Chumming Tips and Techniques texas saltwater fishing, texas fishing, wadefishing, wading, bay fishing, speckled trout, redfish, snook, tarpon, texas redfish, texas speckled trout Offshore anglers have long practiced “chumming,” the common moniker applied to any activity using live or dead bait to draw game fish within an easy casting distance of their boat. With thousands of miles of open Gulf, the blue water crowd apparently figured it was easier for the fish to come to them, rather than vice versa. The concept makes sense and produces good results. However, it's not just effective offshore. Inshore anglers would do well to take a page from the offshore playbook and practice a little chumming of their own. If done right, it can make the difference between a good day and a bad one. This is particularly true during the “dog days” of summer. BRING THE FISH TO YOU During summer, many inshore species are spread throughout the bay and near shore waters.  Locating these fish can prove challenging. However, by implementing a little chumming into your day, you can rely on the fish to come to you, rather than you chasing the fish. This is not to say that dropping a little chum ensures success. You still have to be selective as to which water you fish - there has to be a population of game fish in close proximity to your chum site or your efforts will simply be in vain. If you find a location with a good population of fish scattered over a wide area, the chum does, will congregate the fish. This holds true whether the fish are on a flat or around a reef, jetty, or any other structure. The presence of chum in the water will cause the fish to gather near the source. With this in mind, it is important to position your chum in a manner in which it can reach as many fish as possible. Remember, scent is the key when chumming. Traditional chumming methods allow the scent, slick and bits of chum to drift down current. Fish that pick up the scent will follow it up to the source. Therefore, it is important to position your chum above (up current) the location of the fish. The exception to the scent rule would be some commercially manufactured gadgets, such as the Chum Churn. “The biggest difference with our unit, is it uses sound to attract fish,” said Kyrt Wenzell of Wenzell Innovations, manufacturers of the Chum Churn. “So, the sound gets the fish coming in. The scent of the chum keeps them hanging around.” Wenzell, whose company introduced a downsized, inshore version of their popular offshore Chum Churn, further explained how the combination of sound and chum works. “When using traditional methods of chumming, the slick from the chum runs down current and only attracts fish from that particular line. When you use sound, you attract fish from a 360-degree radius. With our new inshore model, you get essentially the same sound as you would with a popping cork.” METHODS OF CHUMMING For many inshore anglers, the mention of chumming conjures up images of Sheriff Brody ladling bloody soup over the transom in the movie Jaws. However, there are a wide variety of ways to release scent into the water in order to attract fish. Chum churn As mentioned earlier, Wenzell's Chum Churn device is a favorite for fishermen who regularly use chum. Simply stated, the device is “loaded” with whatever bait item you wish - shrimp, pogies, mullet, crabs, etc.  It is then placed it over the side of the boat and “pumped.” The pumping motion both chops the churn and causes the fish attracting sound Wenzell describes as being the key to the device's success. “Originally, I designed the Chum Churn for offshore fishing,” said the Mississippi-based Wenzell. “Then, I started getting reports that a lot of inshore fishermen - particularly around Galveston Bay - were using it to attract redfish and speckled trout. So, I came up with the smaller inshore version, which also makes a little different sound when pumped.” Diced shrimp and baitfish One of the simplest and most effective methods for inshore chumming is tossing bits of diced shrimp or baitfish overboard to get the fish “primed.” This method is particularly successful on shallow flats. All that is required is a couple pounds of fresh or frozen shrimp, mullet, or menhaden. Once you reach the flat of your choice, dice the bait into small chunks. Place the chunks in or around natural fish-attracting structure such as potholes or oyster beds. Then, back away and anchor or stake out within casting range of the baited hole and wait for the fish to arrive. Wade fishermen can also employ this method by pre-chopping the chum before entering the water, then positioning themselves within casting distance once the chum is placed. Frozen blocks Frozen chum is also popular since it can be pre-prepared and is ready to use at any time. To