It’s been a while since Luke Palmer walked the halls of Coalgate High School, but memories of his varsity basketball years inspire him for his 5th Bassmaster Classic appearance.
Helping his team to the Oklahoma state playoffs during his sophomore year, Palmer said a key principal he learned on the hardwood has served him in competitive fishing.
“I was a shooter in basketball and if you shoot 10 times, you might miss all 10, but that eleventh one could be the game-changer,” he said. “I use that in fishing; if you miss a fish, it’s gone, it’s over with, you can’t change it. Just learn from it the best you can and go on about your day.”
Style of play
Primarily a defensive player during his high school years, Palmer spent much of his effort trying to control opposing forces. While that mindset once dominated his fishing game, changing his approach has yielded better results.
“I used to kinda play a little bit of defense; I would do things that were constant and try to stay consistent,” Palmer said. “Now, I’m back up shooting from the timeline. I want to make a splash and that’s how I’ve been fishing the last two years.”
That strategy shift has borne convincing results with Palmer notching a dozen top-30 finishes since the 2022 season, with five top-10s and a 2023 win at Santee Cooper Lakes.
Classic game plan
Palmer said his Classic’s defensive effort will largely involve what anglers call “crowd control” — working around the clusters of spectator boats that will follow anglers throughout their day. Fans are part of professional fishing, but while anglers and B.A.S.S. appreciate the interest and encouragement, crowded waters can impede mobility, muddy shallow waters and limit time management.
“This is probably going to be one of those old-school tournament where we have a lot of boats following us around, so you’re going to have to shut down and idle a little bit more,” Palmer said.
And for the offense: “You’re gonna have to get after it. I feel like it’s going to be a grinding tournament. It’s not going to be one where you’re going to catch 100 fish a day.
“You’re going to have to get six, seven, eight bites a day and that’s going to be how it’s won.”
Optimistic outlook
So, could we see a Classic version of March Madness on Grand Lake? Palmer thinks so. From Cinderella stories to utter heartbreak, it’s all on the table.
“I think you’re going to see some guys catch big bags, but then turn around and come in with 10 pounds,” Palmer said. “You could see some underdogs come out on top in this one.
“I think it’s going to be a steady tournament. I don’t think someone’s going to just completely blow this out. I could be wrong, but I don’t see that happening. There’s going to be a lot of 17- to 18-pound bags, but someone’s going to bust a 23- to 25-pound bag. “It’s just very hard to duplicate that for multiple days here.”
Palmer calls himself a longtime Duke fan, if for no other reason than the late Coach K’s straightforward style — something he’ll seek to emulate on Grand Lake.
“I think to win this Classic, you’re going to have to lock some things in your hand and be consistent,” Palmer said. “I think the variable here this week will be capitalizing on every fish that bites.”
