Day 3 with Palaniuk and Elam

See how Palaniuk and Elam did out on the water for Day 3 of St. Clair!

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Brandon Palaniuk and James Elam started the day in 1st and 2nd place, the also started the morning sharing a fishing spot on the St. Clair River.
Brandon Palaniuk and James Elam started the day in 1st and 2nd place, the also started the morning sharing a fishing spot on the St. Clair River.
Elam was the first to strike…
Elam was the first to strike…
…and it was going to take a while getting this one in the boat.
…and it was going to take a while getting this one in the boat.
The fish would take Elam from the front of the boat…
The fish would take Elam from the front of the boat…
…to the back of the boat…
…to the back of the boat…
…and around the motor.
…and around the motor.
Then finally to his knees.
Then finally to his knees.
But Elam would win the battle in the end…
But Elam would win the battle in the end…
…and scoop his first fish…
…and scoop his first fish…
…into the boat.
…into the boat.
Meanwhile Palaniuk was continuing his drift and looking for his first bite.
Meanwhile Palaniuk was continuing his drift and looking for his first bite.
But it was James Elam that would hook up again.
But it was James Elam that would hook up again.
And he would quickly reach down and mark the waypoint the fish came from.
And he would quickly reach down and mark the waypoint the fish came from.
Palaniuk idles by and takes a look at Elam fighting the fish.
Palaniuk idles by and takes a look at Elam fighting the fish.
And suddenly there were cameras everywhere.
And suddenly there were cameras everywhere.
Even overhead.
Even overhead.
Elam makes an initial swipe to gain control of the fish…
Elam makes an initial swipe to gain control of the fish…
…but this isn’t going well.
…but this isn’t going well.
The fish slides down the gunwale…
The fish slides down the gunwale…
…and back into the water.
…and back into the water.
Let’s try that again.
Let’s try that again.
This is looking much better…
This is looking much better…
…and Elam secures his second fish early on Day 3.
…and Elam secures his second fish early on Day 3.
Good idea to re-tie after all that.
Good idea to re-tie after all that.
Elam and Palaniuk visited often as they drifted along in the current.
Elam and Palaniuk visited often as they drifted along in the current.
Palaniuk fans arrived in the form of Elite Series pro Kevin LeDoux, Chris Brown and Palaniuk’s girlfriend Tiffanie McCall.
Palaniuk fans arrived in the form of Elite Series pro Kevin LeDoux, Chris Brown and Palaniuk’s girlfriend Tiffanie McCall.
Just in time to watch Palaniuk set the hook on his first fish of the day.
Just in time to watch Palaniuk set the hook on his first fish of the day.
This smallmouth proved to be a little tricky, too.
This smallmouth proved to be a little tricky, too.
Palaniuk is reaching about as far as he can…
Palaniuk is reaching about as far as he can…
…for pay dirt.
…for pay dirt.
This is the size fish that has helped Palaniuk build the leading weight.
This is the size fish that has helped Palaniuk build the leading weight.
As he brought the fish into the boat…
As he brought the fish into the boat…
…it wasn’t pretty…
…it wasn’t pretty…
…but it was effective.
…but it was effective.
Good way to start the day.
Good way to start the day.
And it wasn’t long before Palaniuk went to work again.
And it wasn’t long before Palaniuk went to work again.
This was pulling hard enough…
This was pulling hard enough…
…to take him to his knees with a sudden surge.
…to take him to his knees with a sudden surge.
Elam’s not looking…
Elam’s not looking…
…but it wasn’t long before Palaniuk was reaching.
…but it wasn’t long before Palaniuk was reaching.
He’s going to lip this one…
He’s going to lip this one…
…gets a grip…
…gets a grip…
…and snatches the fish out of the water.
…and snatches the fish out of the water.
And that pumped him up.
And that pumped him up.
He marks another waypoint…
He marks another waypoint…
…and was soon hooked up again.
…and was soon hooked up again.
He would take his time with this one…
He would take his time with this one…
…slowly working the fish to the back of the boat.
…slowly working the fish to the back of the boat.
The fish wasn’t quite ready yet and makes another surge.
The fish wasn’t quite ready yet and makes another surge.
The fish moves under the boat…
The fish moves under the boat…
…then comes up and attempts to jump in front of the camera.
…then comes up and attempts to jump in front of the camera.
Palaniuk reaches under the belly of the fish…
Palaniuk reaches under the belly of the fish…
…gets a good grip…
…gets a good grip…
…and begins to pull his best fish of the day…
…and begins to pull his best fish of the day…
…into the boat.
…into the boat.
He gives us a better look at a beautiful smallmouth bass.
He gives us a better look at a beautiful smallmouth bass.
Let’s go after number four.
Let’s go after number four.
This fish wasn’t as heavy as the first three…
This fish wasn’t as heavy as the first three…
…and Palaniuk makes quick work of getting this one in the boat.
…and Palaniuk makes quick work of getting this one in the boat.
He now needs one more for an early limit…
He now needs one more for an early limit…
…but the fish suddenly stopped biting on this spot.
…but the fish suddenly stopped biting on this spot.
It was time for Palaniuk to make his first move of the morning.
It was time for Palaniuk to make his first move of the morning.
And he stopped on a few waypoints in Lake Huron.
And he stopped on a few waypoints in Lake Huron.
He would eventually end up back to his primary location…
He would eventually end up back to his primary location…
…try a drift near the American Bridge…
…try a drift near the American Bridge…
…then fish near a lighthouse at the mouth of the St. Clair River…
…then fish near a lighthouse at the mouth of the St. Clair River…
Palaniuk finally made the decision to bail on the area completely and finishes his day in Lake St. Clair.
Palaniuk finally made the decision to bail on the area completely and finishes his day in Lake St. Clair.