![](https://www.bassmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/053-_AC20657-Brandon-Palaniuk.jpg)
Brandon Palaniuk has averaged a little more than 28- pounds per day the last 3 days. He likely believed at takeoff today that he needed more than this 28- pound average to chase down Lee Livesay.
Right now he’s sitting at 17-11 for the final day and in reality, he needs less than 25-pounds to get there, provided Livesay doesn’t cull again. But he doesn’t know that, since the anglers aren’t allowed to see the leaderboard like we can.
With three fish under 3-pounds in his bag, just a couple good bites could put Palaniuk in the lead over Livesay.
But Livesay has the hot hand right now, and is doing all he can to slam the door with three big culls in the last hour.
The wheels are surely turning for Palaniuk, and he’s doing what he needs to do to have a chance. He’s fishing for those 5- to 6- pound bites that we’ve seen him catch the last 3 days. But he has less than an hour to put them in the boat if he is to beat Livesay. Time will tell.