"Crappies almost always attack from below," the weathered angler said. "You need to be ready for 'em when they're comin' at you." Photo by Ted Peck.

Retired Marine First Sergeant Fred Washburn is a master of subterfuge. He is also one of the best bass and crappie anglers in southern Illinois, cashing more than 300 tournament checks in an angling career spanning several decades.

Washburn, 66, has a fishing lure collection valued at more than a quarter-million dollars. He also owns a tackle company with several products you simply can't find anywhere else.

Tournament competitors and fishing cronies journey sometimes hundreds of miles to Washburn's command bunker, an unassuming five-car garage accessible only from an alley in a quiet Carterville neighborhood.

Two boats are rigged up, plugged in and ready to go surrounded by boxes and boxes of tackle from Washburn's Cottonmouth Lures tackle company. You know Washburn is fishing when one of the boats is gone.

If both watercraft are staged for the next mission as you enter the bunker through the sophisticated security system, there is a good chance Washburn will be kicking back in a tattered office chair discussing pertinent matters with associates or members of his Cottonmouth Lures Fishing Team.

The discussion sounds more like a military briefing than a casual conversation. If the bite is hot on one of southern Illinois' myriad lakes, don't take your eyes off Washburn for even a minute. You may think he has gone for a coffee refill, but if he's not back in that squeaky office chair in 10 minutes, check the back of the shop.

One of the boats is probably gone, taking Washburn to the fish while you're still sitting in a chair talking about them.

If the "Bullet" is gone, Fred is after bass. Bare concrete where the johnboat usually sits means crappies are about to have a bad day.

Washburn's lure of choice is a soft-plastic creation called the Fuzzytail jig. He usually fishes this offering on a Hoop-I jighead, named for fishing buddy Ford "Hoop-I" Harris, a longtime friend, fishing team member and avid crappie angler with a passion for Pontiac Firebirds (he owns nine) and fast boats. Hoop-I's Bullet bass boat is faster than Washburn's. Top speed is 96 mph.

The Hoop-I jighead is unique with a wide-hook gap and lead poured in such a fashion that the lure falls both slowly and erratically. When coupled with a Fuzzytail grub body in a color that crappies prefer on a certain lake on a given day, Washburn just leaves the livewell on his johnboat open until he's caught enough crappies to call it a day.

Don't think for a minute you can buy some Hoop-I jigheads, Fuzzytail grubs and fish right beside Washburn with equal success. One reason he has cashed more than 300 tournament checks and you probably haven't is minute attention to detail.

One example of Washburn's magic is the knot he ties when chasing crappies. It is a special loop knot allows the Hoop-I head to free fall more seductively than other means of attachment to the fishing line.

Washburn prefers 2-pound FireLine Crystal line fished on a sensitive 10-foot-long IM-7 graphite rod.

His index finger is always on top of the rod blank for enhanced sensitivity and his eyes are focused about 6 inches above where the line enters the water, looking for what Washburn calls "the negative bite."