Palaniuk leads after second day of Bassmaster Elite event

From B.A.S.S. news services

CLARENDON COUNTY, S.C. — Brandon Palaniuk’s Santee Cooper Lakes hot streak continued on Day 2 of the 2026 Yokohama Tire Bassmaster Elite at Santee Cooper Lakes on Friday. 

The Rathdrum native and former Lakeland High and North Idaho College wrestler landed 29 pounds, 15 ounces to take the lead with a two-day total of 59-0. 

“The Prodigy” anchored his limit with an 8-6 postspawn largemouth, a bass that helped him build a 4-5 advantage over Canadian pro Chris Johnston. The gap from Johnston to third-place Carl Jocumsen is 5-15. 

“I was nervous after practice, to be honest, that I was gonna blow the good reputation I have here,” Palaniuk said. “Today was unreal. I didn’t see it coming yesterday and I didn’t see it coming today.”

Palaniuk has yet to miss a Championship Sunday cut, let alone a Day 3 cut, at Santee Cooper Lakes in three attempts. He’s 4 for 4 now with Semifinal Saturdays and in prime position again to make the final day. 

So far this week, Palaniuk has called one broad area of Lake Marion home, targeting postspawn largemouth around particular pieces of cover. One bait has generated most of his bites so far. While the one area has stayed the same, the eight-time Bassmaster champion said the same pieces of cover have produced bites two days in a row. 

Overall, he received more bites on Friday than Thursday, but most were 2-pounders, which don’t count for much on this body of water.

“I’m not catching them off the same places. On a place I haven’t gotten a bite all week, I caught the majority of my bag there today,” he said. “An 8-pounder, a 6-pounder and a 4-pounder. Then places I did get bites before I didn’t get bites today. That’s nerve-wracking but also appealing because any stop I make could be the difference.”

On Day 1, Palaniuk steadily worked his way to his 29-1 limit. On Day 2, he fished through several spots before catching his first bass, a 4-pounder. He followed that up with 6-pounder and then a 4-pounder.

“That settled me down a lot,” he said.

He rounded out his initial limit with 2-pounders before landing the 8-6, a bass that surely would have weighed close to 10 pounds had it not been postspawn. Later, he added a 6-pounder to cap off the day.

“I was like, now I don’t know what to do,” he said. “I kind of burned through some other areas and caught some later in the day on different stuff. So, I think I can go run new water if I have to, and there is still some stuff I haven’t fished yet I had big bites on in practice.

“But if they are going to keep biting in the same area, I’m going to keep putting it to them.”

The one potential hiccup Palaniuk foresees is an increase in fishing pressure in his area from a local tournament, an area where several other competitors have landed quality bags. 

The top 50 after Day 2 compete today. The top 10 pros will advance to Championship Sunday to compete for a blue trophy and $100,000. 

Bassmaster LIVE will begin coverage at 5 a.m. PDT on FS1 before moving to FOX at 9 a.m. PDT. Bassmaster.com will carry the live weigh-in at noon.