(Peter Kohlsaat illustration)
By Dan Anderson
Have you ever been in a shopping mall, got a faint whiff of cinnamon rolls, and found yourself irresistibly drawn up and down escalators to find the Cinnabon Bakery producing that glorious scent? Inevitably, when you get there, there’s a small crowd waiting to get a taste of those luscious cinnamon rolls.
That, my friends, is the principle of chumming for catfish: Put soured grain, cattle feed, chicken feed, or any of a dozen flavorful products into a lake or pond to attract and concentrate blue and channel catfish to make them easier to catch. Some anglers chum a spot after they arrive to attract and activate fish already in that area.
Other anglers create honey holes by putting chum in a burlap bag or plastic bucket with holes drilled in it, then anchor or suspend those containers in a specific spot in a lake to hold fish in that area over a long time. They refresh the contents of their bags or buckets every few days to continuously chum the water in that area so they know exactly where to park their boat to be on top of concentrations of catfish. No matter how it’s done, chumming increases catch rates for catfish...
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More Inside This Issue:
Bass Softbait Breakthroughs: Five Decades of Softbait Innovations
In the earliest issues, Ron and Al Lindner outlined the foundations of the In-Fisherman fishing systems without focusing on lure choices. In the Bicentennial summer (1976), a “Study Report” was devoted to “Bass on the Breaks,” in which several top present
Finesse Factor Smallmouths: Systems and Setups for Big Bronze
A smallmouth hears a delicate “plop,” followed eventually by an almost inaudible “click.” It approaches the sounds, hearing nothing else. Feeling subtle vibration it finally sees something small, gray, and nondescript, swimming slowly, quietly around boulders and rockpiles, blending in. It approaches. The closer it gets, the more excitement it feels.
Crankbait Walleyes: A Foundation for Success
If there's a lure style in walleye fishing that qualifies in the proverbial sense—no brainer—it's the crankbait. Catching fish can be as easy as snapping on a Shad Rap and running it along a weededge. Or along a drop-off. Or along the edge of a rockbar—or a timber edge.
Follow the Bluegills: Tracking Reveals Location and Behavior
One thing bluegill anglers know is how hard these panfish fight. The circling battle of a big one is most memorable, whether you watch through a hole in the ice or among lily pads. We also know a good bit about where big bluegills are found. In-Fisherman annually publishes Master Angler Award Program results, which accepts bluegills at least 11 inches long or 1 1/2 pounds in weight.
