# Juggin' with Codwrinkle



## Bodupp (Oct 3, 2007)

The Cod and I went up on the Tallapoosa to do some jug fishing today. He said he hasn't been jugging in 40 years. After today, he probably won't go for another 40 years.

We started out on fire! The catfish were running a little small, but we got several up to two or three pounds. I rig using two dropper hooks, kinda like a miniature chicken rig, and on two occasions, Codwrinkle pulled up two cats at a time. Eventually, the bite slowed, so I figured it was time to move. That's when things started going bad.

Cod started picking up jugs as I manuvered the boat, and he carefully laid all the jugs into the bottom of the boat, still baited up, and we relocated. At the wonderful spot I picked to redeploy the jugs, Cod realized all our gear was a mucked up fess. An hour later, he decided it should all be burned - right there in the boat! I screamed very quietly into his good ear that we could have a burning ceremony when we got home, so we salvaged 15 good jugs and put them out and waited. And waited...

Nada. He asked me if I was the one that told him to never leave fish to find fish. I didn't remember, so we CAREFULLY picked up our 15 jugs and went back to the first spot.

Not squat.

We quickly compared our pain indexes. He was at a 4 (out of ten). I was around a 5. We had agreed to stay at it until one of us hit the 6 threshhold. I popped a hydrocodone. Off we went upriver to try spot #3. We put out our 15 jugs in a beautiful spread, put 4 more nice channel cats in the boat, compared pain numbers, and decided we had finally had the weenie.

But not until two game wardens ran up to us. I waved them off. They kept coming. When they were alongside, I offered to swap boats with them. Straight up. They said no way. I told them we didn't have any fishing licenses. They didn't care. They wanted to know if we had caught any fish. We said we had an ass of catfish. They told us to have a nice day. I asked if they wanted proof of age (65 and older don't need a license). He said no, let go of his boat. I guess we're not swapping then.

Tally for the day: 23 catfish (mixture of channels, blues, and white catfish) 7 shellcrackers (we baited with worms).

Sorry, no pics.


----------



## sureicanfish (Sep 30, 2007)

23 fish, of any type, and im calling the news! Dang, I gotta try jugging


----------



## GROUPERKING (Sep 28, 2011)

I can't believe that they didn't respect the wave off.


----------



## stc1993 (Nov 23, 2014)

I hope it wasn't the single digit wave off. Funny story.


----------



## jaster (Oct 7, 2007)

Great Report


----------



## FishWalton (Jul 22, 2010)

Great story....entertaining. Love the 'blow by blow' of events.....


----------



## Bodupp (Oct 3, 2007)

I understand jugging is illegal in Fla, but for those in Bama, here is some pics of our rigs. I like liter sized sport drink jugs, sprayed flourescent orange on the inside. I use 25# mono with a loop on the end for the weight (usually an old castnet weight) and make two short dropper loops about 10" apart. I attach #4 hooks for using worms, and only use about 1" of worm threaded on the hook. I'll use slightly larger hooks for cut shad, but still use small pieces so it doesn't overfill the bite of the hook. I'll usually wrap the jug in duct tape to give a place to store the hooks. I drop the weight inside the jug when storing, and screw the top on. Don't worry about damaging the line - it's just holding the weight on. Generally, I use about 5-7 ft of line, but adjust if fishing lakes, etc.

First pic is the basic rig.

Second pic is the "properly stored" rig.

Third pic is after Codwrinkle said, "One of the worms must have crossed its legs." We did salvage the hooks and most of the weights.


----------



## FishWalton (Jul 22, 2010)

I'm just curious....does anyone know the FWC thinking on the 'no jugs' rule


----------



## FlounderMan (Oct 24, 2007)

fishwalton said:


> I'm just curious....does anyone know the FWC thinking on the 'no jugs' rule


You can use jugs in florida, they just have to be anchored.


----------



## skiff89_jr (Apr 1, 2011)

fishwalton said:


> I'm just curious....does anyone know the FWC thinking on the 'no jugs' rule


My assumption on that would be because Florida keeps tourism and leisure activities in its upmost focus. They don't want their lakes where skiing, wakeboarding, and tubing is frequented filled with floating jugs and abandoned gear. 

That's my guess. Not that I agree with it.


----------



## FishWalton (Jul 22, 2010)

Skiff....that's as good a guess as any I suppose...but it would be nice if it was permitted on certain selected waters.


----------



## Try'n Hard (Oct 23, 2008)

Some states wont let you use white jugs, I guess because people aint got sense enough to rinse the bleach out before they get to the water - Florida maybe thinking the same along with so much more boat traffic


----------



## sureicanfish (Sep 30, 2007)

So what's the deal with a jug having to be anchored? What if it floats Fred of its anchored depth?


----------



## Try'n Hard (Oct 23, 2008)

I like the two hook rigs - but are those crappie hooks? I usually just use pool noodles and love them but have been saving all my old Metamucil cannisters and plan on making some more. I figured there would be less chance of people stealing them either feeling sorry for me or figuring I was an old grouch!


----------



## Bodupp (Oct 3, 2007)

They're a little heavier wire than what I would call crappie hooks. Aberdeen hooks are the light wire crappie hooks. I don't know what these are called, but they're slightly kirbed.

I like the Metamucil idea - you could even store extra bait inside while you're fishing with it. Might even appeal to the older cats.


----------



## olegator (Dec 6, 2014)

Great report....and thx for the pics of you jugs.


----------

