# salt clams?



## chilehead2 (Jun 20, 2006)

How do you put up clams? how long do they keep? does this also work with shrimp?

Thanks for your replies.


----------



## SALTSHAKER (Dec 5, 2002)

chile, shuck the clams, find a container something like tupperware, put a layer of kosher salt in the bottom, layer of clams, layer of kosher salt etc... until the container is full. Cover and put in the refrigerator, should last a loooong time. In the fall and early winter I just leave them in the truck. I am not sure about the shrimp, but would imagine it should work the same way. If you cannot get fresh, salted in my opinion is the way to go. Makes em tougher and they stay on the hook better....hope this helps... salt


----------



## billr87 (Jan 13, 2008)

shuck them. salt them down,let sit in frig for a few hours. pat dry them vacuum pack them. rock fish love em.


----------



## rgking03 (Mar 20, 2005)

if you have a lot of clam left like I normally do then I use a 5gal bucket and mix a half box of kosher salt and then scoup out using a ladle and place in 1gal ziploc bags and then freeze. I can keep a bushel of clam salted for the whole fishing season.

What is nice is that the salt prevents the clams from freezing and just makes them like rubber.


Rich


----------



## OBX Jay (Sep 3, 2007)

*dude...*

http://www.pierandsurf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=37755


----------



## eric (Oct 24, 2007)

salt brine them. they last long.

also dont forgot. buy a 99c bag of rubber bands.
use the rubber bands to wrap slam around hook.
so itll stay on during a powercast.
not to mention, somewhat stay on the hook longer.


----------



## chilehead2 (Jun 20, 2006)

*salt*

ok, now that i got em salted, how do i bait em up? sorta like earthworms, just keep threading em on the hook. all or just the larger part?

thank you all for the replies, esp the old surf fish thread.


----------



## saltandsand (Nov 29, 2007)

Nothing beats fresh clam and rubber bands, one of the best baits I've ever used north of Virginia. Second to that is salted clam and when cut into strips no need for rubber bands. Salt cannot have idione in it as it fowls the clam. Use kosher or sea salt. I use salt that is for salt water aquaria as that is another hobby of mine and it works great. Same applies to squid. I buy large squid from local supermarket and prepare ahead of time for the surf, the larger squid is thicker and IMO works much better. Personally I don't like salted shrimp but will use it in a pinch. IMO salted shrimp is like frozen bunker. If all that is available is frozen bunker then by all means USE IT!


----------



## eric (Oct 24, 2007)

i also salt bunker... works well. 
you can go home. gut the fish first, then salt, then throw them in freezer.
with all the salt, they dont freeze and burn.


it actually makes it hold better then regular popsicle bunkers.


----------



## saltandsand (Nov 29, 2007)

Another tip about bunker is that if it is frozen do not let it touch water in your cooler. Water makes it fall apart and renders it useless. This is true for frozen bunker whether it is salted or not. As ooeric said, if you are salting your own bunker it's important that you should gut them first and depending on size you can leave the head on them. I personally like chunking with a bunker head for bait, I've caught many fish this way.


----------



## billr87 (Jan 13, 2008)

to keep clams, other soft bait on hook, get elastic thread and wrap a couple times around like you are threading it ,then wrap 4-5 times around hook and pull til it breaks. it will hold longer than tha bait.


----------



## billr87 (Jan 13, 2008)

also sewing thread will work.


----------



## seajay (Dec 18, 2005)

Chili, You can Salt Shrimp also,just peel and cut it to bait size. Just remember use Kosher salt.:beer:


----------



## rattler (Jul 3, 2004)

want to try something?...when salting squid, cut it bigger than you need as it will draw up...but before you start salting add food coloring...let the meat soak it up and then salt...seems to work when fishing is slow...red, blue, green, yellow...I have found that color makes a difference between throwbacks and keepers...should work for other baits as well...


----------



## POMPINOLOVER (Jun 29, 2006)

Check out the Fishing Bible on here , there is a good thread about Salting Bait ..


----------



## seajay (Dec 18, 2005)

Rattler that is a great idea with Squid for Sword Fishin. The Color in clams may work for the Pompano.:beer:


----------



## EverSoDull (Nov 13, 2007)

Can you salt Night Crawlers too?


----------



## chilehead2 (Jun 20, 2006)

*artfishal color added*

Great idea rattler. Ill try that . Ill also let you know abt making a sausage out of fresh and salted baits and tubeular gauge. should resolve the power cast throw off problem and test fresh vs salted.


----------

