DECATUR, Ala. — Here's the best of the lines overheard at the Day Three weigh-in of the Elite Series Dixie Duel:
“Usually in practice you know you can’t win, that’s when you go into survival mode.”
– Bill Lowen
“Everybody come out tomorrow and lets crown a champion.”
– Timmy Horton
“I was on a big school of fish and they just ran out.”
– Dennis Tietje
“I’ve been doing this for 25 years, and every year is as exciting as the next.”
– Peter Thliveros
“I had a great year, but it wasn’t up to my standards.”
– Matt Herren
“You can’t win it if you’re not there, it’s a nightmare to miss the Classic.”
– Jeff Kriet
“If I’m here tomorrow I’ll have an opportunity, and that’s all you can ask for.”
– Skeet Reese before being disqualifed after turning himself in for a sixth fish in his livewell
“My butt is dragging my tracks out. I’m so tired I fished with two jigs that had rusty hooks, because I didn’t want to dig new ones out of the tackle box.”
– Gerald Swindle
“My first season out here was everything I dreamed it would be.”
– Nate Wellman