Non-Fly River chum techniques?

[SilverFly]

They can be responsive to very small flies.

And that doesn't necessarily mean fished on fly gear. My only experience with chums was using standard drift gear on a Northern Oregon coast river about 30 years ago. Wasn't having any luck with various corky/yarn combo's. Didn't have a fly rod or flies, so just used strips of egg yarn to wrap the shank of the same hooks I was using, leaving a short tag tucked under the egg loop. Basically a chartreuse Teeny nymph. Other than cutting the lead back for a more natural drift, didn't change anything else and started hooking fish. And no I wasn't flossing, I could see fish move to take the fly instead of moving out of the way of the corky.

 

[Dustin Chromers]

You can get them on the swing, but fishing softer water with an indicator and a pattern tied on a jig hook is more effective in my opinion. Basically imitating gear guys fishing a bobber and jig, which is highly effective.
Maybe not as much fun as swinging, but the indicator will go down… a lot when it is on.
SF

I wouldn't disgrace the noble chum to fish one with an indicator. Blasphemy.

 

[Kado]

I am willing to shame ONE…
I’ll swing for the second…..unless the first was Really fun. : )

 

[Shad]

That's the spirit, folks! Dignity has a price, but it's generally pretty cheap, so get 'em how you can!

 

[Jagosh]

And that doesn't necessarily mean fished on fly gear. My only experience with chums was using standard drift gear on a Northern Oregon coast river about 30 years ago. Wasn't having any luck with various corky/yarn combo's. Didn't have a fly rod or flies, so just used strips of egg yarn to wrap the shank of the same hooks I was using, leaving a short tag tucked under the egg loop. Basically a chartreuse Teeny nymph. Other than cutting the lead back for a more natural drift, didn't change anything else and started hooking fish. And no I wasn't flossing, I could see fish move to take the fly instead of moving out of the way of the corky.

That sounds like fun. It would be rare to find the room to drift fish for chin where I am at but every once in awhile I find myself alone in the spot and will come prepared.

 

[Kado]

Tried again for four hours this morning. Saw several but still not one grab. Used jig flies on the swing down deep. Tried everything I could think of but couldn't get any movement from them. Couldn't get myself to use an indicator though...
Beautiful very cold morning!

 

[Dustin Chromers]

Tried again for four hours this morning. Saw several but still not one grab. Used jig flies on the swing down deep. Tried everything I could think of but couldn't get any movement from them. Couldn't get myself to use an indicator though...
Beautiful very cold morning!

They don't always cooperate and each river or run is it's own thing. We have been riding an East wind and the bite is generally not good on such days. Going smaller is normally my move in such conditions. That and patience and persistence. Try fishing for coho. When you do that the chum will show up in such bounty it's annoying.

 

[Jagosh]

They don't always cooperate and each river or run is it's own thing. We have been riding an East wind and the bite is generally not good on such days. Going smaller is normally my move in such conditions. That and patience and persistence. Try fishing for coho. When you do that the chum will show up in such bounty it's annoying.

Witnessed exactly that today. My big pink jig was out fished by a guy across from me 2-6 this afternoon with his little pink jig. Gent was putting on a clinic and that is normally me in that spot!