Thread: Cottonmouth Fuzzy Tails

I bought some of these over the internet at Bluff City Tackle's webb site. The whole jigs had round heads and the packs of jig heads(called Hoops I) have a jig shaped similar to a minnows head. I was wondering which you guys had more luck with, and how you fish them. Can you buy these direct from the guy who makes them? Thanks?

I have used cottonmouths for years.....and i have no reason to ever use any other jig. I have caught thousands on them. I use the ball heads and opposed to the hoop-i heads. By the way,,,the hoopi heads are named after Ford Harris (Hoopi) who is a long time bass and crappie fisherman in these parts. I cant say the hoopi heads are bad...i just never used them since the ball heads have been all ive ever used. I fish them vertically...2 at a time....and usually both in the 1/8th ounce size. My goto color has always been white with white head. Simple...not glamorous...but effective. If you wanna fish them shallow you can go with one jig in a 1/16th oz size and there is also a smaller one at 1/32nd. Just depends on what application the pattern calls for. You can buy them direct from Fred Washburn in Carterville...you have to call him and im sure he'd set you up. If you are in carterville give him a call ahead of time and set up a visit to his garage where all his jigs are sold out of. Fred is a legend around here...and i make sure to visit the garage at least once a year. I always learn something.

They are great jigs. I tye alot of my own but they are well made and work as good as any.

Excellent advice CP.
I've been using Cottonmouth Fuzzytails since last fall when CP turned me on to them. They're my favorite. Used them yesterday at Rend and came home with 9 good keepers, threw back 30-35.
I have yet to meet Mr. Washburn, but would like to sometime this season.
I might be relatively new to crappie fishing, but I think you can't go wrong with those jigs.
Floater

Floater...take my advice on this. Call Fred. Hes in the Carterville phone book. Ask him when you might be able to stop by the house and get some jigs. If he is home he will probably tell you come on by right then. Go over there and get you some jigs and then talk some fishing with him. When I was in college in the 80's at SIU Fred was an SIU policeman. He also won every dang bass tournament on Crab that he entered. I used to fish in those tournaments for fun out of my cheap jon boat just for fun. He'd kick everyones behinds and I began to recognize him as the number one resource for Crab Orchard Lake. It fascinated me how he could beat the best bass guys in southern illinois each year. He knows every inch of that lake bottom..and while his application was bass fishing...i knew crappie would hold in those same areas that he knew about. So I have picked his brain about locations many times. And rest assured if I saw him on the lake i noted every single spot he was bass fishing back in those days. To this day some of my best crappie holes are spots I saw him bass fishing 20 years ago. He has zero peers as far as im concerned when it comes to knowing Crab and other local lakes. He's also won several events outside of the area. I think you would enjoy a visit to his place. But remember...call first. Tell him Jeff in benton sent you and maybe he will discount my next load of jigs!

any pics of these jigs?

Heres a couple of pics of them for you. Taken after they caught a ton of fish!

nice post CP. some good info on those Jigs. Are they light wire? Is it easy to bend if you get it hung up so you don't have to break off?

Thanks for the info!