Northwest Fishing Reports

I'm not done fishing for Coho quite yet, but thought I would see if I can prep a bit for Chums in the Duwi. I live close to there, so I tend to fish it quite a bit during the weekdays when there are fish in that part of the river.

For the life of me, I have not been able to catch a chum in the Duwamish. Up river, no problem. Down river, nothing.

I know there are at least of few of you out there that have success pulling them out of the lower river (I'm looking at you JumpinJim, haha). Is there anything tried and true out there that works for you on this particular system?

Feel free to PM me if you're inclined to share any information but want to limit the eyes and ears who may be privy....

There have been some recent reports posted from guys fishing the lower river. They got theirs with eggs.

Chum are pretty aggressive, they like purple and green. A little further up around auburn they like jigs tipped with shrimp, in high tide on the Duwi I like to twitch jigs with shrimp, cast vibrax with herring oil juiced on 'em. When the tide is out and you've got current to work with, drifting a black spotted rainbow cheater with purple yarn soaked in herring or shrimp will do the trick. Eggs will always work for the lockjawed fish, but for the most part, chums tend to be very bitey.

Chum for the most part are a krill eater, being a krill eater naturally they go for more pinkish colors. Hot pink and cerise seem to be the two colors that they most aggressively go for. All of your shrimpy scents are best to use also krill, prawn, sand shrimp etc.

Can't say about the Duwamish, but I've heard, witnessed, and experienced in other systems...green or chartreuse, with orange tossed in there. I don't know..it's fish and it's their environment and their mood. Experiment

are chums worth fishing for in terms of keeping an edible fish or are they more useful for sport fishing?

Hepker wrote:are chums worth fishing for in terms of keeping an edible fish or are they more useful for sport fishing?

They lack a lot of fat so making jerky with them is always a good option. Fresh chrome fish only.

Hepker wrote:are chums worth fishing for in terms of keeping an edible fish or are they more useful for sport fishing?

cut in strips, beer batter and deep fry. Again, only bright fish.

chrome_chasin wrote:

Hepker wrote:are chums worth fishing for in terms of keeping an edible fish or are they more useful for sport fishing?

cut in strips, beer batter and deep fry. Again, only bright fish.

That actually sounds like a really good idea considering they are the driest and least fatty. Rolled in corn meal like a catfish might not be bad either.

Dry is not what I would call them. Chum have less actual fat than say a big king or coho but what they do have in abundance is oil in the flesh. Unless you cook the crap out of them its pretty hard to dry them out. It's the number one reason they get used for smoking. Well and price but you can buy #2 socks or coho for less than good chum and chum are still preferred. Lots O good omega's there.

fried up some coho and chum last night, both in tempura with sea salt and fresh cracked pepper. The coho was divine, and the chum was surprisingly very good. It did not have as strong of a fish flavor such as the Ho but turned out very light, flaky and incredibly moist. No difference in the moisture between the ho and the chum. Admittedly the Ho was superior in taste but will fix chum like this again in the future when I am out of Ho fillets. Served with a spicy tarter sauce along side seasoned steak fries dredge in ranch and franks hot sauce along side a double Knob Creek on the rocks... It was a great dinner.