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Brandon Palaniuk of Idaho Circles Back to Win 2010 BASS Federation Nation Championship;
Amateur Anglers from Six States Land Berths
in the 2011 Bassmaster Classic
October 29, 2010 - SHREVEPORT-BOSSIER CITY, La. — Camping for three weeks out of the back of his truck while he prefished the Red River paid off for 22-year-old Brandon Palaniuk of Rathdrum , Idaho , in the BASS Federation Nation Championship presented by Skeeter and Yamaha.
“Bill Golightly (a fellow Western Division competitor) and I came down and prefished together,” said Palaniuk, who won the event with a three-day catch of 14 bass that weighed 29 pounds, 9 ounces.
George Crain of Cropwell , Ala. , was second with 24-10, almost 5 pounds behind the winner. Golightly of Preston, Wyo., finished third with 24-9.
Palaniuk found out in practice that the Red River was fishing tough.
“I figured if I could get 10 pounds a day for three days, I would be right there,” he said. The Panhandle Bass Anglers Club member nearly kept up that pace each day as he cranked a rock jetty with a Lucky Craft Skeet Reese Mini crankbait and flipped the grass in a backwater area with a Texas-rigged Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver.
Palaniuk led on the first day, but slipped to fourth place the second day. But his double-digit weight Friday of 12-0 sent him back up to clinch the championship trophy, a Skeeter-Yamaha boat rig valued at $60,000, an invitation to move up into the Bassmaster Elite Series in 2011 — and what every angler came to the Red River this week to win: a berth in the 2011 Bassmaster Classic.
Palaniuk made two dreams come true by winning the championship and qualifying for the Classic.
“Since the first time I was taken out in a bass boat when I was 8 years old, I have been thinking about making the Classic,” he said. “And since I started fishing the Federation when I was 16, I started dreaming about winning one of these (annual championships).”
The other five Federation Nation Classic qualifiers were Crain in the Southern Division; Dale Hightower of Sand Springs, Okla., in the Central Division; Day 2 leader Brian LaClair of Denton, Del., in the Mid-Atlantic Division; Sean Alvarez of Rutland, Vt., in the Eastern Division; and David Watson of Dugger, Ind., in the Northern Division.
They will compete Feb. 18-20 in a field of 50 on the Louisiana Delta.
“I am speechless. It is absolutely amazing. It is surreal. I am just an average guy and this shows what the Federation Nation can do,” said Vermont ’s Alvarez.
The Junior Bassmaster World Championship, also on Friday but on nearby Cross Lake , resulted in two Eastern Division anglers squeaking out titles by mere ounces. Alexander Wetherell of Middletown , Conn. , won in the 15-18 age group by 2 ounces with a total of four fish tallying 4-5.
Christopher Catucci of Warwick , R.I. , won in the 11-14 age division with two bass weighing 5-12.
The young anglers won scholarship money.
2010 BASS FEDERATION NATION CHAMPIONSHIP - FINAL STANDINGS
2010 FEDERATION NATION CHAMPIONSHIP 10/27-10/29 Red River , Shreveport La.
(BOATER) Standings Day 3
Angler Hometown D No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum , Idaho (ID) W 14 29-09 $60,000.00
2. George Crain Cropwell , Ala. (AL) S 13 24-10 $5,000.00
3. Bill Golightly Preston, Wyo. (WY) W 15 24-09 $2,500.00
