I have about two dozen mackerel in the freezer from last fall. Was thinking of trying to make some sort of chum mix with them. Are there any basic "recipes", and would the macs work as part of the mix?

Mackerel make good chum. Pogies and clam bellies make the best. Chum in a spot with some current but not too much current. I like to chunk with the same chum that I'm using. So if I'm chumming with squid, my hook baits are also squid. Some guys will make a blend--a little of this a little of that. The key is to chum with chum and not chunks. I take my time when I dice. Small bits, real small. Don't want to feed the bass, just drive them into a frenzy.

Do you mix it with other stuff? Oatmeal, cornmeal?

I wouldn't bother Steelhead. Keep it simple. Some guys will add some bunker oil to the mix, other than this I'd stick with the basics. The key to chumming is the spot that you pick to chum in.

i've heard some folks use sand in the mix so the sent goes to the bottom :huh:

I've found chum not necessary when fishing down current from Ebbie Van Hog :wave:

-spence

My recipe:

4+ Gallon batches (freeze ina 5 gal. pail)

Ingredients:
1.5 gallons herring chum
2.0 gallons mackerel chum
1 tablespoon of glitter
1 quart fish oil
1 quart sand
1 pint oatmeal

Chum stinkpots
Get an old style meatgrinder at a yardsale, usually has a clamp on it. Defrost mackeral well. Insert head first :yak6: I'll save a couple quart sized wax boxed juice containers to pour the sludge into. A rope through from side to side as a handle, better done after pot is filled. And into the freezer! The waxed container can then be poked full of holes as you need. I hang them over the side and sometimes use a mesh bag as well. Depending on how thawed it is, a little shake keeps a nice flow going.

One word of advice....use a designated freezer, trust me.

Designated Freezer? What's that??? Uh-Oh!!!! The wife's gonna be pissed!!!!

add cornmeal & oatmeal :huh: ? you must be thinking of carp fishing or feeding ducks. :wave:

You really need a bait freezer. I am thinking of getting a second one this year.

You're wife will LOVE you when you take that herring out of the freezer are you kidding me? :lm:

Everyone uses their special chum recipe, all of them seem good to me. If you have a chum grinder I would add some bunker oil...it really makes it go down eaiser.

If you want to make ALOT of chum, purchase a modest wood chipper and insert all your fish remains. It makes fast work of fish guts and IMO it is better then putting it in the dumpster. It is also a blast to watch it grind up a big fish in seconds. :bl:

For shark chum, add blood with sand. (it is considered unsportsman-like to use mammal blood) but if you have a slauter house near by you might consider picking some up) A 50 gal drum goes a long way :bl:

For bass/blue/bonito, ect...mac's with bunker oil works good. Freeze and place in a chumbag to use.