Let me preface my question by making a quick comment about what I saw the other day. My wife and I were at the T at Pine Gully Park when a (apparently) father and a couple of young boys were walking the dock. The father was teaching his boys about fishing, how to respect another persons area, everything a youngster should know. Too bad a lot of fishermen haven't had his guidance. I congratulated him on properly preparing a couple of future fishermen on how to do the right thing. A good man!

I also made a post about the proper etiquette about catching sharks. Like the father in the preface, I want to do the right (and legal) thing.

So here is my question. What is the proper etiquette for using chum, and what kind of fish does it attract? I have an idea of attracting sharks and catfish, but is there any other thing it attracts? Would it be proper to use it at places like Seawolf, Pine Gully, 18th Street? I mean, would people get pissed off about possibly attracting sharks or whatever else it attracts when they might be fishing for something like flounder?

And if anybody thinks this question stinks (like chum, get it?) please know I posted it because I want to do the right thing and I am just curious.

Berkley® Saltwater Gulp!® Chum creates a slick that tastes and works like fresh chum! No grinding, chopping, or refrigeration! Sinks to attract bait and game fish at various depths. 5 lb. bucket.



My knowledge of chum lies with what I could get out of wikipedia, the add on Bass Pro Shops and the following picture, and no, I ain't looking for anything near this size.

Well chumming isn't usually done on public piers and such. However should you choose to do so, you should ask your neighbors. I sometimes will chum for fish off of piers and will usually ask others if they're okay with it and on slow days most of them are more than okay with it. I won't however chum when I KNOW that everyone around me is fishing for flounder because it is prime flounder season. There is really no need for chumming then. If you wanna chum for sharks, then its best reserved for the surf/beach/jetty. Just my opinion.

i think it be a good idea, if the person or people next to me on a pier or bank were chumming it would increase my catches also hopefully... the chum i heard mostly attracts bait fish, such as pan fish..therefore attracting the bigger fish to the area also but also attracts the big fish too it self,, chumming is perfectly legal in saltwater so it bieng legal shouldnt bother anyone.. i too have wanted to try out that gulp chum but always forget to pick it up, im just wonderng if it comes in a big sack that u can tie it off to to keep it n a certain area, i know ive seen one on tv that comes in a bag but forgot the name of it.. oops i got off topic there didnt i?? well im sure noone would mind you chumming next to them as it would too increase there catches too, i know i wouldt mind

thats interesting,, ima pic me some of that,, i was at academy earlier toooooooooooooo n i forgot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

On the way to Bass Pro Shops in about 5 minutes. They called and told me my personal parking spot was vacant.

Actually they have some pretty smart people working there. Instead of calling me Jim, they call me by my Visa card number. I hear them in whispers............"here comes 2234_1432_0045 exp date 02/29/10, and his limit is 5K." Reminds me of being rated in a casino.

thats too funny Jim

Well, I bought a 5 gallon bucket of the Gulp chum from BPS for $19.99. If the weather clears up Saturday, I will give it a shot and see what happens. I was thinking Pine Gully, but I was informed by the wife that the Surfside Jettys is a spot she really liked. As the husband and man of the house I will do the manly thing and go where I want to go. Yea, Surfside is looking like a real possibility.

I will post the results.

Surfside has been looking really good here lately.