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20Qs with Brandon Palaniuk

Brandon Palaniuk is one of the hottest young stars in bass fishing today. But how does he stack up against our 20 Questions?

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Ever since Brandon Palaniuk qualified for the Bassmaster Elite Series and the 2011 Bassmaster Classic through the B.A.S.S. Nation, he's been making news, making waves and making fans. A couple of Elite wins, a runner-up finish in the 2013 Classic and several other dramatic tournament performances have made his star rise very quickly. Here's how the young Idahoan answered our 20 Questions.
Ever since Brandon Palaniuk qualified for the Bassmaster Elite Series and the 2011 Bassmaster Classic through the B.A.S.S. Nation, he’s been making news, making waves and making fans. A couple of Elite wins, a runner-up finish in the 2013 Classic and several other dramatic tournament performances have made his star rise very quickly. Here’s how the young Idahoan answered our 20 Questions.
1. Where were you born and raised? I was born in Pullman, Wash., but I was raised in Hayden, Idaho.
1. Where were you born and raised? I was born in Pullman, Wash., but I was raised in Hayden, Idaho.
2. How did you get started in bass fishing? I had a guy take me out bass fishing for the first time when I was 8 years old. His name was Jeremy Tripp, and he fished locally. He kept taking me out, then eventually I got into tournaments and worked my way up from there. However, living up here, I started out fishing for everything. When he took me, I knew then I wanted to fish for nothing but bass. But I still fish for walleye and other species when it gets cold because you can only fish for bass nine months out of the year. Also, drop shotting for lake trout in 180 feet of water keeps your bass skills sharp.
2. How did you get started in bass fishing? I had a guy take me out bass fishing for the first time when I was 8 years old. His name was Jeremy Tripp, and he fished locally. He kept taking me out, then eventually I got into tournaments and worked my way up from there. However, living up here, I started out fishing for everything. When he took me, I knew then I wanted to fish for nothing but bass. But I still fish for walleye and other species when it gets cold because you can only fish for bass nine months out of the year. Also, drop shotting for lake trout in 180 feet of water keeps your bass skills sharp.
3. Who were some of your earliest fishing heroes? I'd have to say Jeremy Tripp, the guy who took me bass fishing the first time. I didn't have any specific professional fishing heroes growing up. I looked at all of them as heroes. I have a lot of respect for Mike Iaconelli and his passion for the sport and the way he's himself. He brought a different light to the industry through his personality.
3. Who were some of your earliest fishing heroes? I’d have to say Jeremy Tripp, the guy who took me bass fishing the first time. I didn’t have any specific professional fishing heroes growing up. I looked at all of them as heroes. I have a lot of respect for Mike Iaconelli and his passion for the sport and the way he’s himself. He brought a different light to the industry through his personality.
4. What's the biggest bass you've ever caught? I caught a 12-pounder on Lake El Salto in Mexico. My family has a timeshare in Mazatlan, and we try to make at least one trip to El Salto whenever we go down there.
4. What’s the biggest bass you’ve ever caught? I caught a 12-pounder on Lake El Salto in Mexico. My family has a timeshare in Mazatlan, and we try to make at least one trip to El Salto whenever we go down there.
5. What do you love most about bass fishing? I love the fact that you can never completely understand it. It changes all the time. I strive for perfection, but I think perfection in bass fishing is one of the hardest things to attain, if it's even possible.
5. What do you love most about bass fishing? I love the fact that you can never completely understand it. It changes all the time. I strive for perfection, but I think perfection in bass fishing is one of the hardest things to attain, if it’s even possible.
6. Where is your favorite place to fish for bass and why? I'd have to say here at home on Coeur d'Alene Lake. There are so many ways to catch them here .You can go out and throw giant swimbaits or catch the same fish with a drop shot. You see everything in the nine months of the year you can fish for bass. A close second would be the St. Lawrence River.
6. Where is your favorite place to fish for bass and why? I’d have to say here at home on Coeur d’Alene Lake. There are so many ways to catch them here .You can go out and throw giant swimbaits or catch the same fish with a drop shot. You see everything in the nine months of the year you can fish for bass. A close second would be the St. Lawrence River.
7. What are a few of your career goals? A big one for me is that I want to bring new non-endemic sponsors into the industry. I've always been interested in that. I want to make the sport of fishing huge, almost comparable to NASCAR. Fishing has something that no other sport can offer. I want to see Nike and Gatorade and companies like those involved. Besides that, I want to win the Bassmaster Classic and Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year.
7. What are a few of your career goals? A big one for me is that I want to bring new non-endemic sponsors into the industry. I’ve always been interested in that. I want to make the sport of fishing huge, almost comparable to NASCAR. Fishing has something that no other sport can offer. I want to see Nike and Gatorade and companies like those involved. Besides that, I want to win the Bassmaster Classic and Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year.
8. What keeps you motivated to reach those goals? A lot of it comes from my support system, which is made up of my family, friends and sponsors. They push me constantly to make me be the best that I can be. The second reason I want to reach them goes back to the thing about never being able to perfect fishing. I think when you want to do something like that, it keeps you striving toward your goals.
8. What keeps you motivated to reach those goals? A lot of it comes from my support system, which is made up of my family, friends and sponsors. They push me constantly to make me be the best that I can be. The second reason I want to reach them goes back to the thing about never being able to perfect fishing. I think when you want to do something like that, it keeps you striving toward your goals.
9. What is the biggest challenge we face as a sport? Finding ways to present competitive fishing to the fans when they're not easily able to watch what's happening live because we're spread over 100,000 acres rather than in a controlled environment or arena. B.A.S.S. has made great strides here with its online and television coverage, but it would be great to find more ways for people to enjoy the competition live.
