Spent Friday with a float and jig set-up, even tipping the jig with a piece of prawn. Casted into a lot of chum and even caught one. Just didn't catch as many as I expected. I'm new to the jig technique and trying to figure out what I may have been doing wrong. I'm confident I got my rig to the bottom and even got some good non-drag drifts in. I'm really kind of thinking that the chum just weren't in the mood. Anyone fail to hook into chum even when they are doing everything right? I was hoping to foul hook fewer than when I flyfish for them and try something new. Thoughts?

If you have to make a choice between fishing too deep and too shallow, pick shallow every time.

Eddie has it right. I suspect you were too deep. Friday two others and I landed at least 25 chums on the Sky in about four hours. We were fishing water about five feet deep with our jig at about three feet.

Be sure you get a drag free drift, and use a cerise jig. I did well on both the Aero jig in cerise and the Beau Mac cerise 1/8-ounce jigs. We used sand shrimp; prawns and shrimp oil. We did the best on sand shrimp, with prawns a close second. Did catch a few on the jig and shrimp oil but not nearly as well as with the prawn or sand shrimp.

Just thought I would throw in my 2 cents. Purple jigs with sand shrimp or prawns. Set your bobber stop so you are above the fish. they will come up and get it. These fish are light biters. sometimes the bobber just stops and whiggles.

My experience with chum at destonation fisheries.--- They are not in a feeding mood. Almost all if not all are snaged or lined in the mouth. If you wish to catch them in the mouth, fly fishing is the best bet. Cast in front of moving schools but don't jerk or set the hook, let the fish tell you with his own reaction. Lift the rod only when there is a solid strong pull.
Sorry to inform you that luring them to bite is next to impossible but hooking them in the mouth is very possible with the right teck.

I'm with Dave... a cerise jig tipped with a bit of prawn and you can just slay them. I put my jig direct to a swivel no leader. In six trips I've hooked close to 100 and only had one foul hooked. Most of those were taken with the bobber stop at ~2 feet. I can't picture how you would line a chum with a jig hanging straight down below a bobber.

Fished the Swift Creek spawning area on the Skagit Saturday for 3 hours with float & jig. Caught 8 in the mouth and only had to drag 3 in sideways. About 15 other fishermen were there, about evenly split between fly guys and guys casting jigs and corkies. Pretty disgusting to watch the snagging. Most were releasing the fish, but dragging chum in sideways is too much work for me. Left and went down the S. Skagit Hwy looking for some fresher fish. Found a back eddy that was loaded with doggies. Right elbow is so sore today that I had to give it a rest. But next Tuesday thru the weekend I'm going to be soaking jigs.

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I believe it's not hunger--it's agression that makes them bite/strike.

I fished the Sky today with a float and jig and lost count of how many dogs I caught (all in the mouth)--the Fly fisheman down steam was slapping the water for almost 3 hours and I only saw him catch one. The ones I did see get foul hooked by anglers were a result of the number of fish in certain slots and not the method they're being targeted with (I didn't see anyone driftin' with a 10' leader).

I agree with Eddie and Dave that it's better to have your leader a little short than too long--they'll move up to strike, but not down.

Pink seemed to be the preferred color for take downs today.

I am from the midwest and fish mostly lake M. rivers for steel and salmon species but have noticed if I hold back the jig occasionally and give it a few twitches here and there it really makes a difference. The slight action drives these salmonids batty. Just yesterday I was fishing with a friend that does not fish jigs very well and blew him out of the water with this technique on steel. You might already of tried this but thought I would chime in

It is clear to me it was a problem with your depth that created a lack of hook ups. You need to get "dialed" into the drift you are running the float/jig through. First find the bottom by floating your jig and getting it to bounce on the bottom, then bring the bobber up at least one foot, so you are floating at least one foot off the bottom. If one foot is not working, then continue to adjust the float up (in six inch increments) in the water column until you find the proper depth of the striking fish. As always, you need to get the bait/lure on the fishes nose ("dialed in")

My $.02 worth

Thanks for the jig wisdom. I suspect indeed I may have been too close to the bottom as my float angled downstream a significant amount of the time. I was also on the Skagit rather than the Sky but in the past I've had good luck on the Skagit flyfishing for the chum so I'm pretty confident they should have gone after my presentation. Looks like I better get back out and get things figured out, he he he. Thanks again. -Old Chum

Oh, does a prawn smell trump a jig color?

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I think it's just the old one-two punch.

Certain colors produce better than others in different conditions.

They're just pi$$ed off and agressive when there in the river and thinking of spawning--if a little twig comes at them in the river they'll let it pass--but if something comes at them that looks and smells like it might be a tasty treat--it's gonna deal with dogs teeth.

As for jigs, I'd suggest you go as light as the river current/slot will allow and still be able to get the presentation down.

I used both 1/8 and 1/16 once jigs yesterday with the river at about 2800 cfm and dropping.

As for fresh prawns, bigger isn't better--tip the hook with no bigger than a finger nail sized piece of prawn and watch that float do a diappearing act.

Dave, Dave, Dave... You gave our prawns a "close second"!!!??? VERY DEBATABLE!! So much for the my bag is your bag idea.
(It was an honor to share my bait and my boat with you, it was a blast wasn't it!?)
OC : I will also support the view that depth is EVERYTHING. Get it in their face or just above and they will kill it.

Fishbelly2:

Sorry, I should have mentioned that all I had was sand shrimp and that I ran out, and you were kind enough to share. It was gracious of you to share your hole with me and to share your prawns and to give me a ride back. I am forever in your debt. In my defense, I ran out of sand shrimp im part because I was giving them to the new guy who came in, and cuz those chummies just loved them. It was a hoot! Wanna do it again on Thanksgiving?

I have a friend from the east coast who has never caught a salmon. I'm planning to go
back with him to the same place on turkey day.

I love getting guys into their first fish.

If we don't get too much rain on Thanksgiving then I'm going to try the jig option again. Actually I probably will get over to a smaller river on the other side of the state and try to catch a steelhead. I might just leave the fly rod at home and try this jig technique as I'm pretty bitten by it. Do people like marabou or more of a rigid plastic type jig for steelhead? Most of the jigs seem to be marabou but the last guy on the Sky that I saw catch a steelie with a jig got it on a small pink rubber jig (not a worm). I can see that I'll have to purchase multiple options and experiment here.