University of Minnesota Golden Gophers national champs"fishing"

[PierBridge]

http://m.startribune.com/?id=249678321

While national championships have been few and far between at the University of Minnesota, students Austin Felixand Chris Burgan quietly brought home a title over the weekend.

The pair won the FLW College National Bass Fishing Championship on Saturday in Seneca,S.C., a first for the school,and a first for a northern school in a competition dominated by Southern anglers. Besides trophies,the pair won $30,000 worth of prizes for their team,including a new boat,motor and trailer.

“I was pretty shocked,’’ said Felix,29,of Eden Prairie. “Usually all the national champions come out of the South,because they get to fish bass year-round.’’

He and Burgan,21,of Rhinelander,Wis.,also won a chance to compete this summer with professional anglers in the 2014 Forest Wood Cup in South Carolina,the world’s most prestigious bass tournament.

“That’s the equivalent of someone on the U of M golf team getting invited to the Masters golf tournament,’’ Felixsaid.

Said Burgan of their win: “This is huge. It’s as big as it gets"

)

For both,fishing has been a lifelong passion. “I’ve had a rod in my hand since I could hold one,’’ Burgan said. Felix,who will graduate this summer in business,has long aspired to be a pro angler, and Burgan,a junior studying communications and psychology,said the win has him thinking about that,too.

That they won was even more amazing considering Felixhas long-term Lyme disease and,after the 19-hour drive to South Carolina,he ended up in a hospital emergency room after having a bad reaction to new medication. It took two days to recover.

The key to their win: On Day 3,while most of the anglers fished shallow waters,Felixand Burgan fished deep,in 25 to 35 feet of water. The team’s three-day catch totaled 37 pounds,8 ounces —3 pounds more than the runners-up.

This is the fifth year of the FLW college national championship. The event will be televised by NBC Sports Network on May 31.

[delmuts]

WOW!! Congrats to them!!

Watch it on TV; Yep it'd usually southern boys that win it!

[BartmanMN]

That is really cool. Thanks for sharing. I know the University of wisconsin kids did well last year if I recall, but did not win. This is impressive.

[Raider4ever]

Ski-U-Bass!!

[MN BassFisher]

I read that earlier today! That's awesome, congrats to the U of M!

[CaptainMusky]

That is impressive! Never thought a team from the Upper Midwest would win, much less field a team or compete. Good for them.

[PierBridge]

That is impressive! Never thought a team from the Upper Midwest would win, much less field a team or compete. Good for them.

Actually I think the Badgers did fairly well last year in the tournament.

Granted they are not the Gophers but good for them nonetheless.

[Northlander]

Congrats guys. Way to bring it home!

[tunrevir]

Very cool indeed!

Tunrevir~