Aiken County students to compete for world bass title

AIKEN COUNTY, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - Two Aiken County middle school students are competing in the Bass Federation Junior World Championship in Oklahoma next week.

Gage and Braxton love fishing together.

“We’re both pretty good, so we make good teammates,” said Gage.

They’re both in middle school. They started fishing competitively about a year ago.

Ever since they’ve won multiple tournaments together.

“It’s really unbelievable that kids start fishing at a young age, and actually fishing competitively in bass tournaments,” said Raymond Bailey, their boat captain.

While Bailey drives the boat, he says Gage and Braxton do all the fishing.

“They worked hard to do it, and to be a part of it is really, really exciting for the kids to learn how to bass fish at this age,” said Bailey.

Gage and Braxton’s hard work led them to a junior state championship in South Carolina.

Because of their success, they qualified to compete in The Bass Federation Junior World Championship in Oklahoma.

“I was excited especially when we get to go to Oklahoma,” Braxton said.

Gage said: “I think it’ll be a good opportunity to go down there, but I just hope to go down there and represent our community good.”

The middle schoolers love fishing. Soon, that love of fishing will take them halfway across the country.

Until then, you can probably find them somewhere on the water here, where it all started.

Their competition will take place July 26-28 on Sooner Lake.

If you want to follow along, visit Gage and Braxton’s Facebook page.

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