233 Nationally qualified teams from across the nation converged to Grove, Oklahoma on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees in search of the National Championship title.
Grand Lake is known for its diversified waters that allows any team to find and locate fish that best fits their own style of fishing. The anglers can utilize their own techniques and abilities and still be able to catch the quality of fish needed to be competitive. Pre-fishing proved to be interesting to say the least, with waters 8 ft high and limited boat ramps available to get on the water. Many teams found themselves launching in parking lots, county roads and using a few of the remaining open ramps during practice. With the help of GRDA they managed to drop the waters nearly 3 feet before the beginning of day one competition.
The Georgia Anglers, Cooper and Carson dominated day one, setting the bar extremely high with better than a 5-pound average with 3 Bass that weighed in at 15 pounds and 12 ounces. Cooper Moon and Carson Holbert had 14 pounds and 6 ounces the second biggest bag on Day 2 following Carson Mowdy and partner Colton Stewart topping the scales for day two with a whopping 16 pounds. However, Moon and Holbert would maintain the lead with 2 days combined weights pushing them to the 30-pound threshold with the 3 fish daily limit. The leaders stated they felt they had enough fish to maintain the lead on day 3 and seemed confident going into the final day trying to take the win.
On Friday morning the National Championship teams would lead off the entire field with Cameras rolling, lights on, drones flying in the air and the interviews taking place all while awaiting the first safe light to appear. First out for the third day and leading off the top ten teams was the familiar names of Cooper Moon and Carson Holbert having nearly a 2-pound lead over the next highest team trying to secure the National title.
As the top ten National teams would depart for the final day a slightly stabilized water elevation would prove to be no different than the previous first 2 days with the top teams all bringing in a limit of fish. Would it be enough. Weighing last would prove to be a heart beating painstaking moment in time these two GA anglers will never forget. The National championship teams weighed from tenth place to first, weights from just over 6 pounds to an impressive 3 fish limit by second place team Dylon Sorrells and Andrew Waters weighing 15 pounds and nine ounces.
Was it enough, Sorrels and Waters took over the lead moments before Moon and Holbert were to come to the scales with a 41-pound and 1-ounce commanding lead. Moon and Holbert needs just over 11 pounds to reclaim the lead and the title at stake.
A 3 fish Daily limit, who would ever have thought that it would be 40 pound plus with 9 fish total on three days. The crowds were cheering and then the silence as Cooper Moon and Carson Holbert’s 3 fish limit was laid on the scales. They needed 11 pounds and when the scales locked, they had 13-pounds 15-ounces giving them a 3-day total of 44-pounds and 1 ounce. The 2025 National Championship winners from Cartersville, GA are Cooper Moon and Carson Holbert.
Second place team with 41 pounds and 1 ounce goes to the Texas team of Dylan Sorrells and Andrew Waters. Sorrels and partner Waters had 12-pounds and 4 ounces on day one with a second days weight at 13-pounds and 4 ounces and final days catch landed the Highland Park team in the lead for a few minutes at 15-pounds and nine ounces.
Third place Texas Milano Eagles team of Carson Mowdy and partner Colton Stewart had a great 3-day event weighing in at 12-pounds and 3 ounces on day 1. Day two the team would take the biggest bag with 16-pounds even moving them to the 2nd place standings after the second day. The team would need another 13 pound plus bag to hold their spot but fell just short on the final day weighing in at 9pounds and 7 ounces. The teams 3-day total was a respective 37-pounds and 10-ounces.
With a 3-day total weighing in at 37-pounds and 4-ouncese, the Russellville Cyclone team of Jackson Roumbanis and Lawson Lewis had an impressive 2nd place finish on day 1 weighing in just behind the leaders at 14-pounds and 13-ounces. Day two the Arkansas anglers had 10-pounds and 4-ounces with a final day’s weight of 12-pounds and 3-ounces landing this duo in the 4th place National championship spot.
5th place went to Wyatt Woods and Wyatt McBride a total of 35-pounds and 5-ounces three days weights all weighing in at 11-pounds 14-ounces, 11-pounds 13-ounces and final day at 11-pounds 10-ounces proving to be the most consistent daily weights combined.
Carson Adcock partnered with Colton Arnold came in at 6th place with 11-pounds 6-ounces on day 1. 13-pounds and 11-ounces for day 2 and 10-pounds even on day 3. This gave the Louisianna, Haughton High team a total of 35-pounds and 1-ounce.
California team of Brenner Lynn partnered with Bryce Deheyn had a 3-day total of 34-pounds and 14-ounces, landing them in 7th place.
8th place was the Kentucky team of Miles Allen and Ethan Roths with a 33-pound 12-ounce total
The team of Wesson Vint and JJ Gruber from Indiana Track & Channel youth fishing team came in 9th place with 32-pounds 15-ounces.
And the final days National Championship team of which all the top ten teams will automatically advance to compete in the World Finals Championship went to Corbin Bailey and Kayden Messina with a total of 32-pounds in 3 days with 9 fish.
Congratulations to all the top ten finalist.
