Sumrall ready to fish tournaments

Published 3:00 am Sunday, April 26, 2020

Like major and minor league baseball players and so many others in the sports world, Caleb Sumrall has been away from his game for nearly two months because of the coronavirus pandemic.

His games are the bass tournaments he fishes during the regular season from Florida to New York, from Texas to Minnesota as a Bassmaster Elite Series angler. Those tournaments were scratched one by one since the 50th annual Bassmaster Classic held March 6-8 at Lake Guntersville in Alabama. The New Iberia outdoorsman finished 26th with 25 pounds, 10 ounces, and by a mere 3 ounces missed fishing on Championship Sunday.

Sumrall, 32, has been staying at home and fishing with his wife, daughter and son on Lake Dauterive-Fausse Pointe in the weeks since Gov. John Bel Edwards issued “stay-at-home” orders starting March 23. At the same time he is chomping at the bit to get back in action on the Elite tournament trail and continue making his bid to fish the next Classic.

The Toledo Bend guide took a few minutes Friday morning to talk about a little bit about what’s going on as he waits for the first Elite tournament since the one and only event Feb. 8-10 at St. Johns River near Palatka, Florida. He finished 48th with 18 pounds.

Q: What has been the best part, if any, of the stoppage for you, personally?

A: Umm, I’d have to say, the only thing that’s been good about it is the time I’ve been able to stay with the family. I’ve enjoyed the time at home. I’ve enjoyed my time on the water with them (wife Jacie, daughter Clélié and son Axel) this year. They’re actually getting to an age where I can take them out a lot more. I haven’t been able to run guide trips. But it’s not all about me. We’re trying to do our part, that’s all.

Q: What is the worst part of the stoppage?

A: The worst part is just the loss of momentum in tournament fishing. We’ve got to reschedule a lot of tournaments. (Dates?) I don’t know. There are only so many options, so many weeks. We’re going to try to get them all in. I honestly don’t know when.

Q: What is happening that Wednesday in May? 

A: It’s Wednesday on the Water featuring Caleb Sumrall on May 13. I’m doing a Facebook live on the Xpress (Boats) Facebook page. The time will be announced closer to that day. It’s just going to be me fishing at an undisclosed location right now. We’re waiting to announce closer to the date but it’ll be pretty good. 

Q: What have you added to your fitness regime? I read where you’re taking off pounds, too. Down 25 pounds to 215 since you began in Summer 2019.

A: I’ve just been running a lot. I average five, six miles a day, just being active for fishing. I was in a gym but the gym closed. It’s all about being ready, you know. It’s been good for me. I can’t say how it will play into fishing but we’re going to find out. I feel better, that’s for sure.

Q: What are Axel and Clélié’s favorite artificial lures so far? How much do you help them out, teach them about bass fishing?

A: Axel likes to throw a frog. Clélié likes to throw a spinnerbait. Axel throws a Spro frog. Clélié’s spinnerbait is a 3/8-ounce Cajun Boss spinnerbait. They’ve caught a couple on them. Yeah, I coach them constantly. It’s all about them learning.

Q: How would you rate the bass fishing in Lake Fausse Pointe this spring? 

A: I would have to say (bass) fishing in the lake has been less than average given the last few years. I know they’re had some big fish caught. As far as numbers of quality fish, they’ve gone down a lot. I’ve fished a lot this spring. It’s not the same is how I’ll put it. It’s still a good lake. Don’t get me wrong. (But) when a lot of people eat fish out of a little lake, it’ll effect it real quick.

Q: What is the go-to bait, depth and pattern now at Toledo Bend?

A: You know, right now they’ve still got fish (bass) spawning. They’ve got the shad spawn going on. A little bit of everything. You’ll probably catch anywhere from 1 foot to 20 foot right now. I’d throw something like a swim jig, swim bait, crank bait or Carolina rig. For soft plastics, watermelon/red or green pumpkin. For crank baits and swim jigs, white or shad imitations, all the shad colors.

Q: What now? Are you ready for the season to resume?

A: Absolutely. I think I speak for a lot of guys, a lot of people. I’m ready to get out of the house and get back to life.