Chumming ?

[Varina h2ok9z]

I have only been on the bay once chumming for stripers (charter) and it was a blast and done it a couple of times offshore while bailing dolphins.

I'm not asking for anyone's secret spot but what do you look for in a good chumming spot? I mainly plan on fishing the lower Rapp, York, and a little in the bay. Depth, type of structure, points and drop offs? How far off of structure should you be? Also, the stronger current the better?

thanks for any info

Mark

[jrocket567]

NNeck reef.

get on top of it.

[Mike-JacksonCreek]

I only chum a few times a year and its at the NN Reef. I look for a hump to anchor over and try and position the boat about 50 ft down current from the hump. Its hard to do. If there are charters or private boats there and thay are catching fish, anchor above current or parallel to them but stay at least 100ft or more away. Never anchor down current in their chum lines. Its rude and will piss them off.

Also on anchoring, its really aggravating when you can't get the anchor set. Water is 30-40 ft deep so you need at least 100ft our if you have chain, more if not. Its also embarassing (to me anyway) when you can't get hooked up. I use a 22lb danforth with 6 ft of chain. Thats way overkill for a 24 ft boat but I get it set first time all the time.

On chum, the charters usually use fresh never frozen chum..thats the best. If you can't get that then buy it frozen...RW's sells it, so does Va Seafood in Reedville and at Mundy Pt. Also NN Reef is a geat spot to love line spot...many of the charters do that as well in addition to chumming.

There is a secondary location to chum SW of the NN Reef called the concrete piles, I have never fished that area

You already did the best thing...taking a charter to learn then trying it yourself.

Good luck

Mike on Crabber One

[capt. dave]

If the NN Reef isn't producing, which it does from time to time, switch over to the Asphalt Pile Reef. It isn't always good, but better than nothing. Circle around the yellow bouy until you find the structure humps, run a little up current and drop the anchor so the hump is 30 to 40 yards behind you so your chum will wash over the hump and pull the fish off of the structure. I like to sling out the fresh chum, but also keep a block of frozen chum in a bag in the water so you have a constant trickle of chum going into the water. Live lining small spot or croakers will improve your catch.

[Varina h2ok9z]

Thanks, I ground some fresh herring and menhadden (and a few other things) back in the spring and froze individual packs so hopefully the weather coops so we can give it a try. Thanks for the info - very appreciated. I'll be sure to post what happens!

[Mike-JacksonCreek]

Now is the time to chum at the NN Reef. Go look at Midnight Sun's website. He is a charter out of Smith Pt...Ryan Rogers. The pic's he posts saw it all on how the fishing is. If I can I'll be there sat and sun. Leave the dock right as the sky is getting grey.

Mike

[rappahanockman]

I wish we had some better deep structure to Chum around in the Deltaville area.
The NN Reef is a heck of a trip from the Rappahannock.

[Varina h2ok9z]

The charter I had been on was with Capt Ryan, I just haven't been able to make it up to see him in a couple years but would highly recommend his charter.

[Remobeater]

The asphalt pile isn't far from deltaville. Its on the western side closer to the rapp then wicomico river I believe. We didn't see much there but we didn't give chumming a try to get anything out.

[capt. dave]

Varina, you fished with one of the best when you went out with Capt. Ryan Rogers. I worked with him as his mate a number of times and fished with him as a customer too. We fished the Bay from Point No Point and the Target Ship down to New Point Comfort. He knows the waters very well and knows how to catch fish.