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| My name is Cal Lansworth Johnson, the grandson of the late Cal Johnson, the gentleman who caught the world record musky in 1949. I don’t appreciate the wrongful accusations that have been made by some against both my grandfather and my father, Phillip Johnson, who guided and helped land the record musky. These men were honest men who lived their lives following the highest of ethical standards. Everything my grandfather did revolved around contributing something back to the outdoors that he loved so much. He especially was concerned that the resources would be protected so that today’s generation of outdoorsmen would have sports to enjoy now and long into the future. The record musky that Cal caught was taken fairly and was properly weighed & measured and there is much documentation proving that. In fact, even though shooting fish was legal at the time, because my grandfather considered it unsporting they chose to gaff and beach the fish instead of shooting it.
Upon finding out that Larry Ramsell was one of the main individuals who has been spreading these lies against my family, I confronted him at the Chicago Musky Show last weekend and told him that I didn’t appreciate the fact that he was calling my father, my grandfather, and everyone else associated with the fish liars.
Ramsell responded, and I quote, “It’s not about Cal Johnson or the fish. I would not have gone after the Cal Johnson fish if it had not been for John Dettloff discrediting the 1957 Lawton fish.” I responded, “You mean that you’re making the statements about my grandfather and the fish because you’re just on a vendetta against John Dettloff?” Ramsell answered, “Yes,” and he further added, “I didn’t want to discredit Cal Johnson and his accomplishments, but I don’t want John Dettloff making any money from a book (on Cal Johnson) that he has planned for the future.”
I guess I’ve seen it all now. Just because this man has an obvious jealous resentment for another writer, he is embarking on this smear campaign against my family. Hopefully, the public will see through Ramsell’s dishonorable motives and not allow themselves to be lead by this angry man. My family has many valuable historical materials that were saved from my grandfather’s outdoor career that we wish to share with other outdoor enthusiasts. My father had been holding this material privately until he could find someone with the talent and dedicated heart for the true sport and honesty to bring this information to light. We chose John Dettloff to be the person to organize and present this rare information to the public (via our website and a possible book) because we know Dettloff to be very thorough and accurate in his writings. His history and talent as a historian, a writer and a professional fisherman created that trust with my father and our entire family stands behind that decision. Perhaps Ramsell can’t handle the fact that we have given this responsibility to one of his contemporaries.
I’ve read many of Ramsell’s incorrect statements and the erroneous WRMA report against my grandfather’s musky. Hard facts now prove the accusations against my grandfather to be wrong. For details, look up the website that my family has authorized (caljohnson.net). Ramsell also insinuated in his recent writing that my grandfather had issues with another fish known as the Malo fish that was caught in 1954 stating that Cal didn’t want the fish to be credentialed. Cal was not even alive in 1954, as he died February 2nd 1953. Ramsell knew this at the time of his writing and allowed that to be printed anyway to make Cal look jealous and to discredit him. When I confronted Ramsell last weekend at the Musky Show he did a complete flip flop on me that almost knocked me to the floor. When I stated he was calling Cal, my father and everyone else who signed the affidavit liars, he stated that he had nothing against Cal or my father or anyone else and it was John Dettloff who he had the problem with. I said that you are calling them lairs Larry, liars. He then turned around and changed his direction and stated that they were all liars and that Cal knew he was going to die and faked the fish only to promote the Hayward area. I could not believe that anyone would ever try to pull such a hoax when they were near the end of their life (especially someone of Cal’s caliber and credentials). It would be a time that you would want to clear your heart and soul to be ready to meet your maker and face yourself with a clear conscience. How Ramsell could ever make up and believe such a story is beyond me. Please visit caljohnson.net. There is so much more to Cal Johnson other than being the lucky fisherman to land a world record catch.
