BASS FISHING: Palaniuk third heading into final day

CLARENDON COUNTY, S.C. — Second-day leader Brandon Palaniuk of Rathdrum is in third after Saturday's third day of the Bassmaster Elite at Santee Cooper Lakes with total catch of 49 pounds, 7 ounces.

Placing second on Day 1 with 21-1, the former Lakeland High and North Idaho College wrestler added 18-13 and took the Day 2 lead. A leaner Day 3 yielded a limit of 9-9, heading into today's final day.

Fishing the upper end of Lake Marion, Palaniuk targeted a 4- to 6-foot stretch of shell bottom with stumps and caught most of his fish on a 5-inch X-Zone Swammer rigged on a 1/2-ounce VMC swimbait head. He added one keeper that ate an X-Zone Muscle Back Finesse Craw on a 3/0 VMC Heavy Duty Flippin’ Hook with a 1 1/4-ounce weight.

“The fish pull up and down out of that hole and they set up to feed,” Palaniuk said. “I was catching them every cast this morning and then it just shut off.”

Carl Jocumsen, the Day 1 leader, had four keepers for 12-11 on Saturday and moved into first place with a three-day total of 50 pounds, 10 ounces.

The Top 10 remaining anglers will take off from John C. Land III Sport Fishing Facility this morning. The weigh-in will be held back at the facility at 12:20 p.m. PDT, with the winning angler receiving $100,000.

Live coverage of the event will be available starting at 4:30 a.m. on Bassmaster LIVE at Bassmaster.com and ESPN3.