Tom,

I've fished for both chums and humpies over in front of the hatchery. Humpies will be running again next year. I waded for them and used my 5 wt with a floating line. Used a hot pink fly that was unweighted. Found schools and cast to them. Usually had a hook up right away.... but it's hard to get a second hook up from the school.

Chums... I've been fishing them over there since the early 90's. Used to be easier before Finch Creek re-routed itself. It used to go straight out to the canal. Now it takes a dogleg left and is too hard to fish with a fly rod. One needs a boat or a belly boat to fish it properly. I used a heavier rod here... an 8 or a 9 also with a floating line and this time with the standard lime green "chum candy". I've caught them up to 23 pounds out in front of the hatchery. Shame I didn't know it back then as back then the saltwater record was only 14 pounds. I'd caught about 15-20 fish that broke the record that year. I think a 23 pounder would still do it, but with the creek re-routing itself, it's harder to do. A vee-boat or a pontoon boat would be better than a donut style belly boat.

I may be over this year if duck hunting doesn't get in the way. I'm also going out bird hunting as I got a lab last year.

For others reading this, fly gear works best in the shallows (up to 15 feet) in front of the hatchery. If one gets further out in deeper water or along the deeper shoreline to the north ( 0.5 or 1.0 mile) of the hatchery, then standard spoons, jigs or spinners give better results.