Palaniuk moves into second place at Bassmaster Classic

TULSA, Okla. - Brandon Palaniuk of Rathdrum moved into second place, 7 pounds behind the leader, after the seconds day of the Basssmaster Classic.

Cliff Pace of Petal, Miss., broke away from a first-place tie after the first day in the battle for the biggest trophy of pro bass fishing.

With a Saturday catch that weighed 21 pounds, 12 ounces, Pace has racked up 43-4 over two days of competition on Grand Lake O' the Cherokees.

Palaniuk, the former Lakeland High and North Idaho College wrestler, made a change to his game plan on Saturday. The result of his adjustment was 3 pounds more on Saturday than on Friday, but it wasn't nearly enough.

"I caught seven yesterday, seven today," said 25-year-old Palaniuk, whose two-day total of 36-4 jumped him from 11th place into the runner-up spot going into Sunday's final round. "I just happened to get a couple bigger bites today. It was actually my last fish that made the big difference."

It weighed, he estimated, 4 1/2 pounds to 5 pounds. He caught it about an hour before he had to quit for the day.

"All the fish I've been catching are 3- to 5-pounders. I don't catch too many 2-pounders, I don't catch any over 5. They're all solid fish," he said.

Palaniuk declined to be specific about the tweak that helped him out Saturday, saying only that he credited it with a quick catch of three bass early in the day.

The top 25 anglers compete on the final day of the $500,000 event today.