In visiting with Brandon Palaniuk yesterday, he made an interesting observation about his situation last year, when he had to hold off Jason Christie at the AOY Championship at Lake Mille Lacs, versus Justin Lucas’ scenario this year, when Lucas had Josh Bertrand nipping at his heels.
“Honestly, if we’d been here last year, I’d have been a lot more nervous,” Palaniuk said. “We couldn’t have been at a better place last year as far as a confidence standpoint for me.”
A large smallmouth bass fishery like Mille Lacs’ 100,000 acres was right in Palaniuk’s wheelhouse.
“There were a lot more variables this year because of the type of fishery this is,” said Palaniuk, referring to Lake Chatuge’s small size combined with the roaming nature of the spotted bass in this blueback herring lake.
Palaniuk experienced the pressure of trying to close out an AOY title. He tipped his cap to Lucas for this year doing it under even more difficult conditions.