If we hadn’t witnessed three Elite Series anglers win from 10th place on the final day of a tournament over the past two seasons, a 10th-to-1st rally on Championship Sunday at Lake Champlain would seem unlikely. But with only 2 pounds, 12 ounces separating the field today, anything can happen.
“I think everybody in the top 10 is going to have a chance to win,” said Brandon Palaniuk, who caught one of the three 20-pound bags weighed Saturday. “The weights are so tight.
“I think someone will catch 21 or 22 pounds because the weather is going to help them bite. I just hope it’s me.”
Palaniuk, for the first time this week, had two largemouth bass in his 20-pound, 5-ounce five-bass limit Saturday. He’s been concentrating on smallmouths with a dropshot. But he picked up a clue late in the day that he may be able to exploit today.
“With the weather change, I’m going to mix it up a little bit more,” he said. “I may even start out that way. I caught a 4-pounder in the last 10 minutes and culled doing it. I’m excited about it.”