Palaniuk experiences heartbreaker

While leader Brent Ehrler was catching a 5-pounder on Bassmaster LIVE, runnerup Brandon Palaniuk experienced the flip-side of tournament bass fishing – losing at least a 7-pounder, maybe bigger, right at the boat.
Palaniuk is out of the cellular service area, but photographer Seigo Seito witnessed it, reporting that Palaniuk collapsed onto the boat deck and stayed there for a minute after the fish came unhooked as Palaniuk was reaching for it. 
“It was a truck,” Palaniuk said of the bass. “Maybe the biggest fish of the tournament.”

Seito didn’t think it was bigger than Ehrler’s 9-1, the big bass here so far, but acknowledged Palaniuk had a better view of it than he did. Palaniuk does have a 5-5 on his scorecard and three small keepers at this point – 9 or 10 pounds total.