If you’ve familiarized yourself with the catch-and-immediately-release format of this Toyota Texas Bass Fest, you know that each angler is allowed to bring only one bass to the weigh-in, and it must be at least 21 inches long.
Brandon Palaniuk has had an interesting experience with that rule this morning. Palaniuk currently has 21 pounds, 6 ounces on the day, which has him within a pound of leader Brent Ehrler. Palaniuk’s big bass so far weighed 5 pounds, 11 ounces, but measured only 20 inches long, so it went right back in the lake after being recorded on his scorecard.
Palaniuk, however, does have a bass in his livewell – a 5-pound, 5-ounce obviously post-spawn largemouth that measured 22 1/2 inches long. It’s an example of the weight fluctuations a bass endures while focused on reproduction rather than feeding.
Thanks to photographer Seigo Seito for relaying the information from Palaniuk.