moderate actions as much and how they affected the landing ratio. Allowing those fish to eat the bait are the true benefits of a glass composite rod, such as the Ike Delay Series.”
Switching gears to the reel he added, “The REVO Winch makes your life a lot easier, because the reel is doing the work and when you are fishing deep divers all day, the reel makes those hard to pull plugs a lot easier. Since there isn’t as much stress on the reel, you can tell what the bait is doing a lot better because the rod and reel work together to improve sensation.”
For crankbaits, depth and color are key features. Storm’s Arashi Deep is a great choice for deep- cranking in the West.
“More lakes are clear and clean compared to the rest of the country, so having a bait like the Arashi Deep in a transparent color go a long way,” said Palaniuk. “A lot of my baits are Baby Bass, Wakasagi and Bluegill. I throw Wakasagi, because it doesn’t look like anything in particular – it looks a lot like everything. For lakes that have kokanee, Pro Blue is a great imitation.”
ELECTRONICS
Palaniuk utilizes his electronics to be more efficient with his deep-divers.
“Your electronics become your eyes and for me, side imaging is a huge advantage,” he explained. “Deep-cranking out west, you’re not looking for fish; you’re waypointing structure, so seat time and getting to know the lake is the most important. I would recommend looking for wood, or a wood pile that has washed up against a grass line. Also, keep an eye out for a grass line that makes a turn that also has hard spots.”
Humminbird 360 has allowed anglers to not only fish waypoints, but offers a constant, up-to-the- second picture beneath the bow.
“This allows me to pinpoint a grass line and maintain a perfect direction at all times,” said Palaniuk. “If I want to be lined up, I can make accurate casts on a rock pile, or keep my boat positioned on the grass line for the most accurate casts. Waypoints are good, but GPS is only accurate within 2- to 3-ft. If I can roll up to the waypoint, see the rock pile in a real-time situation and hit the brush pile on my first cast, it’s more efficient, especially in a tournament.”
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