Courtesy Dynamic Sponsorships / Photos: Bassmaster 

Now that the scales have settled following Palaniuk’s incredible performance on Lake Okeechobee and dozens of stories have been published covering this victory from every which way, there is one underlying theme revolving around the “Prodigy’s” sixth Elite Series win that deserves some extra spotlight… the positivity.

This year, much like the last several years, the world of bass fishing can’t seem to escape drama and would-be negativity. Take a quick scroll through social media comments and you’ll see exactly what I’m talking about. Lake Okeechobee Elite was no different; with DQ’s, technology criticisms, and general negative chatter swirling around the start of the event.

Thankfully, much of that noise seemed to disappear on day two when Palaniuk captured 34-plus-pounds of bass, all broadcasted on Bassmaster LIVE, while fishing one key spot boat-to-boat with several competitors. What was just as impressive as BP’s massive limit was the fact that all the anglers not only got along, they worked together.

Heck, at one point Team Toyota’s newest pro was handing out the obscure crankbait (Megabass BIG-M 4.0) that caught one of the two nine-pounders in his bag to two of his closest competitors, and he was genuinely rooting for them to catch a big bass with it.

The get-along-gang, as Dave Mercer affectionately dubbed them, comprised of Greg DiPalma, Will Davis Jr., Tim Dube, and Brandon Palaniuk walked the line of sportsmanship and competitiveness about as respectfully as possible during their four-day-dance in the canals of Okeechobee.

This isn’t the first time Palaniuk has served as a beacon of positivity in this sport. There is a plethora of examples I could list, but none stand out as much as Palaniuk staying for the final weigh-in of nearly every Elite Series event the past few years to simply support his fellow competitors and be among the first to congratulate them on their victory.  Pure class.

Palaniuk’s plight for positivity is admirable and, hopefully, infectious. We could turn this into a ten-part series on how to be a better fisherman, by first being a better person per Brandon Palaniuk. Perhaps we will, but first we’ll start with something simple that we can all relate to; fishing in a crowd and how to do so respectfully.

Crowd Courtesy

 According to Palaniuk, sharing water is inevitable in this modern age of tournament fishing. With the improvements in mapping and technology, so many anglers find the same fish, even in what used to be considered sneaky locations. This is a common theme across all levels of fishing and is happening more than ever before. With the explosion of popularity for bass tournaments at the youth level, knowing how to handle these situations with grace is imperative.

 “Communication is the number one key to success when sharing water in a tournament,” Palaniuk said. “Communication is key with any relationship in life. When you show up to a spot you want to fish on day one of a multiday event and there are other anglers in the area, talk it out so that everyone is on the same page. Every angler has the same goal; catch fish and make money, so by communicating you ensure each person can do what they need to, and no one gets too worked up.”

The level of communication varies from tournament-to-tournament, or spot-to-spot. Sometimes, like we saw in the canal at Okeechobee, anglers talk about boat placement, casting angles, and even specific baits. Usually, anglers remain tight-lipped about their specifics, but by communicating to start with they establish expectations as a group. Keeping the peace and avoiding heated confrontations that negatively affect all anglers involved.

When Palaniuk burst onto the scene as a B.A.S.S. Nation champion in the 2011 Classic on the Louisiana delta, he was an unknown Idaho pro fishing in a crowd with many household names like KVD, Aaron Martens, and Scott Rook to name a few. The longtime Yamaha Outboards pro ultimately finished fourth in that event, doing so within shouting distance of numerous bass fishing legends.

“That 2011 Classic really laid the groundwork for me in terms of how to share water at this level,” Palaniuk recalled. “We all essentially found the same fish on this massive flat with stumps scattered throughout, but we all established our own little bubbles, or areas we laid claim to. The edges of these bubbles touched, but we wouldn’t encroach the core of each person’s area. There was some chirping, especially on day one, but everyone showed respect.

“Respect is my number two rule behind communication. That sounds simple, but it really is the golden rule. You don’t have to love the fact you’re splitting fish with a competitor, but you should show them and their gameplan respect above all else if they lay claim to a spot on day one.”

The reason Palaniuk mentions “day one” is in reference to an unwritten rule of sharing water at the professional level during a multi-day event. Elite Series anglers know they need to stake their claim to an area during day one of a tournament if they want to be treated with respect by fellow competitors.

Showing up unannounced to a specific spot and moving in on a competitor during day two or three of an event is bad form and will likely result in an ear-full from anglers who fished the area the first day of the event.

It can get contentious, but this tightrope is something professional fishermen walk every single tournament. Through communication, respect, and setting expectations as early as possible you can navigate the challenge of fishing in a crowd appropriately just like Palaniuk has proven to do throughout his career.