Chums what are they good for?

Having a fun day of fishing, of course

Haven't really keep chums in the past because of the ugly looking fish. Are they good for smoking?

caught in the salt other than hoodport when they are dime bright they are not too bad ....but i do not like too bad when i'am takling about fish i'am going to eat. they are great fighters!

If you purchase Keta salmon specialty packs in the store or at the airport, you're buying Chum salmon. A lot of marketing is in the name of the product and who wants to buy Chum or Dog salmon........

The worse salmon when it comes to parasites. Chums are loaded with them. For many chum the last parasite they latch onto is a December river fisher who keeps the black moldy chum because they are "good smoked".

They are great fighters and will actually bite a lure, unlike most of our coho these days. As tablefare........a fairly bright chum smoked properly is pretty good. I release nearly all my chums and go home with a sore arm.

When caught the same day as eaten, I think they are good. I've caught chum in the salt when they have been chrome bright, filleted and grilled or baked and they have been excellent. I've also smoked them and they are good too. I havn't had the nerve (or the need) to take a boot.

The brightest chums I have ever seen are on the Nush in Alaska and they run in June. You guys need to hook one up there to understand "sore arms" and "hard fighting"

personally I just like them smoked, not to big on the baked fillets.

the only thing dogs are good for is there eggs i would take chum eggs over any other fish

Some of the best crab bait around. Keep a carcass or two for baiting your pots. You won't feel bad keeping a few fish and it pays off dividends in July.

they're great for keeping the crowds out of my secret silver grounds in november!

Safeway was selling them as "silverbrite" salmon last year.

chums are nasty fish. one time i netted one it was about 50lbs. it was also nasty

50 lb. Chum...OK! Not

50 lb chum lol thats like calling a king 35lbs when its actually 15 lbs tops....i love when fisherman estimate salmon weights.....

No, actually its like calling a Sockeye about 20-25 lbs. A Coho: maybe 40. Pink: Why not 20. Chinook: 140. Who knows

WDFW's site used to claim the name Keta came from what the old Indian tribes called them. This explanation must have come from a Washington State Civil Servant with a great imagination and little education. Keta in Latin means Dog.

I used some chum for bait in the late crab opener last fall and they were great, although you have to explain to everyone as you leave the river that you are not going to eat that old boot your carrying!

I'd rather buy my crab bait than try to explain that...

...Chum, the other white meat

Cheaper than hamburger.