Preserving Herring...Frozen or Salted ???

[lingbling]

hey just wondering how you all go about preserving herring and other baits...thanks for any info !

 

[directmule]

I keep it frozen until needed, thaw it out, add coarse salt and add Mrs. Stewart's Bluing. I found out last year, with the bluing, it lasted a lot longer than with just the salt.

 

[spring fever]

Don`t forget the pwdrd milk with the course salt and bluing- Blueing gives the shine-salt and milk toughens the flesh and skin. Check www.salmonuniversity.com/ol_brining_herring.html for the exact recipe.

 

[pescador]

Use a plastic container. Lay down course salt on bottom, place your frozen anchovy on top of the salt. Be careful when you pull them apart to reduce damaging them. I then layer more salt on top of the anchovy then lay down more anchovy on top of that salt and so on. They then go back in the freezer. I pull them out of the freezer the night before I fish (usually 24 hours is enough time to cure). By this point they are cured up and are quite dehydrated and solid. They retain their silver color and shape. I don't do the brining/bluing/dehydrated milk thing. Too much work and I personally don't believe it’s necessary although I'm sure lots of people will have other views. I learned this process from fisherman in the south of Spain. It works for them and I've found it works for me. Also, I keep bait for months sometimes. I waste less bait. I bet I cut my annual cost of bait in half since I started doing this.

 

[wstcoaster]

i do the same thing rock salt keep in freezer keep unused bait back into freezer after each use doesent matter if it is thawed it will still be okay next time

 

[lingbling]

would you go anout it the same way for squid ?

 

[wstcoaster]

no reason it wod not work salt it use it freeze leftovers

 

[pescador]

Anything will cure with salt.

 

[Sharphooks]

What Spring Fever said---after you mix your brine, dump the herring into the brine while they are still in frozen condition. IF you fish plug cuts, (and you have the time and inclination) cut the heads off and core out the guts and throw them in the brine---the herring will take on the brine better (and quicker)

 

[Highliner]

I caught a bunch of herring a few months ago and vacuum packed them for the freezer. Does anyone ever add salt before vacuum packing for the freezer? Will the salt damage the bait if left for too long?

 

[Sharphooks]

If you figure out how to preserve fresh-caught UNSTARVED herring, I'd like to hear all about it---mine always end up with belly-blow out even if I brine them right off the hook....

 

[Highliner]

I've been using it for hali bait and it's been holding up just fine. Trolling it for salmon may be a different story entirely. We'll see.

 

[sir-vivor]

So when u do this, do u only take out what u need and then place container back in freezer or do u take the full container onto the boat ? If u take a portion of the container how do u keep it on the boat ? If u take the container do u add anything to it to keep on the boat ?

Use a plastic container. Lay down course salt on bottom, place your frozen anchovy on top of the salt. Be careful when you pull them apart to reduce damaging them. I then layer more salt on top of the anchovy then lay down more anchovy on top of that salt and so on. They then go back in the freezer. I pull them out of the freezer the night before I fish (usually 24 hours is enough time to cure). By this point they are cured up and are quite dehydrated and solid. They retain their silver color and shape. I don't do the brining/bluing/dehydrated milk thing. Too much work and I personally don't believe it’s necessary although I'm sure lots of people will have other views. I learned this process from fisherman in the south of Spain. It works for them and I've found it works for me. Also, I keep bait for months sometimes. I waste less bait. I bet I cut my annual cost of bait in half since I started doing this.