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Comment by John Sheehan on November 6, 2016 at 7:10am

Welcome Edward Kendall !

Comment by John Sheehan on August 3, 2016 at 6:13am

Welcome Bait Guy !

Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on June 15, 2016 at 9:29am

"I'm also very interested in ground bait (chumming) and shore fishing. Trying to find a basic recipe for a ground bait for gill's." 

No need to get complicated here. I suggest these:

1. Cat Food, seafood flavors 

Dampen into a moldable mass, and toss nickel size chunks into the swim you are chumming. Once every ten minutes is enough.

Don't overfeed, so a little goes a long way. You want to create a "cloud" of fine nibblies, and a scent trail. Your aim is NOT to feed the fish, but entice them.

2. Finely chopped bits of whatever hook bait you're using.

This is kinda messy, and gets a little gross, but - hey, that's part of fishing. Chopped worms, mangled crickets, ground minnows, and so on. Same rules apply as above - don't feed, entice.

3. Ground "meaty bits"

Put some chicken liver or uncooked shrimp (with the shells) in a food processor and whirl it up coarse. Use this glop as a chum bait - I suggest mixing it with the cat food.

A wrinkle on this is to poke a can of cheap cat food full of holes and suspend it over the "fishing hole." A more modern take is to use the pouches of pet food, instead of cans.

MORE

DO you want to feed fish NOW, or create a "secret spot" where you know fish are consistently feeding?
If the former, use the items in 1-3 above.

If the latter, SINK the chum to the bottom and anchor it there. Don't forget to include a retrieval rope so you don't leave cans and pouches to pollute our shared waters.

This will draw micro-feeders, which draws the small feeders that eat the micro-feeders, which, in turn draws bigger feeders.... ad infinitum.
The drawback to this method is it takes time to be effective; hours, even days.
The benefit is it is consistent and lasts a long time.  

LORE

- Here in the Gritty South (SC), we have a saying:

"The best place to catch a fish is under a piece of cornbread."

I can vouch for this one. I make my "pone bread" with cracklin's and lots of grease. Sometimes I toss in some cheese. It is moist, delicious, and full of meaty flavors that fish like. It also makes a dandy snack while fishing.

- I've also heard that ground eggshells make an effective attractant/chum. The fish see the bright bits and come out of curiosity.

- Place minnows in a glass (plastic) jar that has small holes poked in it, and suspend it in the water at your fishing spot. The captive minnows attract other fish, which are then ripe for catching

- Collect road kill, raw meat scraps from the kitchen, the carcasses and guts of cleaned fish, even manure... and suspend it over your "honey hole." Hanging it in a tree branch, usually in a wire mesh cage near the surface, is traditional.
Do this when it is warm, and enticingly horrible oils and juices will begin to drip into the water as the stuff decomposes, which is like a siren call to fish. Meanwhile, flies have been working on the ghoulish creation, and their maggot-babies soon appear...and fall of into the water.

You may never get the fish to leave after this!

But it may also attract other anglers, or offend anyone within 100 feet... the smell, you see. So choose your Drip Site carefully.

Comment by June bug on June 15, 2016 at 7:54am

Thanks, I an a very avid ice fisherman and steel head fisherman, I use a lot of fixed floats for steel head fishing 90% of the time. Long rods and light lines. I'm just learning how to navigate through the forums and not very computer savoy, thanks for everyone's  patience. I'm also very interested in ground bait (chumming) and shore fishing. Trying to find a basic recipe for a ground bait for gill's. 

Thanks guy's

Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on June 15, 2016 at 7:24am

"Hi guys, Just joined your group. I'm learning a lot reading through some of the posts and pictures, thanks"

Welcome, June. Slip floats seems pretty basic, but in truth, they offer a fairly complex range of function for the angler. In fact, they are one of those time-tested methods that could be used alone, with no other technique, and rarely let you down.
And this isn't exclusive to bluegill, although they are generally considered a "panfishing" technique. You can size them to the fish you are after, or the water you are fishing - or both. 
No one uses them to the exclusion of other methods, since no one thing is perfect. But they're pretty darned close.

Comment by Gary Boysen on June 15, 2016 at 6:40am

Welcome aboard June. All like minded, great people here.

Comment by John Sheehan on June 15, 2016 at 6:23am

Welcome June! A bunch of  fishing nuts sharing their experience ,enjoy!

Comment by June bug on June 15, 2016 at 5:21am

Hi guys, Just joined your group.I'm learning a lot reading through some of the posts and pictures, thanks

Comment by John Sheehan on April 10, 2016 at 6:59am

Welcome Steve C.! Looking forward to your input ! Tight lines!

Comment by John Sheehan on March 16, 2016 at 5:59am

Welcome Kelly Peterson! Look forward to your input!

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