Chambana Sun

The Illinois 4-H Hooks-Us-Together statewide fishing tournament saw its highest participation to date, with 321 youth from across the state submitting entries during its fifth annual event. The virtual competition, which ran through May, June, and July, required participants to send photos of their fish catches measured against a ruler and an additional image showing themselves holding the fish. Each submission included the angler’s name, county, and date of catch.

Winners were recognized for the longest fish in four categories: largemouth bass, crappie, channel catfish, and bluegill. Caleb Wenzel from Saline County and Eli Zimmerman from Tazewell County tied for the longest largemouth bass at 23 inches. Miles Robinson from Fulton County took top honors in the crappie category with a 15-inch catch. Katelyn Clagg from Clinton County caught a 32-inch channel catfish at Lake Carlyle to win her division. Brogan Keltner from Stephenson County won in the bluegill category with a 10-inch fish.

Honorable mentions went to Jacob Wenzel (Saline County) for an 11.5-inch green sunfish, Fulton Kirkpatrick (Grundy County) for a 20-inch common carp, Kase Heine (Jackson County) for a 24-inch albino channel catfish, and Owen Monahan (McLean County) for a 29-inch blue catfish.

Curt Sinclair, University of Illinois Extension Specialist for 4-H Youth Development, said: “The Hooks-Us-Together tournament is a fun and meaningful way to promote 4-H Sportfishing projects. It gets youth outside, encourages exploration of nature, and helps spark a lifelong passion for fishing and conservation.”

Bass Pro Shops gift cards were awarded to each championship category winner thanks to donations by volunteer Steve Moffit.

Illinois 4-H operates as part of University of Illinois Extension under the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. The program offers hands-on learning opportunities designed to prepare young people for future education or careers by building skills such as confidence and leadership. Research indicates that those involved in programs like Illinois 4-H are more likely to pursue higher education or technical training compared to their peers.

For further details about local programs or participation opportunities, interested parties can visit the Illinois 4-H website.

Media Contact: Curt Sinclair Extension Specialist, 4-H Youth Development University of Illinois Extension, sinclair@illinois.edu

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