Day 4 at Santee Cooper was a mixture of a few “haves” and four times as many “have nots.”
The big bags turned in by champion Luke Palmer and runner-up Menendez, 25-15 and 23-9, respectively, look all that much more impressive given the performance of the rest of the remaining field. The third through eighth place finishers, all of whom had averaged over 17 pounds a day through three days of competition, all failed to land a limit today. They averaged just over two bass for six and a half pounds apiece today.
The largest catch among the 3rd through 8th place finishers came from 2022 Santee champion Drew Cook, with four bass for 11-12, which was odd because as a sight fisherman the wind should have hurt him more than those who were “just fishing.” Still, it was his first day without a limit, and his lowest weight of the week by exactly 6 pounds.
By a few minutes after 10am, Palmer had his weight, an estimated 22-14 that eventually pulled the scales to 25-15, and he seemed to openly relax.
“I feel like he’s going to take out a charcuterie board here in a minute,” said Mark Zona. Not quite the equivalent of having a pizza delivered to the dock, but keeping it classy and relaxed nonetheless.
If you didn’t have time to sit back with a snack today and catch Luke’s force, here’s a summary of the things that stood out to me:
League leader – Palmer didn’t just win the tournament. He wasn’t just the only angler to catch over 20 pounds all four days. He was also the only member of the field to catch a limit all four days.
Declining returns – Why did so many anglers who crushed them on the first, second, and/or third days struggle as the tournament progressed? The weather may have played a role in it, but so too did the nature of the moving fish population. The anglers’ catches may have looked good on paper, but they didn’t have replenishing populations of fish. “I burned the house down each day to get what I got,” said Darold Gleason, who finished 12th and barely missed making it to Sunday, implying that even if he’d made it to Day Four he might’ve had to reinvent the wheel.
BP’s (mostly) highs and (few) lows – In three Elite Series visits to Santee Cooper, Brandon Palaniuk has finished 1st, 3rd and 5th, meaning that he’s fished 12 out of 12 possible competition days. Today was the first one where he didn’t have a limit – he weighed in three fish for 11-1. That wasn’t his lightest Santee weight, however. When he won in 2020, on the third competition day he had five bass for 9-9.
Depreciating assets – Matt Robertson (10th) led for one day at Lake Murray, and two days at Santee, so by the time the Elites get to the Sabine in early June he should have four days of superior performances in him. Last week he fell from first to ninth to twenty-fifth, although he did eventually more than double his first day weight (25-9 on Day One, 28-13 combined on Days Two and Three). This week the fall was less drastic – going from first to first to ninth to tenth, but over the course of the last three days he added a total of 26-3 to his Day One catch of 28-01. Robertson and Jacob Powroznik (9th) both blanked today.
Just OK – Palmer is the first Oklahoma angler other than Jason Christie to win a regular season Elite Series tournament since Edwin Evers won on the St. Lawrence in 2015. In the interim, Christie won on St. Clair, the Sabine and Chickamauga. He also won on Dardanelle in 2014 and at Bull Shoals in 2013.
Famous competitive Palmers — Jim Palmer (also an underwear model), Carson Palmer (Heisman trophy winner), Jesse Palmer (also The Bachelor; not related to Carson Palmer or Byron Velvick), Arnold Palmer (also a beverage). Most of us can palm a baitcasting reel, but fewer of us can palm a basketball.
Old School Mark Menendez I: “The best part of it is that there’s no technology involved. It’s just fishing. I’ve got my Active Target turned off.”
Old School Mark Menendez II: “It was about a 3 hour tour, I promise you,” said Mark Menendez, referring to the rough ride in as well as television’s Gilligan’s Island. It might’ve been a lost reference for the rest of the field. The show’s pilot aired on September 26, 1964, just two days before Menendez was born. It went off the air on April 17, 1967, two years and two days before Steve Kennedy (the next oldest member of today’s top 10) was born. The other eight may have seen it in syndication.
Making it rain – With his 8th place finish this week at Santee, Steve Kennedy passed $2 million in career winnings with BASS. If he’s saved it all, that’s enough to buy 133,333 six-inch Magdrafts, 20,000 nine-inch Bull Shads, or nearly 5,000 custom-painted garage-built gliders, the names of which he refused to disclose. Given the fact that he spent ten grand on swimbaits after his 2007 Clear Lake win, I’m guessing that he hasn’t saved it all.
Check eBay – After Palmer’s win, will there be a clamor for Yum to bring back the Bad Mamma creature bait?
Arbor day – While Palmer didn’t do all of damage from a single tree, he did have one specimen that produced more than any other. It reminded me of Todd Faircloth’s “Magic Tree” when he won at Amistad in 2008. Faircloth had discovered the tree the year before and caught 36-7 from it, eventually finishing 4th. When he won in ‘08 it produced two grown ones, including an 8-6, on the final day to seal the deal. If the Elites come back to Santee Cooper in some future April, or any time of year for that matter, you can bet Palmer will check out this special spot.
Prop me up – One bait that got more love this week than possibly on all other Elite Series broadcasts combined: The Gilmore Jumper.
Mr. Mercer, I presume – It still cracks me up when Mark Menendez refers to Mercer as “David.”
Jacob Powroznik: “Santee was mad.”
Matt Robertson on the rough ride in: “They say men can’t get pregnant but I think I got a little one inside of me kicking.”
Drew Cook, past Santee Cooper champion: “I hope and pray we come back here every year.”
Luke Palmer after hefting the trophy: “It’s kind of heavy. No wonder Taku had a tough time picking it up.”
Dave – er, David – Mercer on Palmer’s dominating performance: “If it wasn’t for Mark Menendez, no one would’ve even sat in the Yeti Hot Seat.”
