# Salting Mullet?



## Surf Fish (Dec 16, 2005)

Anybody know the proper method for salting mullet for use as future bait? I read someplace to put a layer of salt (no table salt), layer of fillets, layer of salt etc... 

But after you salt it, what next? Refrigerate it or freeze it?


----------



## USEF THE MAG (Jul 7, 2006)

*salt*

if not table salt.........what kind


----------



## Surf Fish (Dec 16, 2005)

USEF THE MAG said:


> if not table salt.........what kind


What I read was "Kosher" salt, I think which means the non iodized kind. The writer said it preserves the fillets and makes them "tougher" when you use them for bait, unfortunately he didn't go into detail on how to do it. And I've got 5 pounds of mullet filets so I have to figure out what I'm going to do with. 

Freezing finger mullet whole seems to work fine; I've had them in the freezer for a year and when you thaw them to use, they're just like new. But for some reason the bigger ones (10 -12 inches) get mushy after they've been frozen, maybe because they don't freeze as fast, I don't know.

Anyway, got a bucket full of big ones today so I decided to fillet them and see if I can figure out how to preserve the fillets, which are the only things I usually use for bait anyway, and take up a lot less room in the freezer than the whole ones.

Hopefully somebody will come by with the secret salt recipe.... If not, I guess I'll just freeze the fillets and see what happens. Bait store here gets 4 bucks for a bag of six scroungy looking frozen finger mullet, so I like to take advantage of the free bait when it comes swimming by


----------



## Digger (Jan 4, 2000)

I use kosher or sea salt. I just cover the fish and dust it with some baking soda. The seal and evacuate the air and freeze. Keeping on ice is different.


----------



## SALTSHAKER (Dec 5, 2002)

*Mullet*

The way we do clams is get a container, and some Kosher salt, put a layer of salt on the bottom and then a layer of filets, layer of salt, layer of filets etc until all are done. I have had clams last for a loooonnnggg time with this method and do not see why it would not work on mullet. Remeber our forfathers used to salt stuff for longer periods than we do our bait... you cannot use too much salt.....


----------



## Surf Fish (Dec 16, 2005)

SALTSHAKER said:


> The way we do clams is get a container, and some Kosher salt, put a layer of salt on the bottom and then a layer of filets, layer of salt, layer of filets etc until all are done. I have had clams last for a loooonnnggg time with this method and do not see why it would not work on mullet. Remeber our forfathers used to salt stuff for longer periods than we do our bait... you cannot use too much salt.....


Ok, but do you store the clams at room temperature, in the fridge, or freeze them after the salt?


----------



## SALTSHAKER (Dec 5, 2002)

*mullet*

This time of year I keep them in the fridge, Be sure to mark the container, the ladies get their drawers in a knot when they open bait...LOL at least mine do.... In the fall I just keep em in the truck, hope this helps.... salt


----------



## DERFM (Jun 19, 2004)

ok here is what i do ..
alternate salt and mullet in the ice chest , the fill with saltwater . let them sit in the brine solution for up to 2 days . take them out of the brine and vacuum pak .works for bunker too ..
derf


----------



## pier-legend (Jan 14, 2004)

...I can tell you about salting mullet for EATING!!
....this is a fall thing for me.....I get a net full of the right size..FILLET them out..
...buy PICKLING SALT.....then the layer of salt,layer of fish....covering the whole thing with pickling salt...
..2 weeks or even less later....take the fillets and pack them in a jar of water saturated in the same salt....
..soak over-nite...fry crispy with fried sweet potatoes...
....really simple and the fish take the salt fast....and they are GOOOOD if you were raised on that sort of thing..
..salting works for mullet the best, but spots, herring, boston mackeral, spanish mackeral, too.


----------



## Fishman (Apr 23, 2000)

After you salt your bait you can either refrigerate or freeze it. if you freeze it and have salted it well enough the product will not feel like it has been frozen (hard). I like to vacum seal my bait for better freshness.


----------



## Finger_Mullet (Aug 19, 2005)

*Salting Mullet*

I am not sure how they do it but I have been buying salt mullet from Seagull B&T for years until they closed. I have been buying it from B&B B&T at Carolina Beach, NC. I do not think B&B puts them in the fridge. Seagul did keep them in the fridge. 

At B&B the bucket is always sitting out with the lid on it. They reach down in the salt and pull out a fillt. After a while the salt and oil from the mullet mix and turn into a salty goo. They seam to last forever. 

Call B&B Bait & Tackle I am sure they will tell you exactly how to do it. Phone # 910-458-4644. 

Thanks 
Mullet


----------



## Surf Fish (Dec 16, 2005)

Thanks for all the info guys, I'm going to salt this batch of fillets and we'll see how it works.


----------



## Fisheadgib (Jan 7, 2006)

I had a room mate back in the early 80's that worked on a longliner and they used to use alot of salted skipjack and boston mackeral filets for bait. They used cheap rock salt. They would take a plastic garbage can and layer the filets and salt and then stick it in a walk in freezer. The salt would draw the water out of the filets and toughen them up and the freezer would evaporate most of the water. Some of the headboats around here still use salted boston mackeral filets. I've caucht some nice grouper and amberjack on them. My wife has a small bait business where she sells salt cured shrimp and frozen sand fleas to some of the local bait shops. Salt cured shrimp works as well as fresh bits for whiting and pompano and doesn't need refrigeration. It does pretty good for bottom fishing also but live bait is cheaper. When salt curing shrimp, kosher salt shoud be used and then placed in a refrigerator. I don't recommend using the one in the kitchen as its a little smelly while it's curing. ( and it takes about a month)


----------

