BRIGHTON, Mo. – You better watch out. You better not pout. Santa Claus is coming … to the Bassmaster Classic.
James Bethurem, aka Santa Jim, has become a mainstay at the Classic in recent years. His white beard, handlebar mustache and friendly smile have made the rounds at Classic launches, expos and weigh-ins since 2013.
“I just love everything about the Classic,” he said. “It gets in your blood.”
While his interest in professional tournament fishing has grown of late, fishing has been a big part of Bethurem’s life from early on.
Born in Lebanon, Mo., before moving to nearby Springfield, he was casting a bobber and worm into the Gasconade River before he began kindergarten. He’s since plied the various waterways in the region for most every species, but he has especially enjoyed what he’s landed at Bennett Springs State Park, a famous trout destination.
That’s where he met his wife, Denise, who is known to many as “Big.” That nickname came when a buddy asked Bethurem if he caught anything after his fateful meeting at the trout fishery.
“I told him I got me a biggun – about 5-6, 120 pounds,” he said. “And it’s stuck. Ever since then I’ve called her my ‘Biggun.’”
That’s Big for short, and they have fished together through 42 years of marriage. There’s some ponds and streams close by, and Bethurem said it only takes about 45 minutes to have his boat launched on Pomme de Terre Lake.
“We got the boat set up where the back end is hers and the front is mine,” he said. “If we need the net for something, we meet in the middle.”
They mostly fish for crappie to eat, and Bethurem said he catches the bigger ones while she catches the “trash fish like walleye and catfish.” (Uh-oh. Better watch out, she was supposed to renew his subscription to Bassmaster Magazine for a Christmas gift this year.)
Bethurem has an 18-inch crappie replica in his man cave, err Santa cave, hanging alongside another personal best, an 8-15 trout. Tournament bass fishing was something a friend had him attempt for a few years, but their finishes were nothing to write home about.
“He told me be sure to bring something to drink and something to eat,” Bethurem said. “I never fished in a bass tournament. I brought a bucket of Kentucky Fried and a case of beer. He had some words. It wasn’t exactly what he was thinking.”
Construction work was Bethurem’s main source of income, but an injury ended that. He said he left the hospital shorter than when he went in because of compression to discs and vertebrae. Pain can still hit him at times, but usually his jobs as Santa allow him to stand up, walk around and visit.
“If I get an ‘Ooh,’ that easily turns into a ‘Ooh, ho, ho, ho,’” he said.
Putting on a cheap Santa suit and fake beard at 21 doesn’t count as the start of his career, Bethurem said. He hinted that the idea to portray Father Christmas came around Father’s Day 2015, when his actual beard began coming in all white. He started looking into his prospects after Big asked him if he forgot to shave.
“’Nope, I’m going to be Santa Claus this year,’’’ he told her. “I got to checking into it. A friend on Facebook thought they had an opening for Santa on the Polar Express train ride.”
Landing the job as one of three Santas on the Branson Scenic Railway holiday excursions led to more work, like filling in for a bad Santa (one who couldn’t make it) at the Bass Pro Shop. Working 12 hours combined at the Branson Landing store in the morning then the train made the 66-mile drive worth his while.
In his fourth year of helping Santa, Bethurem has worked to be the best jolly old elf he can be.
“I’ve taken it seriously by going to what I consider the two best schools in the country,” said Bethurem, who learned among other things how to perfect the look and to never stray from character when on the job.
A good Santa suits runs about $500, and Bethurem has four. Boots and some bling finish the look, but he also invests in Naughty/Nice coins, stickers of his image cartoonized and candy canes to give away. His stash of 10,000 candy canes has dwindled to 4,000 as the season wanes.
Of course, he now collects Santa stuff, like the sleigh he recently purchased. He keeps most of the smalls in his Santa cave, where prominently displayed are bobbleheads of his favorite two anglers, Bill Dance, his all-time favorite, and Kevin VanDam. Both are signed. His top Santa memorabilia are vintage sleigh bell straps from the 1800s – they still create a special sound.
James has insurance, provides clients a background check and makes sure his white gloves show in most every photo. His top trick is to use either cookie dough or peppermint shave oil on his beard so he smells the part.
While there’s some rare offseason jobs, Bethurem has steady work from around the beginning of November until Dec. 24, and he earns enough for a vacation, including a stop at the Classic.
That started in 2013 after a three-hour trek to Tulsa for an anniversary trip. Apparently, he brought weather down from the North Pole as that Grand Lake event went into the books then as the coldest Classic ever. But like hot cocoa with peppermint flakes, the thought of traveling to see the spectacle of the world championship warms Bethurem’s heart.
“We enjoyed it so much, it’s become every year now,” said Bethurem, adding their son proposed to a live audience at the 2015 Classic weigh-in. “It was kinda neat because she didn’t know it was coming. All her family was watching live at home.”
With Big too busy at work to come, Bethurem drove two of his grandchildren about 2,000 miles to Greenville, S.C., to see last year’s Classic.
“We just keep coming back,” he said. “I’ve just always enjoyed it. Maybe they’ll have one on Truman Lake some day.”
Bethurem, who was born on the day after Christmas, turns 62 this year. When first asked, he wasn’t sure whether to answer for himself or Santa. Here’s what he’d probably tell kids asking.
“Santa’s so old he doesn’t remember anymore,” he said. “The elves throw me a birthday party three or four times a year, so I never know how old I really am.”
Santa does have Christmas wishes for himself. The first would be working at the Bass Pro Shops in Springfield because it’s closer to home. (He could also go in and buy some gear. Off-duty professional Santas try not to break protocol and get anywhere close to a working Santa.)
The second wish would be having a gig at the Classic Expo with KidCasters, where he’s already done some promotion for the new Dude Perfect combo.
“That would be a dream,” he said, “but the biggest dream would be to fish with Mark Zona.”
For now, he’s happy to make the Christmas season joyful for a lot of children. One especially rewarding venue was a benefit for children with cancer. He volunteered his time and left with a hearty smile on his face that he could help the cause.
“I love who I have grown up to be,” he said. “I am so fortunate to be Santa Claus.”
Editor’s note: See a photo gallery of Santa Jim.