You might go fishing to have fun and relax, but the primary goal is to catch some fish. Although it can be fun to snag a trophy or set a record, the goal is to have some action.
Whether you take panga boat out daily or hit the water once per year, you’ll get more consistent results when chumming with live bait.
Chumming is a warm-weather tactic, which means you’ll get plenty of results for most of the year in Florida. It works well in the grass flats, especially when your bait is fresh and vigorous.
These tips can help you get the action you want whenever you respond to the call to spend a day fishing.
Tip 1: Maintain a Steady Stream
Most people throw too much of their bait to create an effective chumming outcome. If you’re fishing for trout, mackerel, snapper, or even marlin, sending a slow and steady stream from your panga style boat works better.
If you dump too much at once, the fish typically scatter as they chase the fleeing bait.
Try to be prudent with your supply. It also helps to have a few different varieties, including finger mullet, sardines, and menhaden.
Tip 2: Chunks Make Sense for Some Species
When your goal is to come home with some tuna, cobia, or wahoo, it makes sense to chunk your baitfish supply. When you cut up the baitfish, you’ll create more chumming action because the food source creates an immediate attractant when introduced to the water.
If you use this method, it is crucial to properly drift hook baits back to the drift from your panga boat. Cut a groove into the bait to conceal the hook effectively.
When the line comes tight to the bait, the drifting looks unnatural to the fish you’re trying to catch.
You’ll know that a bite happened when the line took off by keeping things loose. Engage your drag and set the hooks.
Tip 3: Oil Chum for Kingfish
A little chum oil (usually menhaden) goes a long way when taking a panga out to catch some kingfish. The odor travels significantly, so you don’t need to create a massive slick to generate some attention.
That’s the point of chumming. Fish are wary of unusual activities in the waters around where they live. These techniques bring them into range to have a better chance of getting the action you want.
Tip 4: Frozen Chumming Can Be Cheaper
Frozen chumming is big business in the Florida Keys. With this option, you’ll find people out on the waters each day catching everything from snapper to ballyhoo.
Instead of dumping the frozen chum into the water, use a high-quality chum bag to deliver the goods. You’ll have plenty of fish come along that you can reach with a simple casting net.
Another option for ballyhoo is to use small golden hooks with shrimp chum to get some action.
If your panga style boat (or another vessel type) doesn’t have the space for live chum, you can still achieve positive results with this affordable method.
Tip 5: Use Sand Balls
Even with the best chumming efforts in your toolbox, those wily fish can sometimes outsmart you. That means you’ve got to take your work to another level. One way to do this is to create sand balls to send overboard.
This live chumming method involves masonry sand, menhaden or cigar minnows, and a bit of water in a bucket. You’ll create a paste-like mud that forms into balls you can drop overboard.
The sand starts dissolving in the water, creating a cloud that stops the fish from seeing the cast net or line. They’re attracted to the chum instead. You can even hide a hook in the sand balls to secure your catch.
This tip works well if your goal is to catch yellowtail or grouper.
Tip 6: Let the Conditions Dictate Your Approach
Rough waters and long lines can adversely impact your live chumming techniques. When they hang a foot or two beneath the surface, calm waters won't release much. When you can take a flexible approach, you’ll find that more action comes your way – and your catch rate might climb.
Find a Panga boat for sale so you can get out on the water to practice these live chumming tips. Our Panga boat packages can be delivered anywhere in the United States!