How do you guys store/cure your herring?

[Dirtdog67]

Ah the guy has got it all wrong, should be yellow with the goldy backs in that neck of the woods hey mama!!! Tried it at " THE SHAW" a couple of years ago. Only worked when the big schools of bait were around. It turned into and unexpected swackfest...dirty

 

[Gooey Bob]

I've found that using a pretty heavy brine in my jigging bucket kills em pretty quick, and tightens the scales up fast too. If I'm jigging bait for home use, rather than guiding, I'll do the same, then lay them out on styro or cardboard trays, freeze em and then vacuum pack them.The good old foodsaver works just fine for this. Make sure you pop the vac pack bag when you thaw them out or they'll squish when they thaw. You can vacuum pack them complete with brine salt so they continue curing while they thaw - super bright and tough!

Bob

 

[Gooey Bob]

I've found that using a pretty heavy brine in my jigging bucket kills em pretty quick, and tightens the scales up fast too. If I'm jigging bait for home use, rather than guiding, I'll do the same, then lay them out on styro or cardboard trays, freeze em and then vacuum pack them.The good old foodsaver works just fine for this. Make sure you pop the vac pack bag when you thaw them out or they'll squish when they thaw. You can vacuum pack them complete with brine salt so they continue curing while they thaw - super bright and tough!

Bob

 

[Gooey Bob]

I've found that using a pretty heavy brine in my jigging bucket kills em pretty quick, and tightens the scales up fast too. If I'm jigging bait for home use, rather than guiding, I'll do the same, then lay them out on styro or cardboard trays, freeze em and then vacuum pack them.The good old foodsaver works just fine for this. Make sure you pop the vac pack bag when you thaw them out or they'll squish when they thaw. You can vacuum pack them complete with brine salt so they continue curing while they thaw - super bright and tough!

Bob

 

[Gooey Bob]

I've found that using a pretty heavy brine in my jigging bucket kills em pretty quick, and tightens the scales up fast too. If I'm jigging bait for home use, rather than guiding, I'll do the same, then lay them out on styro or cardboard trays, freeze em and then vacuum pack them.The good old foodsaver works just fine for this. Make sure you pop the vac pack bag when you thaw them out or they'll squish when they thaw. You can vacuum pack them complete with brine salt so they continue curing while they thaw - super bright and tough!

Bob

 

[totally tyee]

Anybody hit the Gorge yet?

 

[Pescadero]

quote:
I've found that using a pretty heavy brine in my jigging bucket kills em pretty quick, and tightens the scales up fast too. If I'm jigging bait for home use, rather than guiding, I'll do the same, then lay them out on styro or cardboard trays, freeze em and then vacuum pack them.The good old foodsaver works just fine for this. Make sure you pop the vac pack bag when you thaw them out or they'll squish when they thaw. You can vacuum pack them complete with brine salt so they continue curing while they thaw - super bright and tough!

Bob

================================
Bob:

I'm pretty new to the site, but very familiar with your method. It's the way I have done it all my life. Both down in the states and up with you. I use a heavy Borax in the bucket and it kills them almost instantly, firms them up and retains the scales, as you say. Fished the Charlotts for many, many years, so can vouch that it works good there too. I like a drop of Blueing, but as someone else said, only for the regions where that's how they look. I think they look a little out of place and think goldies work better up there. It sounds like a joke, but I get that effect with food coloring. I even fish one place where they swear by pink. Go Figure. . . but it sure works. Anyway, I wanted to back you up on your/our method.

 

[totally tyee]

THe Rhys Davis herring are caught and then stored in giant net pens to empty the stomachs and then electroshocked so they die instantly. This way when they are frozen and then unthawed to be used they do not disintegrate and stay firm.

 

[Gooey Bob]

I guess I forgot one final step that helps in the method I use. To prevent the herring from sticking to your tray, you can spray or coat the herring with any kind of oil. Use your imagination guys, WD40, herring oil, Smelly Jelly, even goosd old Pam actually qworks pretty good. Of course, if you place a layer of brine salt in between the herring and the tray it isn't really necessary, but if you're a scent freak, its kind of neat.

Remeber to shift out of gear every now and then...

Gooey.