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| We all have seen the web site, no offense but nobody with an once of common sense believes the fish is as big as claimed...It is an insult to the average person to even suggest such an idea. You all can continue on with your silly feud, but outside of the circus the rest of us are all too aware of the fact, the fish is nowhere near as large as claimed...BR | |
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Posts: 1291
Location: Hayward, Wisconsin | Cal:
Obviously you remember our conversation the way you wish and I'm sorry, but your statements are inaccurate in most cases. The "wrongful accusations" you refer to are as yet unproven as we DID discuss.
Your post looks almost as if Dettloff wrote it for you and merely dusts off once again his biased statements. I'm sorry you have put all your eggs in Dettloff's basket and have bought into everything he has "manufactured" to "try" and support your grandfathers fish. By the way, I have NO DOUBT that your grandfather was a fine man throughout his life.
As far as my "spreading lies", that is not true whether you choose to accept it or not. My "hypothesis" as to why your grandfather (and father by association) choose to do what was done is merely educated conjecture. Since he is gone, we'll never know for sure now will we?
Your misintrepretation of our conversation only serves to cloud the issues and your attempt to make me the "bad guy" merely deflects from the sad history revisionism of Mr. Dettloff and you are now aiding and abetting him out of loyalty to your family.
It was NEVER my goal to discredit any world record fish...that has been the sole pervue of Dettloff...well, NON HAYWARD muskies anyway. And it is NOT me that has gone after your grandfathers fish. I do not belong to the WRMA, who's goal is merely to deterimine what is our true world record muskie. I did not commission the photo analysis, that by the way was scientific and peer reviewed, far from what Dettloff did/used to get rid of all other non Hayward "contenders" to the muskie crown. You should be greatful that your grandfather's fish was a Hayward fish or you would be saying these things about Dettloff instead of me!!!
I catgegorically deny your statement accredited to me "It’s not about Cal Johnson or the fish. I would not have gone after the Cal Johnson fish if it had not been for John Dettloff discrediting the 1957 Lawton fish.” What I said was that Dettloff opened the can of worms that caused your grandfathers fish to come into question by the WRMA and their subsequent finding that it wasn't as large as claimed. THAT would likely not have happened had not Dettloff "done his thing" and promoted Louie Spray to the top spot at the Hall (by hijacking "my" world record program) and your grandfather's fish at the IGFA. But he did and now things are a mess. THAT is what I was saying. And now that photo analysis has proven your grandfathers fish could not have been a long as claimed, I "report" the fact(s). I'm sorry if that offends you. You should relat to Dettloff how badly you feel and perhaps HE can get a grasp of what HE did to the Lawton family and the Lawton witnesses!
Your misquote of me "Yes,” and he further added, “I didn’t want to discredit Cal Johnson and his accomplishments, but I don’t want John Dettloff making any money from a book (on Cal Johnson) that he has planned for the future.” is self-serving and incorrect. I could care less if Dettloff makes money from books IF they were the truth and not at the expense of other record holders.
As I DID tell you, I have always loved your grandfather fish (mount) and that no one hated to learn that it wasn't as big as claimed more than me. As for your grandfathers accomplishments, I have never had anything bad to say about any of them other than the record, so please stop lumping thing together in order to make me look bad.
Your statement (and that of the California "tabloid"): "Ramsell also insinuated in his recent writing that my grandfather had issues with another fish known as the Malo fish that was caught in 1954 stating that Cal didn’t want the fish to be credentialed. Cal was not even alive in 1954, as he died February 2nd 1953. Ramsell knew this at the time of his writing and allowed that to be printed anyway to make Cal look jealous and to discredit him." is absolutely untrue. That part of my book was merely a quote from the outdoor articles at the time of the Malo catch which was one of dozens of QUOTES from the day that I reprinted. I NEVER SAID THAT MYSELF...let's set the record straight on that.
As for your grandfather fish. as I pointed out to you at the show, the PROOF is right there in that glass case. Let's open it up and x-ray the fish and find out for sure. Until that happens, YOUR case is unproven, Dettloff's diatribes notwithstanding!
