EVERY ELITE SERIES pro has a painful tale of a near-win, a total bomb or something in between where a key decision shifted outcomes one way or another. Within these tales we find a rich harvest of techniques, tactics and timing that can help every angler sharpen their game.
BAD ROTATION
Brandon Palaniuk
Event: 2022 AFTCO Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns RiverScenario: In what turned out to be a frustratingly unsettled season-opener, the St. Johns’ damp, chilly weather conditions gave way to postfrontal conditions for the first two days. Fortunately, the cold front was not severe enough to completely stymie the seasonal spawning progression. Nevertheless, as the week warmed up, Palaniuk said he saw fish alternating between prespawn and spawning positions.
Palaniuk committed to Salt Springs Run, a tributary on the northwest side of Lake George. In practice, he located several areas with bigger-than-average prespawn fish that were relating to areas off the bank.
“I ended up starting in an area where I’d had the most big bites and I felt like I was going to have the best shot at possibly winning that event,” Palaniuk said. “I thought I was around that quality of fish.”
Unbeknownst to Palaniuk, second-place finisher Bob Downey would fish the same areas ahead of him.
“I didn’t know it, but I was pretty much one step behind him the entire first day,” Palaniuk said. “Somehow, I never saw him.
