Q: My question is should I be fishing straight down under the boat, or should I cast out away from boat to where the milo was spread, or does it even matter???? All 3 fish came directly under the boat, but we were getting bit when we would cast away as well, but were unable to hook up on any of the bites. Also, how long will you sit on a spot after chumming before moving? We gave the first to spots about an hour and moved. The third spot we stayed on for 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Is chumming more effective at night when catfish are more active?(are they more active at night?) I have tried chumming serveral times in the afternooon and early morning with little success.

A: (Albert) Most catfish are more active as the light level diminishes. Small channels and all blues are active in the daylight as well.

Flathead are a totally different fish, though. They don't stir in the daylight unless something bothers them. They are almost strictly nocturnal.

Chumming works where the catfish are. Catfish Chum is wasted when scattered where the kitties aren't. They will eventually find it, but the panfish might pick it up first

A: (Mike Covington) I think Albert offers the best advice I could offer here. I have noted for all to read time and again, chum will not draw kitties near as far as some folks apparently think it will. Now repeated chumming to the point of baiting might, but chumming won't.

What chumming does is fires the bite up. This is assuming you have a bite available where you dump your catfish chum.

Depending on the lake, but to me if you haven't been bit in the first ten minutes or less when you set up, odds are, you don't have a bite to fire up. You have flat out tossed your chum in the wrong areas.

This is why you do have to do some driving, looking, and thinking most times.

If you chum an area where you have caught kitties in the past, and the conditions are similar....Then chum this area. But chum three or four other locations as well. Give each spot no more than a thirty minute examination. If you want to stay on the lake a while....Toss some chum out before you leave (assuming you are confident the area should in fact be holding fish). Then after you have fished all three or four locations, come back to the first one and start over.

Also, even though Chad and I disagree on this.....Chumming is least effected from about now through the middle to end of June. You gotta take that bait to the kitties right now. Chum will not draw them out of the rocks, when they are busy nesting. You gotta catfish slap them in the face with your bait!!

In answer to jat's question....Chum is most effective when the kitties are on the bite. In other words, I have chummed at 10:00AM in the morning, on a bright sunny morning, and come back to the area I chummed less than thirty minutes later to find the water all muddy looking from the kitties swarming all over the bottom of the lake, kicking up silt to get to the chum.

Finally.....If you are fishing water open enough to allow you to cast out.....For example at night I chum long main lake points, then when I come back I anchor out from them and cast my bait out.....I'm simply convinced the kitties are less concerned with you being there, if you aren't setting on top of them.

But, if you are fishing heavy cover....You don't have a whole lot of choice. Unless you just like breaking your line off and replacing the terminal gear on it.

I do not ever chum water over about 12-15 foot deep and that is a maximum. I have found water deeper than this will almost always be holding dinks.

What I don't agree with at all....least wise on the lakes I have fished, is that chum will draw dinks. I simply have caught too many big fish over chummed holes. What I will tell you....And, I have said this many times....If you are catching dinks.....Get up and move. The big boys might be there later on, but they aren't there when the dinks are there, or the dinks would not be there. You might find some 12-13inch fish running with dinks, but I'm talking 4-7 lb fish will not run with dinks.

Q: Is there any preference in bait when chum is used, or should I just use what works under normal conditions?

A: (Albert) Bait preferance is up to the individual. Use whatever bait that has been producing for you at that body of water under the prevailing conditions.

I personally would use either a punch bait under a float (Sure Shot is my favorite) or fresh dead cut shad.

You may have your personal favorite, so use whatever you are confident of.