Crazy Head Charlie Brewer

Crazy Head Charlie Brewer

I never get tired of finding pieces on the pioneers of our sport, so today’s Friday Finale historical photo will come as no surprise – the great Charlie Brewer.  It dates to 1971 and was featured in the local Tennessean newspaper by outdoor writer Jimmy Holt.  The timing comes just a couple years after Charlie and Inky (Gilmore) developed their “Sliding worm” idea and the same month as arguably one of Charlie’s biggest breaks.  That break was when he was a featured writer for Fishing Facts magazine courtesy of then publisher, George Pazik.  In fact, this exact picture appeared in that first Fishing Facts article Charlie wrote.

Crazy Head Lures

Describing the tackle Charlie used then, the article states, “Brewer uses two spinning rods that he made from fly rods.  He uses small reels, loaded with four- and six-pound test line.

“He keeps the drag set very light, so that those big’uns can tire themselves out on the ‘willow switch’ rods.”

Describing a typical Charlie Brewer series of events. Jimmy wrote, “‘Tap, tap, he’s driving,’ Brewer said.  Then, slowly, in a sweeping motion, he set the hook.  His ‘willow switch’ spinning rod bent so deeply I thought it was going to make a perfect zero.  It wasn’t 12 inches from touching his 308 Mitchell reel.”

Of interest in the picture, beyond Charlie holding one of those exact setups he used, is the boat decal in the background.  Crazy Head Lures was the name of the company, and underneath that are the names of a few of the baits he had available at the time; “Sliders, Whirly Bees, Queen Bees.”

Also reminiscent of the more current “Ned rig” phenomenon, and along the lines of what Ned Kehde always mentions, Charlie said in the article, “I might not catch many lunkers on it, but I’ll catch more bass per trip on it than any other bait I ever fished.”

The company’s name has changed, now known as “Charlie Brewer’s Slider Co.,” but a lot of the same baits and jig heads are still available, along with several newer baits, and a ton of crappie soft plastics.