On August 1st, two young Mainers, JT Cross and Jake Paradis, won The Bass Federation’s Junior World Championship in South Dakota.

Both Cross and Paradis are eighth graders from Standish, Maine, and have been a fishing duo since 2024.

The pair have been in 10 competitions together and have finished in the top 15 at both the 2025 Bassmaster Junior Nationals in Georgia and the 2024 TBF Junior World Championship in South Carolina.

To secure their win in the Junior World Championship, according to the Portland Press Herald, the middle schoolers caught three smallmouth bass totaling 12.3 pounds, after changing their strategy due to unforeseen weather.

Both Cross and Paradis plan to continue their fishing futures in high school tournaments, and the win of the Bass Federation’s Junior World Championship secured the team $6,000 that can be put towards a college or trade school.