Champaign, Ill.– The Illinois 4-H Hooks Us Together Statewide Fishing Tournament has posted it second round of leaderboard results and continues through July 31, 2025. Youth from across the state are casting their lines and competing in this fun, summer-long challenge that celebrates outdoor skills and friendly competition.
Current leaderboard includes:
- Bass (23 inches) – A tie for first place between Caleb Wenzel of White County and previous leader Derrick Martin of Peoria County.
- Bluegill or Green Sunfish (11.5 inches) – Jacob Wenzel of Saline County takes the lead.
- Catfish (32 inches) – Max Murphy of Kane County tops the leaderboard.
- Crappie (14 inches) – Miles Robinson of Fulton County remains the leader from May.
Youth can continue submitting catches throughout July for a chance to claim top honors in each category. The “Hooks Us Together” tournament is part of Illinois 4-H’s outdoor education efforts to connect youth with nature, foster family bonding, and build lifelong recreation skills.
Prizes will be awarded in multiple categories, with special recognition for the longest largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, and channel catfish. All fish species are eligible—and every entry counts.
Youth can submit their catches online now through July 31 at go.illinois.edu/fishing-hooks-us-together.
More winners will be announced throughout the season.
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.