make a frozen block of chum, chop your choice of bait items into tiny chunks and mix a solution of about 2/3 bait and 1/3 water. Pour this mixture into a one-quart milk carton or other container which can be easily peeled and discarded. Tie a loop on one end of a short length of nylon or cotton rope and place it into the center of the bucket, with the looped end extending above the container. Place in the freezer until it is thoroughly frozen. These blocks can be placed in the cooler on the boat until they are ready to use. Once you are ready to deploy a bock, you can either hang it over the side of the boat or place it in a pothole or over a reef as you would with the diced bait method described above. As the block thaws, it will release scent and chunks of bait into the water. If you choose to place the block outside of the boat, attach a large float or balloon to the rope so it can be retrieved when you are done fishing.   Chum bag Fresh or frozen chunks of shrimp and baitfish can also be placed in a mesh bag and hung over the side of the boat, where the water flowing through it will disperse the scent and tiny bits of bait. There are bags actually made and marketed for this purpose, however, enterprising anglers can utilize onion sacks, burlap bags, lingerie bags, pantyhose or virtually any other porous bag that can be stuffed with bait items. Live chum A popular method in the Florida back country is the use of live chum. Believe it or not, it works just as well in Texas. The key, as with all chumming, is to find an area where fish are holding but are either scattered or inactive. Once you are reasonably sure there are fish in the area, toss handfuls of live mullet, menhaden, or shrimp around fish holding structure. Make sure to toss the bait fairly high in the air, as the impact of hitting the water “stuns” them, causing them to flutter on or near the surface for a few seconds before they regain their bearings. It is during the time the bait items are stunned that fish will feel the vibrations of them struggling and be attracted to the surface. Only use enough live chum to prime the pump, so to speak. Once the fish get active, discontinue the use of the live chum. Otherwise, the fish may get their fill on the chum and refuse any other offerings. WHAT FISH YOU CAN EXPECT “Redfish can be caught on dead bait, so it's no surprise they are attracted by chumming,” Wenzell observed. “However, many fishermen are unaware of how effective chum is for speckled trout.” Beyond speckled trout and redfish, virtually every fish that swims in our bay systems will be attracted to a well-placed batch of chum. Among the other regular visitors to a chum site are black drum, ladyfish (skipjack), jack crevalle, sheepshead, gafftop and snook. Although they usually can't cover the distance to come to a chum site, flounder can be excited into a feeding frenzy if the area above them is sprinkled with shrimp or baitfish chunks. TOP BAITS FOR FISHING NEAR CHUM “Once the fish get excited by chum, it sometimes doesn't seem to matter what you throw,” Wenzell said. “Sometimes I swear you could catch `em on a handkerchief if they are hot enough. So, I usually tell people to throw their favorite flavor. The key is getting them turned on by the chum to begin with.” While just about anything will produce when the bite is hot, some baits still have a bit of an advantage over others. Obviously, the living versions of the chum items in the water will work. Therefore, free-lining shrimp, mullet or other baitfish will get the job done once the fish come in on the chum. Anglers hoping to throw lures and flies are best served with scented baits. Berkley Powerbait and Gulp series are good choices, as are DOA Shrimp, which are impregnated with bits of shrimp. Garlic-flavored baits such as Stanley Wedge Tail Minnows and Wedge Tail Shrimp are also good choices. Additionally, the “push” of water the Wedge Tail series causes helps the fish locate the bait if the water becomes stirred, as it often does when fish invade a chum site. Fly anglers need to use large baitfish and shrimp patterns. Good choices include SeaDucers, Deceivers, Clouser Minnows, and large poppers. And, although some purists may frown on the practice, rubbing a little bit of ground shrimp or baitfish on the feathers of a fly can help its effectiveness. “The last bit of advice I give to anglers using our unit is to retrieve your bait all the way back to the boat,” Wenzell said. “Since the unit is hanging over the side, fish often stack up right under the boat - especially in deeper water. So, don't be surprised if one explodes on your lure right at the boat.” texas saltwater fishing, texas fishing, wadefishing, wading, bay fishing, speckled trout, redfish, snook, tarpon, texas redfish, texas speckled trout