Chambana Sun

Champaign, Ill. – The Illinois 4-H Hooks Us Together Statewide Fishing Tournament has released its second round of leaderboard results and will continue until July 31, 2025. Youth from across Illinois are participating in this summer-long event that emphasizes outdoor skills and friendly competition.

The current leaderboard is as follows:

- 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 leads.

- Catfish (32 inches): Max Murphy of Kane County is at the top.

- Crappie (14 inches): Miles Robinson of Fulton County remains the leader since May.

Participants can keep submitting their catches throughout July to vie for top honors in each category. The “Hooks Us Together” tournament is part of Illinois 4-H’s efforts to connect youth with nature, promote family bonding, and develop lifelong recreation skills.

Prizes will be awarded in various categories, with special recognition for the longest largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, and channel catfish. All fish species are eligible for entry.

Youth can submit their catches online until July 31 at go.illinois.edu/fishing-hooks-us-together. More winners will be announced throughout the season.

Illinois 4-H is a leading youth development program under the University of Illinois Extension, managed by the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. It aims to prepare youth for college, careers, military service, entrepreneurship, and more through hands-on learning experiences. Research indicates that participants are significantly more likely to pursue higher education and technical training or serve in the military compared to non-participants.