What a junior World Championship! Pierre, SD rolled out the red carpet for this year’s Junior World Championship and all our Junior Qualifiers with our annual Presidents and leadership conference.
We had 24 states represented at this years JWC with some of the top Junior anglers coming and competing for the title of the 2025 Junior World Champions.
For the past few years our members have asked to bring the annual event to a renowned smallmouth fishery and what a better place than Lake Oahe, in Pierre, SD making this truly a family vacation being right down the road from Mount Rushmore and the historic Black Hills of SD. Not a single team asked, would deny a second trip back to Lake Oahe. Every team and their boat captains enjoyed the experience greatly.
With running our Junior World Championship modeled after the adult Bass Federations divisional format, it greatly enhances the possibilities and makes it possible for the top divisional team from every division to make it to the Championship Day. Cutting the field to the top 15 teams from the first 2 days of competition.
Our 2025 Junior World Championship team came to the scales on day 1 with 10 pounds and 3 ounces placing them in 13th place overall and leading their division. The Maine Junior anglers, John (JT) Cross and partner Jake Paradis won their berth to the 2025 JWC through the Maine TBF junior program.
On day 2 with 11 pounds and 6 ounces would prove the Maine Junior Anglers would hold their divisional lead, finishing in 5th place for day 2 securing them a spot in the championship final day. With a 5th place overall finish on the first two days weighing in with 2 days weights at 21 pounds and 9 ounces. All weights zero for the final day, may the best team win. The crowds stood by cheering on their top teams for the final day. A little different weather had emerged with cooler temps in the AM hours and stronger winds proved tougher conditions for the top 15 teams. A six thousand-dollar scholarship on the line for the first-place team, 3K per angler, who will make the top spot? Teams all checked in and bags coming to the scales, the top team and honors went to JT Cross and Jake Paradis topping the scales at 12 pounds and 3 ounces. Not only did the Maine Anglers claim day 3 but it secured them with the title of the 2025 Junior World Champions. Congratulations to JT Cross and Jake Paradis on your great performance on Lake Oahe in Pierre, SD.
Second Place overall representing Central IA Junior Anglers was Walter Louk and partner Leon Pauley. The IA Junior anglers started day one with a 6th place finish weighing in at 11 pounds and 3 ounces. This put them in the lead for their division and day 2 proved a little tougher for this team weighing in at 9 pounds and 9 ounces with a 9th place finish for 2 days weights at 20 pounds 12 ounces.
The second-place team from Iowa Walter Louk and Leon Pauley walked away with a sizable scholarship as well, winning a 2k dollar scholarship to be split at 1k per angler.
3rd place team from North Louisiana Caden Culpepper and John Hollis Robinson Started the week off with a 10-pound 3 ounce on day 1 & on day 2 with a two-day weight of 20 pounds 6 ounces. The third-place team representing the central division win the third-place honors plus a 1K scholarship split $500 per angler.
4th place weighing in at 10 pounds and 14 ounces with a $500 scholarship goes to Jaxon Littlejohn and Landen Anderson from Oklahoma representing Oklahoma Jr Fishing. The pair started day 1 off with a bang weighing in at 12 pounds and 13 ounces. Day 2 would prove to be just as strong with a first-place finish weighing in 12 pounds and 4 ounces giving the team the divisional championship and sending them into the final day with a 25 pound-01-ounce, 2-day total.
4th place through 15th place all win a $500 scholarship, $250. Per each angler. Congratulations to our top 15 teams and all of our 2025 qualified Junior Anglers.
