How Tasty Is Your Bait?

Like Geer'N'Beer! I use the salmon university recipe as well .. tried the anise oil last year and had success with it. You have to put up with the smell but its a small price to pay if it works.
 
Like Geer'N'Beer! I use the salmon university recipe as well .. tried the anise oil last year and had success with it. You have to put up with the smell but its a small price to pay if it works.

If I'm going to add other scents like anise or garlic etc., I like injecting the bait individually. Once I rig up my herring or anchovy I use a syringe or a bait injector to fill the body cavity with some scent. This makes it more potent (in my opinion) and you can change things up easily on the fly vs having a dozen herring sauced with a particular scent.

If I know I'm going to be bringing several dozen baits with me, I'll add to the brine directly so things are ready to roll. I have noticed that SOMETIMES adding a little sauce makes a difference. But like it was mentioned before, if you have it rolling correctly and in front of a fish's face, it's going to get hit.
 
Dry Brine all the way. I have been doing this for about 15 yrs after experiencing all the headaches with wet brine, colors etc. I do very well with Dry Brine. I have even converted alot of my friends. I have used up to 2 year old bait. I put my bait box right in the freezer after each use. About 2 days before I go. I put salt right onto the anchovy tray. Leave it for a couple days. Bait is like leather after about 1 week. Its last for every. I caught my biggest fish 32 lbs on 1 year old bait. I figured out after all these years that its all about the roll, leader length and speed and that if there is fish around they will eat just about anything.

Good luck to all the Master Baiters on here but DRY BRINE ALL THE WAY.

Do you dry brine in the fridge then put them back in the freezer after a couple of days?
 
If I'm going to add other scents like anise or garlic etc., I like injecting the bait individually. Once I rig up my herring or anchovy I use a syringe or a bait injector to fill the body cavity with some scent.

That's some seriously next level technique.

I put the fish on a bed of rock salt in tupperware then cover the top side with rock salt and stick it in the fridge...they turn out nice and leathery
 
Do you dry brine in the fridge then put them back in the freezer after a couple of days?
Yes I usually do up about 5 packages of bait, 2 days before I go fishing. I usually leave them out for 24 hours to let the salt soak in. Then if I go or don't go fishing I stick them back in the freezer. I continue to do this rotating all summer long. Once I use two packages I do up another two packages etc. I don't over complicate it at all. Each to his or her own, but lets keep it simple and not over complicate it.
 
That's some seriously next level technique.

I put the fish on a bed of rock salt in tupperware then cover the top side with rock salt and stick it in the fridge...they turn out nice and leathery
Haha, yeah. I thought I was keeping it simple but I guess it's a little more involved than I thought. :)
 
If I'm going to add other scents like anise or garlic etc., I like injecting the bait individually. Once I rig up my herring or anchovy I use a syringe or a bait injector to fill the body cavity with some scent.
I though of doing that for Hali. I't might be a good way to test out different scents during an outing.
 
I though of doing that for Hali. I't might be a good way to test out different scents during an outing.
Let us know how it goes. It theory you would think the scent would be released much slower through a small hole like a syringe. Very intriguing!
 
I'm no bait master by any means. last year I did notice, fishing the south arm, the glo dye seemed to work really well in the dirty water. Normally I salt my chovies for a couple days and when I hit the salt water pour a cup in to the mix. I like the idea of natural looking bait. Seems to work for me. Leader length usually 5 to 6 ft. New toothpick.
What's your guys opinion on the trail hook? Dangle or hooked in? Imo leaving it unhooked seems to hook more of the light biters.
Good luck out there. Get out while we still have this great sport!
Viking
 
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