Salmon Fishing: Cure Your Own Eggs
With reports of a good return of salmon expected here in the northwest and the spring steelhead fishing picking up it is a good time to think about curing some eggs for what is expected to be an exceptional salmon run.
One of the easiest ways of curing eggs and having a good quality out come is this one that I have been using for years. It consists of borax and salt mixed together in equal amount. I like to use Tender Quick just because it is a finer grain salt some of my friend prefer sea salt this is your own personal preference. Make sure that they are mixed together well or your eggs may not turn out as expected.
When collecting your eggs keep them as dry as possible, excess moisture will not give you the appropriate cure and your eggs will milk out pretty fast when you start fishing with them.
If you have to rinse them off to remove some blood make sure you pat them dry with paper towels. Wrap them in paper towels over night to draw out the remaining moisture; it is imperative that your eggs be as dry as possible. You do not want to freeze your eggs before they are cured as they will not pull in the borax and salt thoroughly and your eggs will just cure on the outer edges. Eggs will keep for about a week if sealed in a plastic bag and kept in a refrigerator but the sooner you cure your eggs the better they will turn out.
1. Start by unwrapping and placing on news paper in skeins
2. Use a small container filled with the borax and salt (I use an empty creamer container) pour this mixture onto the eggs making sure to pull apart each skein seam and complete cover them.
3. If you want colored eggs you can mix in a small package of sugar free Jell-O or Dry food coloring can be added to the borax and salt to get desired shade.
4. It's a good idea to cut your eggs into bait size pieces now
5. You will need to cover in borax/salt again I like to put them in a plastic bag filled with cure and then shake the bag thoroughly! You can do it however you want just make sure the eggs are completely covered with cure.
6. Once you have your eggs covered with cure spread them out on dry newspaper
7. Now let them air dry until a crust has appeared on the exposed side this takes about an hour or so.
8. Once the crust appears flip them over and let stand until they form a crust on the top side again.
9. Take the container you are going to use to store your eggs and cover the bottom with cure and then a layer of eggs, cover with cure and repeat this until you have all your eggs placed in the container and cover with fresh cure.
10. You can now freeze your eggs or place them in the refrigerator where they will keep for about two months.
Now all you have to do is wait for the salmon to start moving through and you will have some quality eggs to throw at them.
One of the easiest ways of curing eggs and having a good quality out come is this one that I have been using for years. It consists of borax and salt mixed together in equal amount. I like to use Tender Quick just because it is a finer grain salt some of my friend prefer sea salt this is your own personal preference. Make sure that they are mixed together well or your eggs may not turn out as expected.
When collecting your eggs keep them as dry as possible, excess moisture will not give you the appropriate cure and your eggs will milk out pretty fast when you start fishing with them.
If you have to rinse them off to remove some blood make sure you pat them dry with paper towels. Wrap them in paper towels over night to draw out the remaining moisture; it is imperative that your eggs be as dry as possible. You do not want to freeze your eggs before they are cured as they will not pull in the borax and salt thoroughly and your eggs will just cure on the outer edges. Eggs will keep for about a week if sealed in a plastic bag and kept in a refrigerator but the sooner you cure your eggs the better they will turn out.
1. Start by unwrapping and placing on news paper in skeins
2. Use a small container filled with the borax and salt (I use an empty creamer container) pour this mixture onto the eggs making sure to pull apart each skein seam and complete cover them.
3. If you want colored eggs you can mix in a small package of sugar free Jell-O or Dry food coloring can be added to the borax and salt to get desired shade.
4. It's a good idea to cut your eggs into bait size pieces now
5. You will need to cover in borax/salt again I like to put them in a plastic bag filled with cure and then shake the bag thoroughly! You can do it however you want just make sure the eggs are completely covered with cure.
6. Once you have your eggs covered with cure spread them out on dry newspaper
7. Now let them air dry until a crust has appeared on the exposed side this takes about an hour or so.
8. Once the crust appears flip them over and let stand until they form a crust on the top side again.
9. Take the container you are going to use to store your eggs and cover the bottom with cure and then a layer of eggs, cover with cure and repeat this until you have all your eggs placed in the container and cover with fresh cure.
10. You can now freeze your eggs or place them in the refrigerator where they will keep for about two months.
Now all you have to do is wait for the salmon to start moving through and you will have some quality eggs to throw at them.