9. What is the biggest challenge we face as a sport? Finding ways to present competitive fishing to the fans when they’re not easily able to watch what’s happening live because we’re spread over 100,000 acres rather than in a controlled environment or arena. B.A.S.S. has made great strides here with its online and television coverage, but it would be great to find more ways for people to enjoy the competition live.
10. What is the biggest challenge you've faced in your career? Learning to balance business and personal life. Finding time to be at home and enjoy family and friends can be really tough in this job.
10. What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced in your career? Learning to balance business and personal life. Finding time to be at home and enjoy family and friends can be really tough in this job.
11. If you could do one thing over in your career, what would it be? I would not cull in Minnesota. [A culling violation at the 2013 Elite event on the Mississippi River cost Palaniuk a big lead and likely win.]
11. If you could do one thing over in your career, what would it be? I would not cull in Minnesota. [A culling violation at the 2013 Elite event on the Mississippi River cost Palaniuk a big lead and likely win.]
12. What's the biggest lesson you've learned in your career? That I need to control the controllables. There are certain things in our sport that no one can control, like the weather or what another angler is doing, but if you can work to control what's in your power you'll be a lot better off. For me it's been things like culling violations. Some of them have really cost me.
12. What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned in your career? That I need to control the controllables. There are certain things in our sport that no one can control, like the weather or what another angler is doing, but if you can work to control what’s in your power you’ll be a lot better off. For me it’s been things like culling violations. Some of them have really cost me.
13. What is your greatest strength as a professional angler? That's a tough one for me. I have to say versatility, though. Being from the Northwest, you see almost every condition you can think of and get a chance to use a lot of techniques.
13. What is your greatest strength as a professional angler? That’s a tough one for me. I have to say versatility, though. Being from the Northwest, you see almost every condition you can think of and get a chance to use a lot of techniques.
14. What is your greatest weakness as a professional angler? It would have to be damage control. If you want to win Angler of the Year, you can't always go for the win because you're not always on the winning fish. Sometimes you just have to salvage the tournament and try to make the cut — scrape out a good event rather than keep looking for the winning fish.
14. What is your greatest weakness as a professional angler? It would have to be damage control. If you want to win Angler of the Year, you can’t always go for the win because you’re not always on the winning fish. Sometimes you just have to salvage the tournament and try to make the cut — scrape out a good event rather than keep looking for the winning fish.
15. What question do you get asked most by fans, and how do you answer it? They want to know how you become a professional angler and how you get sponsors. I always tell them to join the B.A.S.S. Nation and try to think of the things that separate them from other anglers out there. Since sponsors get so many requests from fishermen, you need to be different and set yourself apart.
15. What question do you get asked most by fans, and how do you answer it? They want to know how you become a professional angler and how you get sponsors. I always tell them to join the B.A.S.S. Nation and try to think of the things that separate them from other anglers out there. Since sponsors get so many requests from fishermen, you need to be different and set yourself apart.
16. Do you have any fishing superstitions? Not really. I probably have some that I don't even realize anymore, though, but nothing comes to mind. I'm not a real superstitious person to begin with.
16. Do you have any fishing superstitions? Not really. I probably have some that I don’t even realize anymore, though, but nothing comes to mind. I’m not a real superstitious person to begin with.
17. How big a part does luck play in tournament bass fishing? There was a quote that I heard a long time ago that says that luck is where preparation meets opportunity, and I believe a lot in that. I think there is definitely something there. When it's your time, it's your time, and whether it's luck or something else, there's an undefined element at play.
17. How big a part does luck play in tournament bass fishing? There was a quote that I heard a long time ago that says that luck is where preparation meets opportunity, and I believe a lot in that. I think there is definitely something there. When it’s your time, it’s your time, and whether it’s luck or something else, there’s an undefined element at play.
18. When you're not bass fishing, how do you like to spend your time?? When I'm not bass fishing, I fish for other species, like walleye. Other than that, I like big game hunting. Archery hunting for elk is by far my favorite. If I wasn't fishing for a living, I'd try to hunt for a living. I also do a lot of snowboarding.
18. When you’re not bass fishing, how do you like to spend your time?? When I’m not bass fishing, I fish for other species, like walleye. Other than that, I like big game hunting. Archery hunting for elk is by far my favorite. If I wasn’t fishing for a living, I’d try to hunt for a living. I also do a lot of snowboarding.
19. What profession (other than your own) would you like to have tried? I'm not sure what you'd call it, but I'd want to be a hunting personality that maybe has a TV show. I wouldn't want to guide though.
19. What profession (other than your own) would you like to have tried? I’m not sure what you’d call it, but I’d want to be a hunting personality that maybe has a TV show. I wouldn’t want to guide though.
20. When it's all over, how do you want the bass fishing world to remember you? I want to be remembered as an angler who helped grow the sport and brought new things into it and as someone who tried to be consistent. I want to be the best because I'm a competitor, but I really just want to be able to make a living fishing for bass.
20. When it’s all over, how do you want the bass fishing world to remember you? I want to be remembered as an angler who helped grow the sport and brought new things into it and as someone who tried to be consistent. I want to be the best because I’m a competitor, but I really just want to be able to make a living fishing for bass.

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