After placing seventh at last year’s National Guard FLW College Fishing Western Conference Championship—and expressing concerns over the harsh conditions at this year’s competition site—the Cal State Long Beach team of Justin Gangel and Alex Cox took first place at this year’s WCC.
The three-day Western Conference Championship, held at Utah Lake, ended on Saturday with the announcement that the Cox-Gangel team had beat out 40 other two-person teams with five bass that weighed a combined total of seven pounds, five ounces.
Cox-Gangel’s three-day total included 14 bass weighing 21 pounds, eight ounces, which was enough to win the two a Ranger Z117 bass boat as well as a spot in the National Guard FLW College Fishing National Championship tournament, to be held next April.
“We spent all of our time this week in one spot,” said Gangel, an Environmental Science major, of his team’s strategy. “It’s a tiny creek at the east end of the lake and it goes way back. We were the only boat in there.”
Cox, a Kinesiology major, added that the cooler water temperature in the creek also assisted in the increased bites from the tempermental fish.
This victory is a huge accomplishment for not only the two seniors, but for the CSU Long Beach Club Sports Fishing Team, which has never before won such a prestigious competition. Despite being ranked number 37 in the nation among college teams, the Cox-Gangel team have proven that planning and perserverence can pay off.
“Three years ago, I didn’t even know Long Beach had a bass club,” said Cox. “Now here I am. This is absolutely phenomenal. I can’t begin to explain how cool this is.”