Kaysen Smith and Jonah Osment from Crescent High School and Fisher Arnold and Jackson Caudill from Lakeland Junior Hawg Hunters tie at the 2025 Bassmaster Junior Series at Harris Chain with 10 pounds, 15 ounces.
LEESBURG, Fla. — With the start of a warming trend stimulating Central Florida bass, two teams — Kaysen Smith and Jonah Osment, along with Fisher Arnold and Jackson Caudill — caught five-bass limits of 10 pounds, 15 ounces and shared the win at the Bassmaster Junior Series at Harris Chain.
Both teams earned a spot in the Bassmaster Junior Series National Championship.
Representing Lakeland Junior Hawg Hunters, Arnold and Caudill fished Lake Harris and the smaller Lake Denham, which connects to Harris’ west side. Lake Denham ended up producing most of their weight.
“We fished a ledge that went from 3 to 6 feet,” Arnold said. “We found some fish schooling on top in the morning and then we found some on the ledge later in the day.”
Noting that the day’s first hour was best, Arnold said he and his partner caught their fish on jerkbaits and Flukes in the watermelon red color.
“The key was just fishing really, really slow because of the (recent) cold weather,” Caudill said. “When they bit, they were aggressive.”
Fishing for the Crescent High School Jr. Anglers, Smith and Osment spent their day in Lake Harris. They targeted the mouths of canals and focused on lily pads in about 8 feet of water.
“We were looking for moving fish,” Smith said. “We used 3/8-ounce shaky heads with green pumpkin trick worms.
Osment said slow presentations proved most productive. He and Smith had their limit around 1 p.m. and made their last cull at 1:45.
Carson Stevens and Wesley Osuna of the Franklin County Jr. Bass Team placed second with 7-5.
Cort Elrod fished solo and placed third with 7-3.
Smith and Osment earned Big Bass honors with a 3-7.
