I have been playing around with different brine techniques over the last year. I use a 1 cup non iodized salt to 3 cups water and put the bait in frozen the night before. I then keep it in the fridge. It seems to work well for the weekend. I usually will not use it a week later as I lose confidence in it not being fresh.
I find quality of bait to be a key in successfull fishing.
Last year for my stag my buddy threw a fishing derby with local guides. (what a great time. nice to be a passenger for a change) The bait my guide used was well brined (in a dry brine) and I had no confidence in it but we did well.
Non-iodized salt added until no more will dissolve and then a little bit more. I sometimes add a few drops of scent as well. I place frozen anchovies into the brine, and I also like to fish cut plug and will thawl a few herring, cut plug them and toss them in the brine too. With the saturated salt solution the water will not freeze and I place it back in the freezer to keep it cold and I will use it up to 10 days or so.
1 gram of salt dissolves in 2.8 mLs of water at 25 degrees C so approx 1 cup of salt will dissolve in 3 cups of warm water. I add about another 1/4 cup to have some undissolved salt. I agree with the powered milk idea (I use approx 2 tablespoons in 3 cups).
quote: I have been playing around with different brine techniques over the last year. I use a 1 cup non iodized salt to 3 cups water and put the bait in frozen the night before. I then keep it in the fridge. It seems to work well for the weekend. I usually will not use it a week later as I lose confidence in it not being fresh.
I find quality of bait to be a key in successfull fishing.
Last year for my stag my buddy threw a fishing derby with local guides. (what a great time. nice to be a passenger for a change) The bait my guide used was well brined (in a dry brine) and I had no confidence in it but we did well.
I find the bait/ brine debate very interesting. Some guys dry, some wet brine. I fish with 5 1/2" herring or sardines right now and do very well. I know others that fish with firecracker anchovies and do well.
I guess it is whatever gives you confidence in your gear and as you say your rig and roll.
I find it tough to convince myself to try other fishermen's techniques when what I am doing is working for me. Every trip I say I'll try something new but find myself fishing the same way.
What is your dry brine recipe and how do you brine and store your bait?
I'll be at Otter on Sunday. Hope to see a few guys from this site out there. I'll be on 68.
The dry brine is simply rock salt but I completely smother the bait in a six pack cooler and store it in the freezer. Salt of course being such a good preserver, this keeps them in good condition for days and toughens them far better than a wet brine (in the past I used a wet brine). However, both do the job in my opinion.
Bait brine
Posted - 06/22/2005 : 18:33:28
