MUSKOGEE, Okla. — Caleb Sumrall of New Iberia, fishing his first B.A.S.S. tournament since the Bassmaster Classic in South Carolina, finished a strong 20th in the 145-angler field at the Bassmaster Central Open on the Arkansas River.

Sumrall weighed a five-bass limit both days of the three-day tournament, which began Thursday and ended with Championship Saturday. 

The 30-year-old New Iberian’s first-day limit weighed 12 pounds, 13 ounces. He came back Friday with another limit, one that weighed 12 pounds, 7 ounces.

However, his two-day total of 25 pounds, 4 ounces, wasn’t enough to crack the Top 12 and qualify for the third and final round of competition on Saturday. It took a little more than 26 1/2 pounds to make the cut.

Sumrall, who qualified for the Bassmaster Classic, the Bassmaster Central Open and the Bassmaster Elite Series by winning the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship in October 2017, made the cut in the first Central Open on March 1-3 at Ross Barnett Reservoir in Mississippi. He finished 10th and won $3,500.

Sumrall will have an extended stay in Oklahoma. His next tournament will be his second-ever Bassmaster Elite tournament when he fishes the Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees out of Grove, Oklahoma, on April 26-29. 

The Bassmaster Elite tournament that was scheduled to be held April 6-9 on the Sabine River out of Orange, Texas, was postponed by flood conditions and rescheduled to be held June 7-10.

Among the Elite bass anglers he will have to contend with is Edwin Evers, who won the last tournament at Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees in 2016. Evers’ three-day total was 60 pounds, 7 ounces.