What happened to Cal Tatum?

[CalT]

What ever happened to Cal Tatum?

By Cal Tatum

I haven’t given up bass fishing, but after many years of being involved up to my ears in the sport, I relocated to the great state of Wyoming and soon found myself out of the industry.

Don’t get me wrong, there are bass in Wyoming, mostly smallmouth found in Flaming Gorge, a lake we are kind enough to share with Utah. Just south of the town of Evanston, where I live, there is a small lake that all the trout anglers enjoy, but of late they have let out a collective grumble when it was discovered that someone has illegally planted smallmouth and walleye. I am against any type of illegal activity, but since they are already there I might as well assist the state in cleaning them out.

Not far from here is Lake Jordanelle, a great smallmouth fishery. To fish the lake requires crossing the border into a land that can be considered strange by our nation’s standards, it is a unique country known as “Utah.” They have wonderful fisheries though, and I occasionally sneak across the border to seek out some of their wonderful lakes and streams.

TIP: If you are going to fish Utah and like to consume beer, bring your own (I know, I know, it’s illegal) or better yet, stop by Wasatch Brewery in Salt Lake City and purchase some of their excellent microbrews which do not have to concern themselves with Utah’s 3.2 beer laws. Just so you know, 3.2 beer is only good to help you flush you kidneys.

In truth, most of the residents of Wyoming fish for trout. These are healthy trout with attitudes. Sure, there are rainbows, but the browns and cutthroats are the real treats. To add a bit more thrill, lake trout can get huge in these parts and a 30 to 40 pounder will give you a heck of a workout.

But alas, I am still first and foremost a bass angler. I guess it’s because I have fished for bass more than any other species. I became comfortable fishing for those green fish on the California Delta, Lake McClure, and lakes in Texas and Arkansas. I have always enjoyed taking a break from bass fishing to try my hand at other species, with limited success. I’ve always learned something on these little forays that I could use when bass fishing. But, sooner or later, I would be back on the water with a flippin’ stick in my hand and tournament frog or plastic worm tied on the line.

Luckily, I have been a bit distracted from fishing because of my rekindled interest in hunting. Wyoming is a hunter’s paradise. We have more antelope (pronghorn) that we have people in the state. Currently, the whole state has little more than 500,000 people. Our largest cities (there are two) have populations of slightly more than 50,000 people.

We also have huge numbers of mule deer and some whitetail deer in the northeast corner of the state. We have an amazing number of elk and moose that are many times found strolling city streets. We also have bear, bighorn sheep, mountain goats and other types of big game. Add to that upland game birds, waterfowl, turkey, rabbit and a hunter can keep busy all year, so long as they don’t mind facing temperatures that can dip to as much as 30 below zero in the winter months.

Around here Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is not a government agency, it’s a convenience store.

But, I digress.

Since moving to Wyoming I no longer have the time to dedicate to much bass fishing. I did join a local bass fishing club, Cowboy Bass, and have even fished a tournament at Flaming Gorge. And yes, I crashed and burned!

But, don’t underestimate the anglers from the great state of Wyoming, they can hold their own and they laugh when they hear about anglers complaining about the weather at a tournament in Georgia where the temperature was 30 degrees … in Wyoming, that’s a balmy day and we break out our short pants. Even the bass around here know that to keep their species populated, they better get used to spawning like Eskimos. If they wait for warm water, they may never get their chance at romance.

Bass are easily caught in the winter, which can last from September through June. You will not need a boat, a rod and reel, a spinnerbait or any type of lure; you will just need an ice pick!

Luckily, explosives are readily available to break apart the thickest ice. Wyoming has very relaxed rules on fireworks. We have several stores in our town that sell fireworks all year, and these are not the wimpy fireworks you find in some other states, these babies could end some small wars. During the July Fourth weekend, fireworks can be seen throughout town from sundown to midnight, sometimes for three days straight. It looks like Beirut when the Iraqi war started.

I like to talk about the weather here, because we have weather here. Unlike where I grew up in Phoenix, Arizona where the most boring job in that city is being the weatherman. “Hot and sunny again today Jim, back to you,” is what they say 320 days of the year, the rest of the time they just stand there with a puzzled look on their face wondering what the wet stuff falling from the sky might be.

Since moving to Wyoming, I have seen it snow in September and the last snow of the year was in June. I have heard about the July fourth snowstorm that happened a few years ago and I know it has snowed in August, so it is possible to have snow every month of the year.

If you haven’t learned how to fish the wind, spend a summer in Wyoming. I recently had a service hand ask me if we ever turn off the wind machines here.

“We like the wind,” I said. “It keeps out the riff raff.”

These winds are why Wyoming is quickly becoming wind generator central. Learning to fish in the wind can be a plus when competing in tournaments. Years ago, California Delta fishing Guru Steve Sapp told me that he loves it when the wind blows on the Delta. He will pick practice days that are windy to stay in tune with how to fish in gale force winds. That way, when the tournament begins and others see the waves, they automatically think “Oh man, I hate the wind.” It’s at that point that Sapp knows he has already (mentally) defeated 80 percent of the field. So, Wyoming bass anglers already have a few advantages because if you can’t fish in the wind you will never have a day on the water in Wyoming.

Do I miss California … well, I do miss my friends, I miss fishing the Delta, Kelsey Bass Ranch, Lake McClure, and Bass Lake, I miss listening to Don Payne’s stories, spending an afternoon with John Barron in a boat and hoping he won’t fall into the water again. I miss spending an evening with my friend Robin Lowe of Super Pork talking (lying) about our fishing prowess. I don’t miss the high cost of living, traffic jams, unusual politics, smog and hot weather. Here I get frustrated if I have to wait for two or three cars, the air is clean, wildlife abounds and some of the most spectacular scenery I have ever seen. There are sacrifices to make though, good restaurants are few and far between, winters are long, you keep chains in your vehicle all year, you end up in places where you might have to drive nearly 100 miles to purchase a Coke, and there aren’t many bass.

All in all, a pretty cool (no pun intended) to live.

[John Barron]

Jeez I always wondered what happened to Cal......................last time I saw him he was sitting in my boat laughing as I was showing him a real fancy dive from the front platform of my boat. I just thank God he didn't have his camera ready..................!

Thanks for posting Cal and we look forward to your posts in the future. Give Kathy a kiss for me see if we can embarrass Al Grout again.
jb