Muskie regards,
Larry Ramsell
Muskellunge Historian for ALL of North America
www.larryramsell.com | |
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Posts: 2361
| Larry, why would you include ANY EASILY DISPOVEN LIE as a QUOTE in a HISTORY?
Photomawatchamacallitism is in my mind a debatable science. Phrenology was also once a science. Death seems pretty hard to argue with.
This whole thing gets clearer as time goes on. Any fair and balanced article, quoting both sides, will probably create sympathy for the record keeping bodies and their decision in this case. It's either the fish or not the fish, unless of course it is personal, as it is in this case. | |
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Posts: 2361
| BenR - 1/16/2010 3:43 PM
We all have seen the web site, no offense but nobody with an once of common sense believes the fish is as big as claimed...It is an insult to the average person to even suggest such an idea. You all can continue on with your silly feud, but outside of the circus the rest of us are all too aware of the fact, the fish is nowhere near as large as claimed...BR
I am thinking the general public and general fishing population might even have an ounce of common sense, and will, after looking at all the personal attacks eminating from one side of the controversy, are going to come down on the side of the record keeping boards.
Making a pronouncement about something does not cause it to be true. | |
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| firstsixfeet - 1/16/2010 5:50 PM
BenR - 1/16/2010 3:43 PM
We all have seen the web site, no offense but nobody with an once of common sense believes the fish is as big as claimed...It is an insult to the average person to even suggest such an idea. You all can continue on with your silly feud, but outside of the circus the rest of us are all too aware of the fact, the fish is nowhere near as large as claimed...BR
I am thinking the general public and general fishing population might even have an ounce of common sense, and will, after looking at all the personal attacks eminating from one side of the controversy, are going to come down on the side of the record keeping boards.
Making a pronouncement about something does not cause it to be true.
the majority of people can see through the feud and realize the fish just wasn't that big...Kinda like saying Bonds and Sosa did not use performance enhancing drugs because it has not been proven...It is commonsense...BR | |
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Posts: 20219
Location: oswego, il | FSF, mud has been slung from the hall, believe me it has. Just look at the tabloid site or even on this thread Cal calling the very detailed and professionally done WRMA report as erronious. Detloff has dismissed the WRMA in similar fassion and the tabloid site "debunked" the WRMA report using calipers on the photo!
I posted this on another site, this can all be cleared up easliy. Cal, ask for the mount to be inspected, if you are so sure, no worries right? | |
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Posts: 32886
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | 'Making a pronouncement about something does not cause it to be true.'
Which is why Dettloff was able to go after the world record and get it dismissed and why the WRMA is checking into the remaining records. | |
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Posts: 2361
| Well, as MD alluded in another post, you guys need to deal with this, and it may be the only thing the internet pros can sink their teeth into until spring. I started fishing yesterday. Let me know when there is a change in the position on the side of anyone. Until then, you guys fester, and I'll fish!
Edited by firstsixfeet 1/16/2010 10:06 PM
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Posts: 32886
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | FSF,
I'm fishing now, and quite a bit, too. Got about 15 nice Pike today between me and TJ, and a dozen nice gills. Cleaned 12 gills and three pike, and all was good. | |
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Posts: 2361
| Yes, we can call it fishing, of a sort.
In rehab, they call it METHADONE. 
Edited by firstsixfeet 1/17/2010 5:26 AM
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Posts: 7
| I just spoke with the grandson of one person who saw the Johnson fish immediately after capture. In his store in Hayward, is another 60 inch fish that has not been in any books due to the owner not wanting any photos out. It hung in Draper for awhile and the person speared it. His descendants, Native Americans, come in to see it. It came off a bar by Pat's Landing.
We had a good laugh about what these guys did. Time to put them into a historical category and get on with things.
Out of respect for the owner and the family I did not even ask for a photo. It is just a monster. | |
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Cal Johnson Speaks