Smart Chumming

Without a doubt, chumming is one of the deadliest of all fishing tactics for attracting game fish to trolled lures or baits. Chumming is also very effective from an anchored or drifting boat. But knowing when, how and how much to chum can be the key to your fishing success.

Chumming at sea can be especially productive when hooked game fish are brought to boat side and there are several other game fish following it. Have several small pieces of cut chum ready. These can be tossed into the water which often keeps the inquisitive fish nearby long enough for you to get another bait or lure to them.

Smart chumming can also be accomplished by cutting up extra baits that you have secured earlier in the day. Slowly toss the small pieces of cut chum into the water while you are trolling, drifting or anchoring. Be smart, instead of dumping that used bait randomly into the water, cut it up into small pieces and chum slowly.

"Slow" chumming is the success key to many forms of bluewater angling. Fishermen that chum too hard often feed the nearby game fish right out of a feeding mood. A good rule of thumb for cutting up chum and tossing it overboard is, wait until a piece of chum disappears completely before tossing another piece overboard. It's a good idea to pause occasionally for a few minutes. This allows the fish to move up the chum line faster, causing them to find your lures or baits.

There are several other types of saltwater chumming. This includes filling an IV container with menhaden oil and allowing the oil to drip slowly into the ocean. Another method is grinding up baitfish with a hand operated meat grinder. The ground chum is then placed into a mesh bag, tossed overboard and cleated off to a gunnel cleat.

In all cases of saltwater chumming, it is important to save your chum until the right time arises. Don't waste chum when the conditions aren't right. I often see fishermen dump all of their chum overboard and wait for a fishing miracle to happen. Wait for the right time and then chum "Slowly"!

Reprinted from Humminbird tips