I've been chumming for bass and blues for a couple of years, and find that it
generally works pretty well. I've used either chopped herring (which I cut
myself just before tossing it overboard) or using preground frozen "gurry".
(a far more pleasant experince, especially if you're bouncing around in open
water)
A few things to keep in mind:
- There have to be some fish in the area to begin with - chumming dead water
is a waste of time.
- You need to anchor up in some amount of current so that the chum will
disperse, or if you're in open water, drifting is also good
- The chumming has to be steady - no time off for lunch or beer. If the
chummer is playing a fish, someone else has to take over.
- The baits have to resemble the chum in size and color. Light leaders and
small hooks if possible. Why should a fish go for a piece of meat with a
rope attached to it and a funny looking piece of metal sticking out of
it when there are plenty of better looking snacks floating by?
(Admittedly, bluefish are sometimes not all that fussy)
- Like anything else, you've got to put your time in to get it figured out