Palaniuk: A look back at 2013

Despite a roller coaster of a season in 2013, Idaho native Brandon Palaniuk kept his ever-smiling face above the water and qualified for the 2014 Classic... He managed to have a little fun, too.

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Brandon Palaniuk holds two big smallmouth bass from his Day Four bag of 23-5 that clinched his victory at the St. Lawrence River and cashed his ticket to the 2014 Classic.
Brandon Palaniuk holds two big smallmouth bass from his Day Four bag of 23-5 that clinched his victory at the St. Lawrence River and cashed his ticket to the 2014 Classic.
Bassmaster Elite Series emcee Dave Mercer and Palaniuk hold up the smallmouth they caught the day after Brandon won the St. Lawrence River Showdown. Palaniuk led the tournament from start to finish.
Bassmaster Elite Series emcee Dave Mercer and Palaniuk hold up the smallmouth they caught the day after Brandon won the St. Lawrence River Showdown. Palaniuk led the tournament from start to finish.
Once Palaniuk's Day Two weight was disqualified at La Crosse and he dropped from first place to out of the Top 50 cut, Palaniuk told his friend and frequent roommate Chris Zaldain about this hot spot, near marker 701.3 on the Mississippi River. Zaldain found the spot still hot on Day Three, as proved by this 4-pound smallmouth. Zaldain knew not to cull here, after Palaniuk's miscue the day before.
Once Palaniuk’s Day Two weight was disqualified at La Crosse and he dropped from first place to out of the Top 50 cut, Palaniuk told his friend and frequent roommate Chris Zaldain about this hot spot, near marker 701.3 on the Mississippi River. Zaldain found the spot still hot on Day Three, as proved by this 4-pound smallmouth. Zaldain knew not to cull here, after Palaniuk’s miscue the day before.
A bad omen? Brandon Palaniuk's boat got T-boned by another boat on Day One at the Sabine River in the first Elite Series tournament of the 2013 season. The other boat, driven by an off-duty local deputy sheriff, came up over the side of Palaniuk's boat, barely missing Palaniuk's Marshal's head, before sliding off and leaving a few scratches along the way.
A bad omen? Brandon Palaniuk’s boat got T-boned by another boat on Day One at the Sabine River in the first Elite Series tournament of the 2013 season. The other boat, driven by an off-duty local deputy sheriff, came up over the side of Palaniuk’s boat, barely missing Palaniuk’s Marshal’s head, before sliding off and leaving a few scratches along the way.
Palaniuk and Kevin LeDoux display their four biggest bass after a day on Lake Arbuckle near LeDoux's hometown of Choctaw, Okla. Palaniuk once again demonstrated his creativity with a GoPro – choosing a black-and-white version for this shot.
Palaniuk and Kevin LeDoux display their four biggest bass after a day on Lake Arbuckle near LeDoux’s hometown of Choctaw, Okla. Palaniuk once again demonstrated his creativity with a GoPro – choosing a black-and-white version for this shot.
Palaniuk clearly has an eye for a good photograph. He and Kevin LeDoux, a friend and fellow pro angler, were fishing down a bank on Lake Arbuckle (also known as Lake of the Arbuckles) near LeDoux's home in Oklahoma, when Palaniuk got an idea for a photo. He walked up the bank at sunset for this shot.
Palaniuk clearly has an eye for a good photograph. He and Kevin LeDoux, a friend and fellow pro angler, were fishing down a bank on Lake Arbuckle (also known as Lake of the Arbuckles) near LeDoux’s home in Oklahoma, when Palaniuk got an idea for a photo. He walked up the bank at sunset for this shot.
Palaniuk spent Christmas Day at his girlfriend's parents' house. While Tiffanie and her mom were cooking Christmas dinner, Palaniuk and Tiffanie's father went to Idaho's Clearwater River to fish for steelhead. Palaniuk caught this 7-pounder on a Luhr Jensen Hot Lips crankbait, rigged
Palaniuk spent Christmas Day at his girlfriend’s parents’ house. While Tiffanie and her mom were cooking Christmas dinner, Palaniuk and Tiffanie’s father went to Idaho’s Clearwater River to fish for steelhead. Palaniuk caught this 7-pounder on a Luhr Jensen Hot Lips crankbait, rigged “sneaky-squirrel style.” Under the threat of death, details of sneaky-squirrel rigging can’t be revealed here, but as you can see it involves tying the front treble hook to a short length of 25-pound test line and removing the rear treble. “We don’t talk about it much,” said Palaniuk of the technique, “but it works.”
The temperature was in single digits in Idaho the first week in December, but Palaniuk and his local fishing partner wanted to go fishing, even if it meant breaking some ice on Haden Lake. They did just that and Palaniuk displays the results.
The temperature was in single digits in Idaho the first week in December, but Palaniuk and his local fishing partner wanted to go fishing, even if it meant breaking some ice on Haden Lake. They did just that and Palaniuk displays the results.
That's Palaniuk's mom, Tonya, walking a dog in the right background. She and Palaniuk were strolling along the Clark Fork River, where the family has a cabin in Idaho, when Palaniuk spotted this naturally formed hole in the ice that covered the rest of the river.
That’s Palaniuk’s mom, Tonya, walking a dog in the right background. She and Palaniuk were strolling along the Clark Fork River, where the family has a cabin in Idaho, when Palaniuk spotted this naturally formed hole in the ice that covered the rest of the river.
This is one of
This is one of “about 20” holes that Palaniuk augered through 6 inches of ice on a recent fishing trip. He calls this method “power ice-fishing,” adding, “I don’t like to sit still very long.” Using a Navionics chip he was able to determine by looking at contour lines where the fish were likely to be.
A couple of years ago Palaniuk took advantage of a going-out-of-business sale at a local outdoors store to get geared up for an occasional ice-fishing trip. He didn't set it up over every hole drilled in the ice that day, but the Eskimo Quickflip III came in handy once the wind started blowing across the frozen lake.
A couple of years ago Palaniuk took advantage of a going-out-of-business sale at a local outdoors store to get geared up for an occasional ice-fishing trip. He didn’t set it up over every hole drilled in the ice that day, but the Eskimo Quickflip III came in handy once the wind started blowing across the frozen lake.
Palaniuk and a friend put up the Eskimo ice-fishing hut near the end of the day, after the wind kicked up and the temperature dived down. With a portable propane heater and an iPad for entertainment between bites, it made for a comfortable day on the ice.
Palaniuk and a friend put up the Eskimo ice-fishing hut near the end of the day, after the wind kicked up and the temperature dived down. With a portable propane heater and an iPad for entertainment between bites, it made for a comfortable day on the ice.
The results of a high-tech day on the ice: five yellow perch and a walleye.
The results of a high-tech day on the ice: five yellow perch and a walleye.
This is one example of why the 2014 Bassmaster Classic qualifiers are so anxious to get to Alabama's Lake Guntersville. Palaniuk caught this 6-pounder last year during a day of pre-practice.
This is one example of why the 2014 Bassmaster Classic qualifiers are so anxious to get to Alabama’s Lake Guntersville. Palaniuk caught this 6-pounder last year during a day of pre-practice.
Palaniuk captured this photo on his GoPro camera as the sun was setting during a pre-practice day at Lake Guntersville. He entitled this picture,
Palaniuk captured this photo on his GoPro camera as the sun was setting during a pre-practice day at Lake Guntersville. He entitled this picture, “Love What You Do.” It would be difficult to dispute the fact that Brandon Palaniuk loves what he does.