October 27, 2010 - SHREVEPORT-BOSSER CITY, La. – With limits hard to come by at the 2010 BASS Federation Nation Championship presented by Yamaha and Skeeter Boats, Brandon Palaniuk of Rathdrum, Id., was one of the few competitors in the 55-angler field to dredge up a five-fish limit on Louisiana's Red River.
Palaniuk boxed a limit that weighed 12 pounds, 1 ounce and by virtue of leading the tournament, he also was on top of the Western Division. Anglers are split into six different divisions – based on geography – and at the end of the three-day event, the leader in each division will receive a coveted 2011 Bassmaster Classic berth.
Palaniuk, a 22-year-old Panhandle Bass Anglers member, had to share water on Wednesday but is on just enough of a different pattern that he says he is catching fish behind other anglers. He was able to boat one of only 17 limits scored on the day. He declined to share specifics of his pattern.
"I ' m not catching a whole lot of fish, and I ' m sharing an area with a few other guys," he said. "I just put my head and my trolling motor down and covered a lot of water. Today was a good day, but I can ' t look too far ahead."
Only 10 ounces behind Palaniuk was George Crain of Cropwell , Ala. , with 11-7. Crain also led the Southern Division while Zachary King of Clarksville , Ark. , was third in the event – first in the Central Division -- with 11-1. In fourth was Mid-Atlantic Division leader Jeff Stetler of Leesburg , N.J. , with 10-5 and in fifth was David Mock of Tallahassee , Fla. , with 10-3. Mock was behind Crain in the Southern Division standings.
The divisional leaders included Palaniuk (Western), Crain (Southern), King (Central), Stetler (Mid-Atlantic), Alessio Telese of Italy (Northern) and George Cooper of Buxton , Me. (Eastern). The full standings can be found below.
Local favorite Jamie Laiche of Gonzales , La. , struggled Wednesday, managing 6-11. Laiche believes the cooler weather that is forecasted Thursday could pick his bite up.
BASS FEDERATION NATION CHAMPIONSHIP- DAY 1 STANDINGS
2010 FEDERATION NATION CHAMPIONSHIP 10/27-10/29 Red River , Shreveport La.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1
Angler Hometown D No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum , Idaho (ID) W 5 12-01
2. George Crain Cropwell , Ala. (AL) S 5 11-07
3. Zachary King Clarksville , Ark. (AR) C 5 11-01 $500.00
4. Jeff Stetler Leesburg , N.J. (NJ) M 5 10-05
5. David Mock Tallahassee , Fla. (FL) S 4 10-03
6. Dale Hightower Sand Springs, Okla. (OK) C 5 9-06
7. Isauro Tijerina Guadalupe , Mexico (MEX) C 5 9-04
8. Brian Maloney Osage Beach, Mo. (MO) C 5 8-12
9. Brian LaClair Denton , Del. (DE) M 5 8-11
10. Travis Tunnell Benton, Kan. (KS) C 4 8-07
11. Jerry Frahm Brigham City , Utah (UT) W 4 8-05
12. Joey Nania Liberty Lake, Wash. (WA) W 5 8-03
13. Donnie Cox Tazewell , Tenn. (TN) S 4 7-15
14. David Brinkerhoff Kelso, Ore. (OR) W 5 7-04
15. Randy Ladner Bay St Louis, Miss. (MS) C 4 7-00
16. Alessio Telese Signa-Firenz , Italy (ITA) N 4 6-15
17. Jay Evans Corvallis , Mont. (MT) W 5 6-11
18. Jamie Laiche Gonzales , La. (LA) C 5 6-10
19. Bill Golightly Preston, Wyo. (WY) W 5 6-03
20. Tom Jessop Dalhart , Texas (TX) C 4 6-02
21. Cavin Young Prince George, Va. (VA) M 5 6-01
22. Mike Macdonald Bulawayo , Zimbabwe (ZWE) M 5 6-01
23. George Cooper Buxton , Maine (ME) E 4 6-01
23. Nathan Ranallo La Crosse , Wisc. (WI) N 4 6-01
25. Justy Varkevisser Edenvale 1610, South Africa (RSA)S 5 5-15
26. Sean Alvarez Rutland , Vt. (VT) E 4 5-10
27. Brandon Card Caryville , Ky. (KY) S 4 4-15
28. Dave Rochette Bracebridge , Canada (ONT) E 3 4-12
29. Rob Digh Denver , N.C. (NC) S 5 4-11
30. Allen McCaw Ignacio , Colo. (CO) W 3 4-03
31. David Watson Dugger , Ind. (IN) N 2 4-02
32. Mark Klemp Villa Park, Ill. (IL) N 3 4-00
33. Andy Bravence Globe, Ariz. (AZ) W 2 3-14
34. Scott Parker Londonderry , N.H. (NH) E 2 3-09
35. Ed Riley Woodbine, Md. (MD) M 3 3-04
36. Kenny Wasmund South Sioux City , Neb. (NE) C 2 3-03
37. Daniel Gray Butler , Pa. (PA) M 3 3-00
