partnerships, technology and discovery, and workforce excellence — that are served through six program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, family and consumer science, integrated health disparities, and natural resources, environment, and energy.