Connor Kennedy and Hayden Johns, of the Mulberry High School Junior Bass Club, have won the Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster Junior Series at the Harris Chain of Lakes with 21 pounds, 7 ounces.

Photo by William Gillette/B.A.S.S.

February 27, 2021

LEESBURG, Fla. — They had eight lakes and 75,000 acres at their disposal, but Connor Kennedy and Hayden Johns of the Mulberry High School Junior Bass Club needed only a 40-yard stretch to catch a limit of 21 pounds, 7 ounces and win the Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster Junior Series at the Harris Chain of Lakes.

Anchoring their bag with two kickers that went 6-9 and 5-5, the winners took home $704 for their club and earned a berth in the Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster Junior Series National Championship (dates and location to be determined).

Kennedy said he and Johns caught all of their bass in the Dora Canal, which links its namesake lake with Lake Eustis. They caught their fish on blue-tailed Bitter’s Vibe Worms Texas-rigged on 4/0 hooks with 3/16-ounce weights.

“We stayed in one spot all day and fished flowing water,” Kennedy said. “It dipped down and there were logs on the bottom. We’d just throw up current and let our baits drift down until it hit the logs and you’d have to set the hook. A slow presentation worked best.”

Johns said their day-maker arrived after the water had time to settle from a busy morning.

“We caught the 5-5 around 11 and we didn’t have anything for a while, then we got that 6-9 around 12:30,” he said. “There was a lot of boat traffic in the canal (earlier), but after it slowed down, (Kennedy) caught that big fish.”

Dylan Holcomb and Maddox Taunton of the Liberty County Anglers finished second with 17-0.

Mason Grose and Sailor McKinney of the Southern West Virginia Jr. Bassmasters finished third with 16-4.

Kennedy and Johns won the Big Bass award with their 6-9.

2021 Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster Junior Series at Harris Chain 2/27-2/27
Harris Chain Of Lakes, Leesburg FL.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1

Angler Club/School Pts

1. Connor Kennedy – Hayden Johns Mulberry High School 0
Day 1: 5 21-07 Total: 5 21-07
2. Dylan Holcomb – Maddox Taunton LC Anglers (284) 0
Day 1: 5 17-00 Total: 5 17-00
3. Mason Grose – Sailor Mckinney Southern West Virginia Jr Bassma 0
Day 1: 5 16-04 Total: 5 16-04
4. Caleb Logue – Hayden Reynolds Three Rivers Bassmasters (224) 0
Day 1: 5 14-03 Total: 5 14-03
5. Trevor Allen – Brody Allen Brandon Allen 0
Day 1: 5 11-04 Total: 5 11-04
6. Briley West – Alexander Tyler McKeel Junior FIshing team (229) 0
Day 1: 5 11-03 Total: 5 11-03
7. Jack Kennedy – Harold Walls Berkley Charter School (395) 0
Day 1: 5 10-12 Total: 5 10-12
8. Renner Roberts – Dylan Chester Liberty County Anglers (326) 0
Day 1: 5 10-02 Total: 5 10-02
9. Luke Stewart – Austin Craze Clay Co Middle School and Clay C 0
Day 1: 5 09-00 Total: 5 09-00
10. Roger Crum – Kacyn Vaughan Okeechobee Jr. Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 5 08-15 Total: 5 08-15
11. Brennan Enfinger – Luke Griffin Bainbridge Middle School (456) 0
Day 1: 4 07-13 Total: 4 07-13
12. Lane Davis – Korbyn Lewis OSCEOLA MIDDLE SCHOOL (228) 0
Day 1: 5 07-10 Total: 5 07-10
13. Easton Morrow – Rj Sanger Lakeland Christian (359) 0
Day 1: 4 06-14 Total: 4 06-14
14. Maya Szentmartoni – Ragyn Mohney Yearling middle school (298) 0
Day 1: 5 06-05 Total: 5 06-05
15. Mason Carden – Dawson Bryant Shelby County Jr Anglers (484) 0
Day 1: 5 06-04 Total: 5 06-04
16. Brayden Rivest – Christopher Volpe Off the Hook Junior Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 4 05-09 Total: 4 05-09
17. Kayden Waller – Michael Harris Mt. Juliet high school (263) 0
Day 1: 1 05-07 Total: 1 05-07
18. Ayden Smith – Sawyer Scarbrough Bledsoe County High (347) 0
Day 1: 3 05-03 Total: 3 05-03
19. Jack Myers – Joey Cotromano Nassau Christian 0
Day 1: 3 05-02 Total: 3 05-02
20. Wyatt Drawdy – Tyson Griffin PC Jr Anglers (464) 0
Day 1: 3 05-01 Total: 3 05-01
21. Daniel Ingram – Morgan Carden Shelby County Jr Anglers (496) 0
Day 1: 4 04-15 Total: 4 04-15
22. Landen Mclauchlin – Ty Cooper Mulberry Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 2 04-14 Total: 2 04-14
23. Connor Behling – Evan Teixeira central florida bassmasters 0
Day 1: 1 03-14 Total: 1 03-14
24. Annie Lassiter – Jameson Pursley warren county (451) 0
Day 1: 2 03-11 Total: 2 03-11
25. Carter Pjesky – Jd Mcbroom Off the Hook Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 4 03-09 Total: 4 03-09
26. Bradley Davidson – William Green chapman panthers 0
Day 1: 2 03-09 Total: 2 03-09
27. Talan Leith – Bryson Glover chapman middle 0
Day 1: 2 03-01 Total: 2 03-01
28. Aaden Griffin – Max Stansel Tomlin middle (533) 0
Day 1: 1 02-14 Total: 1 02-14
29. Cody Rojas – Landon Haynes First Academy Leesburg (526) 0
Day 1: 1 02-11 Total: 1 02-11
30. Zack Sliwinski – Michael Petrides Central Florida Junior Bassmaste 0
Day 1: 2 02-05 Total: 2 02-05
31. Tj Wildes – Adam Daniels Nassau Christian bass club junio 0
Day 1: 1 01-15 Total: 1 01-15
32. Aubrey Hicks – Mt Juliet Fishing Jr (192) 0
Day 1: 1 01-14 Total: 1 01-14
33. Lainie Holbert – Sarah Swindle Riverside Jr Bass Team (251) 0
Day 1: 1 01-03 Total: 1 01-03
34. Cole Drawdy – Brentley West Mckeel Fishing team (225) 0
Day 1: 1 01-02 Total: 1 01-02
35. Jayden Black – Wyatt Burton 863 anglers 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
35. Maddox Hatcher – William Strickland Lakeland Christian School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
35. Clayburn Reed – Gavin Gooding Academy at the Farm (499) 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00