How to Cure Salmon Eggs to Use for Bait
Salmon eggs are the primary bait used when fishing for king salmon or silver salmon. You need to cure fresh eggs to keep them from falling off the hook in a fast-moving river.
- Difficulty:
- Easy
Instructions
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1
Remove eggs from the salmon in entire skeins (sacks) when you clean the fish.
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2
Cover a large piece of plywood or other flat surface with a layer of borax 1/4 inch thick.
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3
Cut skeins into 3- or 4-inch sections sideways across the membrane.
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4
Lay the cut skeins in the borax, spaced about 1 inch apart. Shake some extra borax over the top.
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5
Set board in a shady area with good air circulation, out of rain and direct sunlight.
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6
Let skins dry from overnight to several days, depending on the humidity. Turn skins over every 8 to 12 hours.
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7
Shake off any excess borax and seal in plastic bags until ready to use.
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1
Tips & Warnings
The eggs are ready when they are dry and leathery to the touch, but still flexible.
Well-cured eggs will even keep until the following year's salmon season.
While the borax keeps most scavengers from eating the eggs, the scent can still attract them. Leave eggs to cure at the downwind perimeter of your fish camp.
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Comments
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eggmac
Oct 17, 2009
Open skeins, sprinkle a little salt, more sugar, pute in plastic bag, let juice up/re-absorb. Take skeins out,coat in borax (like flowering chicken)...cut skeins into large chunks that will fit in 1/2quart plastic containers (ziplock brand). When you layer the eggs in the containers put strips of herring, sardine or prawns between the layers of eggs/borax. When they freeze the bait chunks will dehydrate scent into the eggs. This cure is the best. Dont buy the prepackaged colored garbage....its just salt and dye. -
Nov 22, 2005
If your eggs accidentally freeze before curing, try this. Buy some "kosher salt" at your grocery store. Add 1/2 cup of salt to 1 quart of water. Wait until salt disolves completely. Add eggs and wait a day. Eggs will revive to original condition.
