The 2024 Bassmaster Elite Series season was a crazy one for sure. Several times this season, I stopped and thought: Is this what I signed up for?
Now that the season is over, I want to tell a positive story that accurately explains why many of us anglers take on this crazy sport year after year.
Before entering the New York Swing on Lake Champlain and the St. Lawrence River, I checked the overall Elite Series points to see where I stood in the Bassmaster Classic race. I wanted to see who was near me in the points as well.
If I remember correctly, I was somewhere between 25th and 30th in the points. I also noticed that Brandon Palaniuk was also in that same points zone. When I saw his name, I remember thinking: “Well, BP is a lock.” We were headed to his wheelhouse for the last two tournaments. After all, he has won Elite events on both of those fisheries.
After Day 1 at Champlain, I noticed BP was at the bottom of the standings. I was stunned, but it happens. It’s the nature of this business; no one is immune to a bad day. He came back the next day with a good bag, but it’s hard to catch up once you get that far behind at Champlain.
Naturally, I figured he would rebound at St. Lawrence, but he remained snakebit there as well. He tumbled out of the Classic. I’m not sure what happened, but I think some things beyond his control contributed to the finishes. Sometimes, everything that can go wrong does go wrong.
It’s hard to describe the immense weight trying to make a Classic puts on a pro. Making the Classic means everything. It’s the No. 1 goal at the start of the year. It makes or breaks your season. I could not imagine the gut punch that Brandon had to endure at the St. Lawrence River.
I’ll be 100% honest here and admit: If I had been in his shoes in that same situation, I would have been long gone from the St. Lawrence River. I hate to lose far more than I like to win. Immediately after weigh-in on the second day, I would have packed my truck, turned off my phone and made it home to Florida in record time. I would have been polite and cordial, but I would have stewed on that for months.
So, imagine my surprise when I saw BP at the weigh-in on the final afternoon at the St. Lawrence. He could have been gone two days ago with the season in the rearview mirror. But instead, he stayed.
He stayed to personally congratulate the Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year and the Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Rookie of the Year. He stayed to take photos of the Top 10 and their families to share their joy on social media. He stayed to sign autographs, speak with fans and take selfies with them.
He did it all with a genuine smile on his face. Some of those fans had driven a long way to visit him. They didn’t care that he just bombed the Classic. They came to see him for who he is — Brandon Palaniuk, a top professional angler on the Elites Series.
What happens if BP just gets in his truck and goes home like I would have? The fans who came to see him would have been disappointed.
He stayed because he truly loves this sport.
BP’s actions that afternoon hit me like a ton of bricks. At that moment, I realized I needed to do some soul searching in the offseason to reevaluate my priorities and perspectives.
Gerald Swindle once said something on stage I will never forget. I don’t remember the exact quote, but the gist was: If you want to truly know the character of an angler, don’t judge them on the good days when the fish are jumping in the boat. Take a good look at them on their bad days when everything goes wrong, and then you’ll see what they’re truly made of.
I just thought I understood what Gerald was talking about. Apparently, I didn’t. BP made it crystal clear on the final afternoon at the St. Lawrence River.
For me, my reevaluation will start with gratitude. I will be thankful for my job and my family. I will be grateful for the gifts we already have and take for granted — gifts like Brandon Palaniuk, who makes you look at life differently.
You will hear competitors on the Elite Series say, “I fish against the best because they push me to work harder and be a better angler. Some, like BP, will also push you to be a better human being.
As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. — Proverbs 27:17
That’s what I signed up for.