38. Abe Kalechman Stafford , Conn. (CT) E 2 2-09
39. Jeremy Franken Watertown , S.D. (SD) N 2 2-08
40. Jeff Green Gaffney , S.C. (SC) S 1 2-07
41. Robert Perkins Crosslake , Minn. (MN) N 2 2-06
41. Randy Phillips Oxford , Mass. (MA) E 2 2-06
43. Ronald Ryals Live Oak, Fla. (FL) S 1 1-15
44. Tony Beck Social Circle, Ga. (GA) S 2 1-14
45. Joe Matt Syracuse , N.Y. (NY) E 1 1-11
46. Bob Lechel Los Alamos , N.M. (NM) W 1 1-10
47. Dan Parker Guttenberg , Iowa (IA) N 1 1-08
48. Brian Mailot Columbus , Ohio (OH) N 1 1-00
49. Gerald Woodard Southfield , Mich. (MI) N 1 0-07
50. Paul Hemsley North Las Vegas , Nev. (NV) W 1 0-03
51. Chris Molineaux Hope Valley , R.I. (RI) E 0 0-00
51. Mike Moore Philippi, W.Va. (WV) M 0 0-00
51. Jason Ross Ashley Falls , Mass. (MA) E 0 0-00
51. Ryuji Saho Moriguchi-Shi Osaka , Japan (JPN) W 0 0-00
51. James Smiley Lake Forest , Calif. (CA) W 0 0-00
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Big Bass
Day
1 Zachary King Clarksville , Ark. (AR) 5-00 $500.00
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Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 17 170 272-11
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17 170 272-11
DIVISIONAL STANDINGS Day 1
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CENTRAL
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Zachary King Clarksville , Ark. (AR) 5 11-01 $500.00
2 Dale Hightower Sand Springs , Okla. (OK) 5 9-06
3 Isauro Tijerina Guadalupe, Mexico (MEX) 5 9-04
4 Brian Maloney Osage Beach, Mo. (MO) 5 8-12
5 Travis Tunnell Benton, Kan. (KS) 4 8-07
6 Randy Ladner Bay St Louis, Miss. (MS) 4 7-00
7 Jamie Laiche Gonzales, La. (LA) 5 6-10
8 Tom Jessop Dalhart, Texas (TX) 4 6-02
9 Kenny Wasmund South Sioux City , Neb. (N 2 3-03
WESTERN
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, Idaho (ID) 5 12-01
2 Jerry Frahm Brigham City , Utah (UT) 4 8-05
3 Joey Nania Liberty Lake, Wash. (WA) 5 8-03
4 David Brinkerhoff Kelso, Ore. (OR) 5 7-04
5 Jay Evans Corvallis , Mont. (MT) 5 6-11
6 Bill Golightly Preston, Wyo. (WY) 5 6-03
7 Allen McCaw Ignacio, Colo. (CO) 3 4-03
8 Andy Bravence Globe, Ariz. (AZ) 2 3-14
9 Bob Lechel Los Alamos , N.M. (NM) 1 1-10
10 Paul Hemsley North Las Vegas , Nev. (NV 1 0-03
11 Ryuji Saho Moriguchi-Shi Osaka , Japa 0 0-00
11 James Smiley Lake Forest , Calif. (CA) 0 0-00
SOUTHERN
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 George Crain Cropwell, Ala. (AL) 5 11-07
2 David Mock Tallahassee , Fla. (FL) 4 10-03
3 Donnie Cox Tazewell, Tenn. (TN) 4 7-15
4 Justy Varkevisser Edenvale 1610, South Afri 5 5-15
5 Brandon Card Caryville, Ky. (KY) 4 4-15
6 Rob Digh Denver , N.C. (NC) 5 4-11
7 Jeff Green Gaffney, S.C. (SC) 1 2-07
8 Ronald Ryals Live Oak, Fla. (FL) 1 1-15
9 Tony Beck Social Circle, Ga. (GA) 2 1-14
MID-ATLANTIC
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Jeff Stetler Leesburg, N.J. (NJ) 5 10-05
2 Brian LaClair Denton , Del. (DE) 5 8-11
3 Cavin Young Prince George , Va. (VA) 5 6-01
4 Mike Macdonald Bulawayo , Zimbabwe (ZWE) 5 6-01
5 Ed Riley Woodbine, Md. (MD) 3 3-04
6 Daniel Gray Butler , Pa. (PA) 3 3-00
7 Mike Moore Philippi, W.Va. (WV) 0 0-00
NORTHERN
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Alessio Telese Signa-Firenz, Italy (ITA) 4 6-15
2 Nathan Ranallo La Crosse , Wisc. (WI) 4 6-01
3 David Watson Dugger, Ind. (IN) 2 4-02
4 Mark Klemp Villa Park, Ill. (IL) 3 4-00
5 Jeremy Franken Watertown , S.D. (SD) 2 2-08
6 Robert Perkins Crosslake, Minn. (MN) 2 2-06
7 Dan Parker Guttenberg, Iowa (IA) 1 1-08
8 Brian Mailot Columbus , Ohio (OH) 1 1-00
9 Gerald Woodard Southfield , Mich. (MI) 1 0-07
EASTERN
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 George Cooper Buxton, Maine (ME) 4 6-01
2 Sean Alvarez Rutland , Vt. (VT) 4 5-10
3 Dave Rochette Bracebridge, Canada (ONT) 3 4-12
4 Scott Parker Londonderry , N.H. (NH) 2 3-09
5 Abe Kalechman Stafford, Conn. (CT) 2 2-09
6 Randy Phillips Oxford , Mass. (MA) 2 2-06
7 Joe Matt Syracuse , N.Y. (NY) 1 1-11
8 Chris Molineaux Hope Valley, R.I. (RI) 0 0-00
8 Jason Ross Ashley Falls , Mass. (MA) 0 0-00