At nearly every Championship Sunday on which Brandon Palaniuk does not fish, you’ll find him crouching next to the official media section, where he’s busily snapping his own weigh-in photos.
He could be rolling to the next location, or attending to family needs and business commitments, but Palaniuk sticks around to compile content for social media work that benefits B.A.S.S. and the Top 10 field. It’s that love of the sport and a respect for his fellow competitors that, last year, drove Palaniuk to earn his second Bassmaster Angler of the Year title five years after claiming his first.
Capping an evening that recognized the top performers of 2022, the man that Bassmaster Emcee Dave Mercer dubbed The Prodigy, gripped the Night of Champions crowd with a 6-minute, 45-second soliloquy that was light on planning, but heavy on the heartfelt.
“Just like last time, I didn’t write a single word down; I’m going to figure it out as I go, just like we all do on the water,” Palaniuk said. “I thought a lot about this: What do you say the second time? That sounds crazy to me to even say that out loud. I never dreamed, as a kid from Idaho at 8 years old, that I would be up here once, let alone twice.
“I can’t tell the same stories I told the first time, because half of you have already heard that. So what do I talk about? Well, it really came down to talking about us — the people in this room, the people in this industry.”
Mutual benefit
Explaining his weigh-in photography, Palaniuk said he gets as much as he gives.
“The reason I go to those (final weigh-ins) is to support everyone in this room and because you guys inspire me,” he said. “When you see those moments in person, they are a driving force for me to do better. I want that.
“Even if you’ve had that moment, you want that moment even more. That’s what brought me back to this group (after taking a year-long break from the Elite Series in 2019) and that’s what allows me to stand in front of you tonight.”
Funny, Palaniuk didn’t sound like a man who was just winging it. In fact, if he hadn’t admitted to spontaneity, you would’ve assumed he’d spent hours writing and rehearsing a presentation designed to stir the emotions, which it did.
It’s called authenticity. What’s down in the well comes up in the bucket.
Start to finish, Palaniuk’s words exuded sincerity, as he delivered the kind of deeply resonating message that comes from living the life you love.
The common thread
Alluding to his earliest interests in professional fishing, Palaniuk spoke of the Classic’s “dream big” appeal.
“We all fell in love with this sport at some point in time,” he said. “For most of us, what happens this week is what made us fall in love with this sport. We saw a moment in time; a Classic trophy hoisted, a fish catch — there was a moment that happened that brought all of us here.
“To me, that is truly special, because I believe there’s no other sport that’s more diverse than this one. We come from different countries, with anglers from Australia, Japan, Canada and the U.S.”
Also, noting that his 5-9 stature sometimes limits his sight-fishing ability, Palaniuk said his vision of success relies more on the intangibles.
“We don’t have to be born with a certain physical attribute to play this game,” he said. “You have to have the heart to do it, the drive to do it and the support system. Everyone in this room is our support system.”
By the numbers
Starting his 2022 season with a 20th-place finish at the St. Johns River, Palaniuk backed that up a week later by placing 26th at the Harris Chain. His season would include only one bomb — a 66th at Lake Oahe — but he finished no lower than 25th in the rest of the events, including second at Lake Fork, third at Santee-Cooper Lakes and seventh at Pickwick Lake.
Notably, Palaniuk’s Lake Fork performance put him on the Night of Champions stage for the first of two moments of recognition. The latter, of course, was his AOY speech, but the first time Mercer called his name, Palaniuk joined seven other Elites who also received Century Club belts.
The Bassmaster Century Club recognizes anglers for breaking 100 pounds in a four-day event. Along with Palaniuk, who tallied 102-2 at Fork, the 2022 inductees were:
Jay Przekurat — First at the St. Lawrence event with 102 pounds, 9 ounces.
Cory Johnston — Second at the St. Lawrence, 100-5
Drew Cook — First at Santee-Cooper Lakes, 105-5
Kaleb Kuphall — Second at Santee-Cooper Lakes, 103-3
Lee Livesay — First at Lake Fork, 113-11
Gerald Swindle — Third at Lake Fork, 102-2
Shane LeHew — Fourth at Lake Fork, 100-9
Young lives
Thanking his wife, Tiffanie, and all the family members who’ve supported him throughout his career, Palaniuk spoke openly about the highlight of 2022, which far outshined even his AOY achievement.
“What an incredible year; I was blessed with my daughter, Kora, and by the grace of God, she held out a week late and let me fish every single day at Pickwick,” he said. “She was due Monday of practice, she was a week late and, unfortunately, I was seven hours from home when she was born — but I go to see it on FaceTime.
“Just like Bass LIVE, I had Birth Live.”
But Kora wasn’t the only mention of youth that Palaniuk wove into his “unprepared speech” so remarkably well delivered.
“This week, somebody is going to create (one of those moments), and B.A.S.S. is going to use their platform to show that to the world,” he said. “So take advantage of that; no matter which one of us that is, take advantage of that and know that you will be inspiring generations of anglers — Elite Series anglers, Opens anglers, college, high school, B.A.S.S. Nation guys.”
Like family
At 36, Palaniuk has already sunk deep roots in the bass fishing world. Reflections are many, but if one point rang most clear, it was his genuine appreciation for the guys that want to beat him every time.
“I’m honored to be able to stand in front of you guys for a second time, and I thank you guys for inspiring me to continue to do this,” he said. “It’s unbelievable that this is my 13th season. I’m in this awkward zone of being around a long time, so I’m an old guy, but I’m not old.
“So, here I am at my 12th Classic, giving my second Angler of the Year speech, and I couldn’t do it without every one of you guys in this room. It would not be nearly as enjoyable without this group of people.”
