I've done a few batches of chum in the past month that have turned out really well.

Here's what I do:

Fillet fish
Blot Dry with a paper towel
Pull the pin bones out
Salt generously and let stand for 2-3 hours ( I use Mortons Non-Iodized fine grain salt)
Rinse the salt off and blot dry again
I then let it air dry until it is opaque ( I forget what they call that?)
Then I make a thick paste from brown sugar (I like the dark stuff) and a little bit of warm water and spread it over the fillets
The brown sugar will melt and run off so I like to add a little more before it goes in the smoker. I usually leave the brown sugar on for at least over night.
I then throw it in the Little Chief. Thicker pieces on the bottom thinner pieces towards the top.
One pan of apple chips then a pan of alder chips. After that it's just a matter of leaving it in the smoker until it reaches the desired texture. Some of the thicker fillets stay in for as much as 16-18 hours. And I also put the box over to hold in the heat and smoke. I get better results if I cut the thicker fillets into 2-3 inch wide strips before smoking rather than leaving the fillet whole. I like that there is a minimum of ingredients and doesn't over-complicate things. Sweet and salty, Yummmy!

Never, NEVER, ever place your smoker on your deck!!! Not ever. I'm speaking from experience and I'm sure others will agree.

Hope this helps,

Camo