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Chum recipe improved

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Jagger0502:
I am sure lots have tried chumming for everything from gils to lakers with some working and some not. I have tried with trial an error in both winter and summer but think I found a few tricks that seem to work. Knowing it’s not legal in some states and frowned upon by some I just wanted let known I do this on private strip ponds for the most part so if it’s illegal in your state... be smart about it.

Focus on bait fish, the small ones that bring in the large ones you are looking for. Which means grind up the majority of chum. Recipes can really be anything. I like to use old bait or skins of the previous catch blended up. Anything else is just for looks really. Corn or cooked rice is just filler that might attract something larger Which wouldn’t hurt but I find something that might float up or put the scent in the water is best. My secret is the rice crispy’s. Mixed in at the end of the process so it doesn’t get soggy and then freezing quickly seems to keep them from getting soggy so while the cube thaws they float back to the top adding some visual attractant for the fish looking like hatching bugs from the bottom plus no negative effect on a fish if they do eat it like whole corn can. Although it does show on the flashers and looks like a fish rising sometimes is the only issues I have found.

I use egg cartons, they are easy to use, good size and you don’t need to wash them out when you are done. Just remember to take out the styrofoam and not leave it on the ice. We have enough garbage left on the ice already.

Process:

Spray egg carton with a little cooking spray, keeps the chum from sticking to it after it’s frozen. This way you can take them out easily and take the garbage out with you. Otherwise, if you have trouble carrying your trash out with you like some do, just do this on a cookie sheet and freeze then cut out the cubes or remove them from the cartons before you head out.

Grind up and mix your chum. In this one I used a small can of cream corn, cooked rice and mixed heavily with ground salmon skins, Minnie’s and some fish oils and attractant I had laying around.

Put a stone from the driveway to add weight in each space first. Then a spoonful of chum, not watered down yet so it is very thick like a paste.

I took the oils mixed in a little water and doused the top of everything to give it a consistency that would freeze together with the stone so it will sink followed by the rice crispy’s and push it all down with a soon.  It’s neg 10 here when I did it so I just put it on a cookie sheet and set it outside overnight.

Result is cubes of chum. I don’t over do it. One cube down the hole in the House is enough to help but doesn’t overload the area with extra bait. I also use a hole furthest from my flasher so I don’t get interference from anything floating up later. It usually takes 20 minutes for it to melt and sends up rice crispy’s the entire time which looks like an under ice hatch. The scent is released as well and with a little current can travel a long ways. I think it works and have noticed an increase in fish in the area when I drop one or two down the hole.

Hope it helps if you plan to try it.

Sylvanboat:
In lieu of the corn & Rice Krispies what do you think of coffee grounds, mashed garlic & salt???

SirCranksalot:
I get the impression that chum only works with a 'permanent' hut. It seems to have no effect at all at the time of use---or at least that's been my experience,

Jagger0502:
I can tell you tonight I fished with a group of four and we had 30+ holes and we all had tip ups and jigging rods. All fresh cut holes today. I put the chum in my 5 holes with tip ups. Three of my five holes I pulled multiple fish out of all day. Between the rest of them they only pulled a couple small gills and one 15” bass. I kept 8 crappie the biggest being over 15” and smallest around 12” plus a dozen or more mix bag I put back. I can’t say for sure it was the chum or luck but I will do it again just  incase.

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