Elite

Early action with Palaniuk, Cook

Go on the water with Brandon Palaniuk and Drew Cook as they get started on the second day of the 2022 Simms Bassmaster Elite at Lake Fork!

Posted on
Photography by
Shaye Baker
We set out with Brandon Palaniuk on Day 2 of the Simms Bassmaster Elite on Lake Fork. Palaniuk starts the day in 8th place for the tournament but now leading in Angler of the Year.
Palaniuk fires a crankbait out…
… and hooks up right away.
A solid chunk to start the day
Palaniuk hooks up again on his next cast
Another solid fish enters the boat
Three casts in a row now for Palaniuk
Drew Cook shows up on the scene
Palaniuk doesn’t seem surprised. Looks like these two are sharing this spot and Palaniuk just got the earlier boat draw
Palaniuk loses one as Cook closes in
Palaniuk tells Cook about it
Cook prepares to start casting on the juice
Palaniuk is locked in
Both anglers eye their graphs
Palaniuk lines up his cast as Cook fires away
Now Palaniuk fires another shot
Again and again the anglers trade blows casting
Palaniuk hooks up. He’s definitely got the better line on the right cast. Some of these spots are super specific, and it takes just the right cast to get bit
Another chunk for Palaniuk as Cook looks on
Both anglers grind away
Cook hooks up
Palaniuk looks on to see if it’s a big one
Just a decent keeper
So Palaniuk gets back to work
Both anglers are having fun this morning, but Palaniuk a little more than Cook
Cook loads up
He tries to keep this one quiet, so he can sneak it in without Palaniuk knowing
But the fish doesn’t cooperate
Palaniuk hears the crankbait rattle and turns to see what Cook has
A nice fish for Cook
Palaniuk hooks up again
Now it’s Cook’s turn
Cook stretches his arm between casts. Cranking these big plugs takes a toll
Back to work
Palaniuk hooks up again
This looks big as it boils behind the boat
Palaniuk shows this one off to the GoPro
A real good one
Shallow water phenom and AOY leader as of two days ago, John Cox passes by in the background
Cox makes his living up shallow and is one of the few anglers able to do that year round
Palaniuk hooks up again
Another big one

Related