CHUM BIO
AKA: berley, burley, stink bait, bunker
PROMINENT FEATURES: WHAT IS CHUM?
Chum is the ultimate fish attractant. Found in many different formulations, some requiring refrigeration, others not. Some dry, some moist, every fisherman seems to have their own special recipe to attract fish. Generally chum is comprised of fish or fish by-products; sometimes fish oil is added to create a slick on the water. The idea is a slow dispersal of the attractant to draw bait to the chum – and in turn catching the attention of the larger fish and create a feeding frenzy.
WHAT DISTINGUISHES A QUALITY FROZEN CHUM?
The best recipe for quality frozen chum calls for the freshest of whole dark meat baitfish (herring, mackerel, sardines, menhaden) that are naturally high in blood, fat and oil content – in that order. Meat scraps or protein are of the least importance in the chum, while the blood, fat and oil are the “lures” that bring the fish to the bait.
The best chums start with a fresh fish, grind it using a 3/8″ to ?” bit depending on the baitfish species and size, and the desired finished product of fine or coarse ground. The added ingredients depend upon the fish being targeted as well as the water system where the product will be deployed. Additional ingredients may include fish oils, sand, oatmeal, rice, macaroni, dog or cat food, fish food – the list can go on and on.
Many chum producers grind fish scraps from food production or shrimp boat by-catch, to which they will add copious amounts of fish oil and other ingredients to ‘stretch’ the chum and to fool the customer with an artificial chum “slick”. The color of a chum tells a lot about its quality. It should be a very dark reddish or brown – avoid a tan or yellowish chum.
BAITMASTERS demands particularly fresh baitfish that matches the criteria of a first class, quality chum. There are no added ingredients in our branded chums – no product stretchers -with the exception of pure menhaden (pogy) oil and anise oil (Tournament Chum in the dispenser bag) to enhance the chum’s ability to incite the feeding frenzy.
DRY, SHELF STABLE CHUM:
Dry chums do not require refrigeration so they are convenient and easy to use. There was a time when we would mix canned cat food or jack mackerel and bread, but this was messy and specific to attracting small baits for cast netting. In the past few years there have been a few individuals who have added some technical know-how, trial and error and fishing experience to develop recipes that are very effective for both bait fishing and to attract the targeted fish. We have chosen only the best of the best for our product line. These formulations are often used in conjunction with frozen chum, or they are deployed either by utilizing dispensers at the same time or mixed together using one dispenser.
USES:
Fisherman around the world use chum as a fish attractant to increase their catch.
Anglers create a stinky slick in the water (hence the term “stink bait”) and wait for the fish to come, then cast their lines into the resulting FISH FRENZY! Increase your catch, always bring the chum. And never forget the chum when fishing with kids.
PACKAGING FORMS:
Frozen:
5 lb blocks in a ready to use biodegradable mesh bag
7 lb boxed blocks
25 lb boxed block
30 lb bucket
Dry, Shelf Stable:
Please refer to the listing for the chum in question.
