So, I suck at fishing sometimes, really suck.

I was on the Nisqually 12-19 up river of the campground. Only one other dude fishing and he hooked his second 15+ lb chum shortly after I arrived, nice and chrome! Me? Nothing. For three hours, nothing. I was using the same setup as the guy before me. I fished the whole bank. I even switched to some spoons to mix it up. Nothing. I was about as pissed off fishing as I've ever been. The fish were rolling and jumping right in front of me and the other dude had no problem catching them. I was using scent, Mike's salmon egg gel, maybe that was putting them off instead of attracting them.

To make maters worse I high centered my truck, in the middle of nowhere. After I cleaned out my shorts I somehow managed to free my truck, I really don't know how, one wheel was completely off the ground hanging over the edge of the road. Right after I freed my truck I got a text from a friend who caught steelhead on the Green.

Just one of those days.

I alwa,ys start fishing with no scent then move to scent if needed. Cured prawns work well on the chums, the few times I went to the nisqually last year they were the ticket.

I floated them w/ a jig instead of drift fishing though.

you need to simply observe "more closely" to the guy(s) who are having the success. chums are willing fish if you find them. meaning were thier laying, not jumping.

maybe you need a longer leader?

+1

I'm thinking you need to switch scents. Try shrimp.

I'm thinking you need to jerk a little harder at the end of your drift......

Keith

LOL

Like most chums, Nisqually chums hit. Most likely you were casting too far. They travel really close to the bank in that colored water. Try casting no more than 10 to 20 feet from the shoreline. You can keep your leader as short as you like. A chartruse corky and chartruse yarn will get them, as will others, but chums do seem partial to shades of green. This from a guy who doesn't even fish for chums.

Sg

If you aint jerkin it, you aint workin it!

prawn chunks always worked pretty well for me when i fished down there.

According to gamefishin the Nisqually is red hot for chums.

There was a small pod of orcas in the South Sound last week. I believe they were feeding on the winter chum.
Wish they were after the big California sealion on the Green Can.

Fish4brains, Love the moniker. A good band during their heyday!