Chumming for sharks means putting fresh, oily fish in the water and letting a moving tide carry the scent out, so sharks downstream smell it and follow the slick right back to your boat. Sharks have an incredible sense of smell and key on a fresh kill, so the whole game is location, fresh bait, and a strong tide. In this How 2 Tuesday I explain how I chum sharks up in the clear water of the Florida Keys, the bait that works best, how to build an oily slick, and how to do it safely so you can pick and choose which shark you want to catch. Press play above and follow along.
Listen now: press play in the player above and follow along.
You anchor or drift at a spot known to hold sharks on a strong tide, then put fresh, oily fish in the water and let the current carry the scent out behind the boat. Sharks have an excellent sense of smell, so any shark that swims through that scent trail follows it back to you. The longer and stronger the chum line runs, the more sharks you pull in, which is why a moving tide and wind matter so much. Done right, in the right place at the right time of year, the sharks come right up to the surface where you can pick which one to catch.
Fresh, oily fish. Sharks are not really scavengers, they want a fresh kill, so old, stinky chum is not their favorite. In the Keys I have used barracuda a lot, and kingfish, jack crevalle, mackerel, ladyfish, and amberjack all work. An oily fish like barracuda or kingfish is best because of all the oil and blood it puts in the water. If you cannot catch one, hit the fillet tables the day before for fresh carcasses, mahi carcasses work well, and keep everything on ice and as fresh as possible.
The tide is what carries your scent trail out to the sharks. You want to chum on a moving tide, not a slack tide, so the oils and blood drift well away from the boat. The further out the chum line goes, the more sharks you bring in, so the stronger the tide, wind, and current, the better. I like to anchor with a strong tide carrying the slick away, or you can drift, but you always want water movement working for you.
The Keys style, pioneered by guys like Ralph Delph, Kenny Harris, Jose Wejebe, and Robert Trosset, is to take a barracuda or kingfish, half-fillet one side and cut it off, then butterfly the other side open and let that fresh meat hang in the current. All the oils and blood wash out and leave an oily slick on the surface that extends way out behind you. Freshen it up periodically by hacking or cutting more off so the scent stays strong.
Be careful and treat chummed-up sharks with respect, because they are excited and right next to the boat. Do not let little kids or anyone slip into the water. All you need is spinning tackle, twenty to thirty pound test for big ones, a short piece of wire, and a small circle hook. Use a long, three-foot hook remover to get hooks out, do not get down there with little pliers, because a shark bites whatever it puts its mouth on. If you are nervous, use a barbless hook so it comes out easily.
Not long. If nothing comes into your chum line within an hour, and usually you will know within fifteen minutes, move to a new spot. Do not dump all your chum at once either. If you have three or four carcasses, try one first and trickle it back, and cut pieces to throw around the boat for extra scent. Being patient but willing to move keeps you from burning all your bait in a dead spot.
I do not believe there are any trash fish, and sharks are a great one to target. They are perfect for kids, for less-experienced anglers, for anyone infatuated with sharks, or for when you have a couple of hours to kill. As a guide, sharks have saved more than one day for me when the target species was not there. I get into why I love them so much in this episode, so press play in the player above.
Here is the process I use to chum sharks up in the Keys. I tell the stories behind each step in the episode.
I go deeper on each of these in the episode, so press play in the player above.
The biggest mistake people make is using old, stinky chum. Sharks are not carrion eaters, they key on a fresh kill, so the fresher and oilier your bait, the better it works. I explain exactly what I look for and where I get it when I cannot catch my own, in this episode, so press play in the player above.
The tide is your delivery system. Put your slick into a strong, moving current and it carries the scent far out behind the boat, pulling in every shark that swims through it. The stronger the flow, the bigger your strike zone. I break down how I position for the tide in this episode, so press play in the player above.
Once the sharks come up to the surface, you can actually pick and choose, passing on small blacktips to catch a lemon, for example. I also care a lot about doing this safely and releasing fish clean, getting the hook back, especially with circle hooks, and pulling out any old hardware I find. I cover the safety and handling in this episode, so press play in the player above.
Chumming for sharks is one of the most fun, visual things you can do, especially in clear water. Pick a good spot, use fresh oily bait, let a strong tide carry your slick, and handle the fish with respect.
Do that and you will have sharks tracking right up to the boat where you can choose your fish. Press play in the player above and I will walk you through it.
How 2 Tuesday is my weekly series where I break down one fishing skill at a time, from knots and casting to gear, tactics, and the habits that make you a better angler. Watch and listen to every How 2 Tuesday episode from Tom Rowland.
Ralph Delph · Kenny Harris · Jose Wejebe · Robert Trosset · Florida Keys · sharks · lemon shark · blacktip shark · barracuda · kingfish · jack crevalle · mackerel · ladyfish · amberjack · mahi · circle hooks · chumming · How 2 Tuesday · Saltwater Experience
I'm Tom Rowland, a professional fishing guide based in the Florida Keys, host of the Tom Rowland Podcast, and the longtime host of the Saltwater Experience television show. On the podcast's How 2 Tuesday series I break down one practical skill or lesson at a time, from fishing technique and gear to the habits that make you a better angler, in short, focused episodes you can put to use right away.
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