Chumming question

[TwoDocks]

Last week was the first time I chummed on the De. Bay. I couldn't get over how fast the current was which ended up taking the chum pot (suspended 1/2 way down) a country mile behind the boat. I varied my weights from 3/4 to 2 oz. which the latter held the bottom. Is this too much weight? I did try to free spool some clam into the slick without a weight. I couldn't imagine that a spinning clam would attract a striper strike, nor a bait just sitting on the bottom (unless a drum) So is it ok to have 1/4 to 1/2 oz weight with the bait suspended in the upper 1/2 of the water column deadsticked?

[snichols]

Last week was the first time I chummed on the De. Bay. I couldn't get over how fast the current was which ended up taking the chum pot (suspended 1/2 way down) a country mile behind the boat. I varied my weights from 3/4 to 2 oz. which the latter held the bottom. Is this too much weight? I did try to free spool some clam into the slick without a weight. I couldn't imagine that a spinning clam would attract a striper strike, nor a bait just sitting on the bottom (unless a drum) So is it ok to have 1/4 to 1/2 oz weight with the bait suspended in the upper 1/2 of the water column deadsticked?

I'm not much of a bait dunker but have done it enough to chime in on your questions.

I have never fished in a boat on the DBay where I used less than one ounce. Usually 2-3 ounces will hold unless there is a heavy current and deep water. On occasion you can catch fish with your bait suspended in the water column, but usually if it's not sitting on bottom, you won't do well.

Not to be a smart a*s, but how many clams have you ever seen swimming in the current? They are found buried in the sand and mud, which is where the stripers will be looking for them.

Hope this helps.

[zar2754]

chum heavy and hard...2 weeks ago we use the clam chum pot method and did well...but switched it up the week later and chopped the bellies themselves up and laddled them out with a mixture of salt water...very small pieces...keeping a constant chum line going...

guess what...every striper we filleted had our little pieces of chopped up chum in their bellies...

from now on im abandoning the chump pot and going with free floating chum instead...the stripers will eat their way right to ur baits..thats the whole purpose of chumming..

ive heard of some guys free floating there clams and catching..ive tried it and it has never worked for me...i stay on the bottom with 2-4oz in the de bay.

[freaky One]

I dont use a pot either....clean the clams and throw the shells in a 5 gal bucket mix with sea water and ladel the stuff in...the small stuff brings them in and we throw the shells right behind the boat...kinda like your own shell bed :)

[SNAKE EYES]

it seems the outgoing tide is running extremly hard, im sure someone like adam or capt paul can help us out with this one, as well as anyone else, but i attribute it to all the rain we had, just dumping the waste...dave