I was wondering if someone would give me the lowdown on how to rig the mini hootchies for chum. I have a good idea of what will work but am curious to see what others have used. Thanks.-Tom

ive always used hootchies for chum. its alot cheaper then some of the flies i have baught for the chumly purpose. also just a 2inch piece of dark green yarn wrapped to a red hook with red or blue (for some reason those to colors seem to work best and i have noticed a big difference) will work good.

Ive used hootchies once before on my bug rods and I hated the way they casted, so I never used them again. Though they would probely work pretty good.

Use plastic crappie tube jig bodies. they come in sizes from 1" to 2", with 1.5" being most readily available.

Lots of color choices. Check Ebay

Tom,
This is how I'd do it. I'd slide the mini hoochie over a 1/16 oz RVRFSHR jig head. Pierce the hoochie with the hook eye between the eyes. A quick palomar knot and your fishing.

Next year you will be able to use an Ace Hi micro fly Maybe even this year

TBJ,

After you've taken your demerits for fishing for chum on purpose, you'll earn further demerits for trying to fish a hootchie on a fly rod. Just say no!

If you still insist on tangling with chum on your fly rod, follow Bankwalker's suggestion about yarn. A short history story: years ago I ran into a co-worker along the lower Satsop River. I was searching for silvers, and he was hoping to catch a fish, any fish. He asked about catching one of the chum salmon that were concurrently running up the river. I cautioned him that we don't sport fish for chums. Yet he insisted. Since he grew up in the east and had last lived in Hawaii, I relented. As we walked along the river, I spotted a piece of slightly dirty chartruse green yarn on the trail. I picked it up and tied in on my hook, whatever it had been. We walked over to the river, and I showed him where the chums pass up the river, made a cast, immediately hooked a chum, and handed him my rod so he could play it. Then I intoned that I would then be required to hook two silvers to undo the demerits just earned for hooking that chum salmon on purpose. Chartruse yarn or anything else is chum candy.

Sg

PS: the above is slightly t.i.c., but only slightly.

Good story Sg.

If I'm fishing for food then yes, coho are much more sought after in my book. However, for sport, aggression, and bull-dog tenacity, chum will take it to most hatchery mutant coho that are found in WA. They don't go through moody swings like coho do as they are almost always ready to strike a well presented fly. Tied tail to tail, I'd wager on the chum pulling the coho until it drowns. They are ugly, mean, nasty, and have an "I don't give a crap" attitude. For the most part, you can keep your non-biting coho that would rather twist in circles than acutally fight a good battle. If I'm looking for a good old fashion arse whoppin', I'll take chum over coho any day.

I agree, had 5 bull dog me today 10 min a piece easy! Chum are the sharks of the river...

Are you serious? How micro are we talking?

Should be out soon. They are catching blackmouth now and will be heading out for Steel soon. Should be good for trout and Kokes too. Even the walleye guys are wanting them back east. Should be good behind spinners in front of a pink worm ect ect.