GREENVILLE, S.C. — New Iberian Caleb Sumrall took his final ride Saturday into the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in downtown Greenville, site of the weigh-ins for the 2018 Geico Bassmaster Classic.

The 30-year-old bass angler, who was in 30th place after the first day of competition Friday, pulled a 3-pound bass out of the weigh-in bag once he got on the stage with emcee Dave Mercer. That gave him a total of 15 pounds, 11 ounces, which left him short of making the Top 25 cut for the third and final day today on Championship Sunday.

On Friday, Sumrall had 12 pounds, 11 ounces. Mercer, joking, said the one fish in the bag would have to weigh 24 pounds, 10 ounces, to take the lead Saturday.

The New Iberian smiled and said, “I think it’ll be a little short.”

Sumrall told the packed arena that the “entire experience was a dream come true.”

“That first morning is when it really hit me,” he said, adding he cried from the takeoff all the way to his first spot on Lake Hartwell.

Lake Hartwell is where he qualified the Bassmaster Classic by winning the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship in October.

On stage on his return trip, Sumrall praised B.A.S.S. Nation and its format for sending bass anglers to the Bassmaster Classic.

He also acknowledged the presence of a large contingent of family and friends who made the trip to Greenville, including his wife, Jacie, and their 6-year-old daughter, Clelie, and 5-month-old son, Axel.

Jason Christie is on the verge of winning the Bassmaster Classic, once again.And his good friend — and occasional nemesis — Edwin Evers, has a chance to take it away from him.

 The Oklahoma anglers occupied the first two spots in the standings for the second straight day, and they will lead the remaining 23 anglers into the third and final round with a chance to win the $300,000 first-place prize and the most coveted trophy in professional bass fishing.

 Christie caught 16-6 during Saturday’s second round to push his two-day total to a tournament-best 37-4. Evers had a much tougher day than he did on Friday, landing only 13-0. But he remained in second place with a two-day mark of 32-9.

 “It was the same deal today where you just had to weed through them until you found a good one,” said Christie, who also led the first two days of the 2016 Classic on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees, only to lose the title to Evers on the final day. 

“I had a chance to have a really good day, but I lost some fish. I don’t know if it was the lightning we had this morning or if the water’s clearing up or what, but they’re biting funny.”

 Those funny bites led to some ragged hook sets that cost Christie on several occasions, he said.