Rathdrum man also competing in Bassmaster Classic on Thursday
![Professional fisherman Brandon Palaniuk of Rathrdum, Idaho, won the 2017 Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year points race with the help of these bass caught in a tourney at Mille Lacs Lake out of Onamia, Minn., on Sept. 16, 2017. (Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.) (COURTESY PHOTO)](https://thumb.spokesman.com/uO6q6eDqVn9RLDznlEJuDvMVKgE=/600x0/media.spokesman.com/graphics/2018/07/sr-loader.png)
Another area angler is competing in the Bassmaster Classic starting today.
Brandon Palaniuk of Rathdrum is one of the 55 anglers competing in the Bassmaster Classic on Lake Hartwell in South Carolina. He is joined by Joey Nania, of Liberty Lake as well.
Starting Thursday, 55 of the best anglers will compete for three days. Anglers fish from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. The fish they catch – which are all kept alive and released back into the lake – are weighed. It’s not uncommon for 10,000 people to attend the weigh-ins. After the first two days the 25 anglers who’ve caught the most bass by weight will move into the third, and final, day of competition.
Palaniuk qualified for the Classic by via the 2021 Bassmaster Elite Series and winning the 2021 Basspro.com Bassmaster Open at James River.
Palaniuk previously qualified for the 2011 Bassmaster Classic and finished fourth overall. He’s won $1,663,591 in 132 tournaments, according to Bassmaster.
To watch the Bassmaster Classic live at Lake Hartwell (March 4-6) visit bassmaster.com or tune into Fox Sports 1.