GROVE, Okla. (June 26, 2025) – Day 2 of the 2025 Abu Garcia High School Fishing National Championship on Grand Lake wrapped up with 383 teams on the water between the National Championship and the World Finals competitors, leaving the leaderboard even tighter than Day 1. Despite increased pressure and a less favorable takeoff time, Georgia anglers Cooper Moon and Carson Holbert of the Cartersville Fishing Team delivered once again, bringing in another stout three-bass limit to maintain their lead.
After weighing 15 pounds, 12 ounces on Day 1, the duo followed up with a second-day limit that pushed their two-day total to 30 pounds, 2 ounces, keeping them in the top spot heading into Championship Friday. Hot on their heels in second, Carson Mowdy and Colton Stewart of the Milano Eagles sit just under 2 pounds behind with 28-3, while JJ Gruber and Wesson Vint of Track and Channel Youth finished the day with 25-8, good for third.
Moon and Holbert’s consistency has been driven by early success on their primary area, where they’ve landed the bulk of their weight within the first 30 minutes each day.
“Going into this morning, we were kind of unsure if we’d be able to get on our first spot,” Moon said. “The launch order flipped, and we were launching toward the back of the pack. There was a boat nearby, but they weren’t fishing what we were fishing. As soon as they left, we had an immediate start and had 13 to 14 pounds in the first 30 minutes again.”
Holbert echoed the sentiment, noting an even better start than on Day 1.
“We actually caught a 5 1/2-pounder off our first spot today, which was a bonus,” he said. “Yesterday it was all 4-pounders off that same area,” he said. “It slowed down after that, but late in the day we hit another little spot and got a flurry – caught a 4-pounder and culled a 3. It was another great day.”
Technique is key
The key to their success, they say, isn’t necessarily secret spots – it’s how they’re fishing them.
“We’re doing something just a little bit different,” Moon explained. “There are a lot of boats nearby, but they’re not fishing the way we are. We’ve only seen maybe two or three boats doing something similar.”
While both anglers were secretive about what they’re throwing and the patterns they’re running, Holbert added that their bait choices and overall technique have given them an edge.
“We’re rotating a few baits, playing with speed and angles, just trying to stay a step ahead of the fish and the competition,” he said. “It’s more about how we’re presenting it than what we’re fishing.”
Heading into the final day, the pressure is mounting. But the duo remains focused and grounded.
“I’m confident, but I know how this lake fishes,” Moon said. “Someone could easily bring in 16 or 17 pounds and jump to the top. It’s going to come down to capitalizing on every bite.”
Holbert agreed.
“If we can get over 12 pounds tomorrow, I think we’ve got a real shot,” he said. “We just have to fish clean and make every fish count.”
With one final day separating them from a national title, Moon and Holbert are locked in – determined to finish what they started.
“If it’s meant to be, it’ll happen,” Moon said. “Either way, we’ve had a great time and this has already been one of the best tournaments of our lives.,l
Championship Day ahead
The Top 10 qualifying teams, including Holbert and Moon, now advance to Friday’s Championship Round, where the team with the heaviest three-day weight will take home two $5,000 scholarships to a school of their choice. Once the High School Fishing National Championship has wrapped on Friday, all 10 finalists will advance to Saturday’s World Championship, where the top 31 qualifying teams will compete for additional scholarships and prizes.