ANGLING — Bass fishing at Lake Coeur d'Alene is getting national attention this week as the North Idaho lake was listed No. 9 in Bassmaster magazine's list of the top 100 bass fishing lakes in the United States.

Only seven Northwest waters made the list determined by a panel of professional anglers and fishing writers.

The Columbia River is ranked No. 20.

Texas’s Falcon Lake, famous also for deadly attacks by Mexican pirates, topped the list.

Other Northwest waters making the top 100 ranks are:

45. Umpqua River, Oregon

65. Noxon Rapids, Montana

85. Dworshak Reservoir, Idaho

91. Lake Sammamish, Washington

95. Fort Peck Reservoir, Montana

“The 100 Best Bass Lakes list was ranked using a variety of qualifiers,” the magazine editors say. “Department of Natural Resource representatives provided the five most productive lakes in each state based on electroshock surveys and angler catch rates. B.A.S.S. Federation Nation presidents offered top lake recommendations based on tournament catches, while conservation directors supplied details on lake accessibility and best fish stocking practices.”

TOURNAMENT FISHING — Brandon Palaniuk, 24, of Rathdrum, Idaho, didn't get skunked today but he also didn't come up with enough fish to make the cut for the third and final day of competition in the 2012 Bassmaster Classic on the Red River near Shreveport-Bossier City, La.

The photo above shows Palaniuk landing his first of three fish totaling 5 pounds 15 ounces at today's weigh in. But that total just moved him up to 48th place among the 49 anglers who competed today. He was the only angler in the competition to get skunked on Day 1. 

After today's weigh in, the field was cut to 25 anglers for the last day of fishing.

Josh Polfer of Nampa, Idaho, a Bassmaster rookie, is the only Westerner to make the cut. In two days of fishing, he's in 19th place.

Continue reading for the latest news on the leaders and the complete catch totals in this “Indy 500” of bass fishing.

TOURNAMENT FISHING — Brandon Palaniuk, 24, of Rathdrum, Idaho, had a horrible start among the 50 select anglers who roared off this morning to start the 2012 Bassmaster Classic on the Red River near Shreveport-Bossier City, La.

The weigh-in has just been completed, and Palaniuk is the only angler in the field who caught no fish.  He's in last place after Day 1.  I don't have a report on what happened.

The 30th Bassmaster, a three-day culmination of months of qualifying tournaments, no longer has the distinction of being the richest prize in bass fishing. The Forrest Wood Cup claimed that distinction wtih a $1 million championship prize to Scott Suggs in 2007.

But the Bassmasster Classic is still considered the big stage. A win here can put a half a million bucks in your pocket and bring sponsors to your door.

This is the second consecutive year Palaniuk has qualified for the “Indy 500” of tournament bass fishing.

Palaniuk caught a lot of attention in last year's main event. The youngest competitor in the 2011 classic and the only angler to qualify from the West, he finished in fourth place, winning $30,000.

This year, four anglers from the West are in contention, including Josh Polfer of Nampa, Idaho, and Californians Jared Lintner and Iah Monroe.

Read on for more details on Palaniuk and the ESPN Bassmaster Classic TV coverage, which is being compiled for broadcast next week.

TOURNAMENT FISHING — Brandon Palaniuk, 24, of Rathdrum, Idaho, has been pre-fishing this weekend, warming up with the 50 anglers competing in the 2012 Bassmaster Classic, Feb. 24-26, on the Red River near Shreveport-Bossier City, LA.

This is the second consecutive year Palaniuk has qualified for the “Super Bowl” of tournament bass fishing.

Palaniuk caught a lot of attention in last year's main event. The youngest competitor in the 2011 classic and the only angler to qualify from the West, He finished in fourth place, winning $30,000. 

This year, four anglers from the West are in contention, including Josh Polfer of Nampa, Idaho, and Californians Jared Lintner and Iah Monroe. 

Read on for more details on Palaniuk and the ESPN Bassmaster Classic TV coverage scheduled for the following week.

FISHING — This post and photo from Northwest fishing icon Buzz Ramsey:

While fishing the Deschutes with guide Bob Toman, ODFW NW Regional Manager Chris Wheaton landed a double, a summer steelhead and smallmouth bass, while casting a single FAT Fish plug in the half ounce size. Although not unheard of, it's rare to catch a steelhead and smallmouth bass on the same lure and cast. Bob and client were fishing about 3 miles upstream from the mouth of where the Deschutes River enters the Columbia.

PRO FISHING — The Florida-based fishing tournament group founded 40 years ago as the Bass Angler Sportsman Society became known simply as as BASS purchased and reconfigured by ESPN in 2001. Last week, BASS was acquired by three businessmen who vow to make it “a friendly organization.”

For now, the first thing youll notice is that BASS has been renamed B.A.S.S.

That’s it, so far. Period.