4. Dale Hightower Sand Springs, Okla. (OK) C 15 24-02 $1,000.00
5. Brian Maloney Osage Beach, Mo. (MO) C 15 22-09 $1,000.00
6. David Brinkerhoff Kelso, Ore. (OR) W 13 22-02 $500.00
7. Jay Evans Corvallis , Mont. (MT) W 13 21-15 $1,000.00
8. Brian LaClair Denton , Del. (DE) M 12 21-08 $1,000.00
9. Justy Varkevisser Edenvale 1610, South Africa (RSA)S 15 20-14 $500.00
10. Jeff Stetler Leesburg , N.J. (NJ) M 11 19-14 $500.00
11. Jamie Laiche Gonzales , La. (LA) C 15 19-05 $500.00
12. Isauro Tijerina Guadalupe , Mexico (MEX) C 13 18-12 $250.00
13. Randy Ladner Bay St Louis, Miss. (MS) C 12 18-11 $250.00
14. Cavin Young Prince George, Va. (VA) M 11 18-08 $250.00
15. Zachary King Clarksville , Ark. (AR) C 11 18-03 $750.00
16. Sean Alvarez Rutland , Vt. (VT) E 10 17-04 $250.00
17. Donnie Cox Tazewell , Tenn. (TN) S 10 17-00 $250.00
18. David Watson Dugger , Ind. (IN) N 10 16-10 $250.00
19. Rob Digh Denver , N.C. (NC) S 12 16-06 $250.00
20. James Smiley Lake Forest , Calif. (CA) W 8 16-01 $250.00
21. Jerry Frahm Brigham City , Utah (UT) W 7 15-13 $250.00
22. Nathan Ranallo La Crosse , Wisc. (WI) N 11 15-03 $250.00
23. Alessio Telese Signa-Firenz , Italy (ITA) N 10 14-06 $250.00
24. Joey Nania Liberty Lake, Wash. (WA) W 8 14-06 $250.00
25. Travis Tunnell Benton, Kan. (KS) C 6 14-05 $250.00
26. Scott Parker Londonderry , N.H. (NH) E 8 14-01 $250.00
27. David Mock Tallahassee , Fla. (FL) S 5 13-06 $250.00
28. Daniel Gray Butler , Pa. (PA) M 9 13-01 $250.00
29. Brandon Card Caryville , Ky. (KY) S 9 12-13 $250.00
30. Dan Parker Guttenberg , Iowa (IA) N 6 12-05 $250.00
31. Mark Klemp Villa Park, Ill. (IL) N 8 12-02 $250.00
32. Tom Jessop Dalhart , Texas (TX) C 7 11-14 $250.00
33. Jeff Green Gaffney , S.C. (SC) S 6 11-13 $250.00
34. Abe Kalechman Stafford , Conn. (CT) E 6 11-12 $250.00
35. Mike Macdonald Bulawayo , Zimbabwe (ZWE) M 10 11-03 $250.00
36. Bob Lechel Los Alamos , N.M. (NM) W 7 10-09 $250.00
37. Jeremy Franken Watertown , S.D. (SD) N 6 10-08 $250.00
38. George Cooper Buxton , Maine (ME) E 6 10-01 $250.00
39. Dave Rochette Bracebridge , Canada (ONT) E 7 9-09 $250.00
40. Ed Riley Woodbine, Md. (MD) M 6 9-06 $250.00
41. Robert Perkins Crosslake , Minn. (MN) N 6 9-02 $250.00
42. Andy Bravence Globe, Ariz. (AZ) W 5 8-14 $250.00
43. Allen McCaw Ignacio , Colo. (CO) W 6 7-14 $250.00
44. Chris Molineaux Hope Valley , R.I. (RI) E 5 6-06 $250.00
45. Kenny Wasmund South Sioux City , Neb. (NE) C 5 6-02 $250.00
46. Mike Moore Philippi, W.Va. (WV) M 4 5-15 $250.00
47. Tony Beck Social Circle, Ga. (GA) S 5 5-12 $250.00
48. Joe Matt Syracuse , N.Y. (NY) E 4 5-10 $250.00
49. Brian Mailot Columbus , Ohio (OH) N 3 5-03 $250.00
50. Randy Phillips Oxford , Mass. (MA) E 3 4-09 $250.00
51. Ryuji Saho Moriguchi-Shi Osaka , Japan (JPN) W 2 4-08 $250.00
52. Paul Hemsley North Las Vegas , Nev. (NV) W 4 3-05 $250.00
53. Ronald Ryals Live Oak, Fla. (FL) S 2 3-05 $250.00
54. Jason Ross Ashley Falls , Mass. (MA) E 1 1-05 $250.00
55. Gerald Woodard Southfield , Mich. (MI) N 1 0-07 $250.00
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Big Bass
Day
1 Zachary King Clarksville , Ark. (AR) 5-00 $500.00
2 Brian LaClair Denton , Del. (DE) 5-02 $500.00
2 Brian LaClair Denton , Del. (DE) 5-02 $500.00
2 Jay Evans Corvallis , Mont. (MT) 4-11 $500.00
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Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 17 170 272-11
2 10 139 224-15
3 13 143 237-11
