GROVE, Okla. – Day 1 of the 2025 Abu Garcia High School Fishing National Championship on Grand Lake is in the books, and with 372 teams weighing fish between the National Championship and the World Finals competitors, the race for the title is already heating up. Fishing under a three-bass limit, the top eight teams managed more than 13 pounds apiece on the opening day, but it was Georgia anglers Carson Holbert and Cooper Moon who stole the show.
Fishing for the Cartersville Fishing Team, the duo brought three fish to the scale that weighed 15 pounds, 12 ounces, securing the early lead and giving them a 15-ounce edge over second place.
Just behind them, Lawson Lewis and Jackson Roumbanis of the Russellville Cyclones sacked up 14-13, good for second, with Will Powell and Deacon Shelby of the Bryant Hornets close on their heels in third with 14-11.
While Grand Lake is known for its ability to produce big fish, Moon and Holbert’s Day 1 bag set the tone in emphatic fashion.
“Going into today, we started off with a bang,” Moon said. “We had 12 pounds in the first 15 minutes and quickly culled up with two largemouth over 5 pounds. We stopped fishing around 11 and just started scouting for later in the week.”
“We caught a 4-pounder right off our first spot and then just kept upgrading,” Holbert added. “We ended up with one at 5 1/2 pounds and another close to 6. At that point, we knew we had something special and just started looking for more water.”
Moon and Holbert only started fishing together this season, but built instant chemistry as teammates. The recent graduates are both committed to the University of Montevallo in the fall and are aiming to cap off their high school careers with the biggest win of all.
“This is our first championship together, but we’ve both fished it previously with different partners,” Moon said. “This event has humbled me in the past. I’ve missed the cut by ounces. To finally get over that hump and lift the trophy would mean everything.”
Neither angler had prior experience on Grand Lake, but the duo said they made the most of their practice days.
“We covered a lot of water and found a few patterns that held better-than-average fish,” Holbert said. “It wasn’t really about getting a lot of bites – it was just about getting the right ones.”
That strategy paid off immediately on Day 1.
“We thought we had maybe 14 1/2, but when we weighed in at 15-12, it surprised us,” Moon said, laughing. “We didn’t expect to lead, especially weighing in so early. It didn’t really sink in until the end of the weigh-in.”
Their approach was built around flexibility and adaptation, which is key on a lake as diverse as Grand.
“Every area is a little different. The pattern changes based on where you’re at,” Moon said. “We made a lot of adjustments, and we’re going to have to keep doing that if we want to win.”
For now, the pair sits atop the leaderboard with momentum and a sense of purpose.
“We’ve worked all year for this,” Holbert said. “Finishing fourth in Georgia BASS Nation, traveling the country – winning this event would be the cherry on top. It would mean everything.”