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40 452 735-05
DIVISIONAL STANDINGS Day 3
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
WESTERN
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, Idaho (ID) 14 29-09 $60,000.00
2 Bill Golightly Preston, Wyo. (WY) 15 24-09 $2,500.00
3 David Brinkerhoff Kelso, Ore. (OR) 13 22-02 $500.00
4 Jay Evans Corvallis , Mont. (MT) 13 21-15 $1,000.00
5 James Smiley Lake Forest , Calif. (CA) 8 16-01 $250.00
6 Jerry Frahm Brigham City , Utah (UT) 7 15-13 $250.00
7 Joey Nania Liberty Lake, Wash. (WA) 8 14-06 $250.00
8 Bob Lechel Los Alamos , N.M. (NM) 7 10-09 $250.00
9 Andy Bravence Globe, Ariz. (AZ) 5 8-14 $250.00
10 Allen McCaw Ignacio, Colo. (CO) 6 7-14 $250.00
11 Ryuji Saho Moriguchi-Shi Osaka , Japa 2 4-08 $250.00
12 Paul Hemsley North Las Vegas , Nev. (NV 4 3-05 $250.00
CENTRAL
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Dale Hightower Sand Springs , Okla. (OK) 15 24-02 $1,000.00
2 Brian Maloney Osage Beach, Mo. (MO) 15 22-09 $1,000.00
3 Jamie Laiche Gonzales, La. (LA) 15 19-05 $500.00
4 Isauro Tijerina Guadalupe, Mexico (MEX) 13 18-12 $250.00
5 Randy Ladner Bay St Louis, Miss. (MS) 12 18-11 $250.00
6 Zachary King Clarksville , Ark. (AR) 11 18-03 $750.00
7 Travis Tunnell Benton, Kan. (KS) 6 14-05 $250.00
8 Tom Jessop Dalhart, Texas (TX) 7 11-14 $250.00
9 Kenny Wasmund South Sioux City , Neb. (N 5 6-02 $250.00
SOUTHERN
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 George Crain Cropwell, Ala. (AL) 13 24-10 $5,000.00
2 Justy Varkevisser Edenvale 1610, South Afri 15 20-14 $500.00
3 Donnie Cox Tazewell, Tenn. (TN) 10 17-00 $250.00
4 Rob Digh Denver , N.C. (NC) 12 16-06 $250.00
5 David Mock Tallahassee , Fla. (FL) 5 13-06 $250.00
6 Brandon Card Caryville, Ky. (KY) 9 12-13 $250.00
7 Jeff Green Gaffney, S.C. (SC) 6 11-13 $250.00
8 Tony Beck Social Circle, Ga. (GA) 5 5-12 $250.00
9 Ronald Ryals Live Oak, Fla. (FL) 2 3-05 $250.00
MID-ATLANTIC
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Brian LaClair Denton , Del. (DE) 12 21-08 $1,500.00
2 Jeff Stetler Leesburg, N.J. (NJ) 11 19-14 $500.00
3 Cavin Young Prince George , Va. (VA) 11 18-08 $250.00
4 Daniel Gray Butler , Pa. (PA) 9 13-01 $250.00
5 Mike Macdonald Bulawayo , Zimbabwe (ZWE) 10 11-03 $250.00
6 Ed Riley Woodbine, Md. (MD) 6 9-06 $250.00
7 Mike Moore Philippi, W.Va. (WV) 4 5-15 $250.00
NORTHERN
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 David Watson Dugger, Ind. (IN) 10 16-10 $250.00
2 Nathan Ranallo La Crosse , Wisc. (WI) 11 15-03 $250.00
3 Alessio Telese Signa-Firenz, Italy (ITA) 10 14-06 $250.00
4 Dan Parker Guttenberg, Iowa (IA) 6 12-05 $250.00
5 Mark Klemp Villa Park, Ill. (IL) 8 12-02 $250.00
6 Jeremy Franken Watertown , S.D. (SD) 6 10-08 $250.00
7 Robert Perkins Crosslake, Minn. (MN) 6 9-02 $250.00
8 Brian Mailot Columbus , Ohio (OH) 3 5-03 $250.00
9 Gerald Woodard Southfield , Mich. (MI) 1 0-07 $250.00
EASTERN
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Sean Alvarez Rutland , Vt. (VT) 10 17-04 $250.00
2 Scott Parker Londonderry , N.H. (NH) 8 14-01 $250.00
3 Abe Kalechman Stafford, Conn. (CT) 6 11-12 $250.00
4 George Cooper Buxton, Maine (ME) 6 10-01 $250.00
5 Dave Rochette Bracebridge, Canada (ONT) 7 9-09 $250.00
6 Chris Molineaux Hope Valley, R.I. (RI) 5 6-06 $250.00
7 Joe Matt Syracuse , N.Y. (NY) 4 5-10 $250.00
8 Randy Phillips Oxford , Mass. (MA) 3 4-09 $250.00
9 Jason Ross Ashley Falls , Mass. (MA) 1 1-05 $250.00