# Herring as Bait



## dcfishman (Dec 20, 2002)

Hello Guys I know everyone is getting excited waiting on the season to crank up,that being said i would like to put this question on the board,I enjoy catching Herring for bait in the Potomac as they get thick around the time the Cherry Blossoms bloom but I have had a lot of problems with them after freezing ,often times becoming so soft and sogy they dont stay on the hook so can someone tell me the best way to freeze them ,I hav tried a couple things but no improvement .
please advise.:fishing:


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## scoobe (Jan 2, 2007)

Freeze them in plastic bags in a single flat layer so that they aren't touching much. Also try to squeeze out all the air. You might want to try salting the herring for a few days before you freeze. This should draw out a lot of water and really toughen the meat up.

The key to using frozen herring is the thawing process. Don't ever let it sit in liquid and make sure to keep it as cold as possible.


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

I would salt them for a while then move to a clean cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or something in the freezer. Once frozen move to bags or containers you want to keep them with some more salt and keep in the freezer until you're ready to go.


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## fishinmama (Oct 14, 2006)

salt before freezing - toughens em up, so not mushy

www.pierandsurf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=44938


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## Fishbreath (Nov 11, 2004)

The only thing I'd add to that is to remove the guts first and use coarse (larger crystals) Kosher salt.


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## saltandsand (Nov 29, 2007)

Years ago we salted lamprey for crab bait. I've also salted chicken necks and bull lips on a trot line. Both worked well. Layered them in a barrel with regular road salt and had a bung hole in the bottom to periodically let the slim out. The salt does a good job of pulling the liquid out and alleviating rot, also gut them and pack salt in the void. I've heard of using salt brine for trot lines but I'm thinking that herring will degrade and fall apart with this method. We did not use freezing but this was for crabs, freezing is a must for fish bait.


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## dirtyhandslopez (Nov 17, 2006)

Use 'em fresh and or live. If there's plenty about, that's what the fish are feeding on so give it to 'em


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## Waal (Jan 23, 2008)

*The Old Way*

*For Bait*The old way to preserve herring. This was heavily salted usually in a barrel, will keep for months. Do not air them like other fish, the oil breaks down and the fish falls apart. Do this within 24 hours as the fish break down rapidly and keep them air tight in storage.


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## NTKG (Aug 16, 2003)

cut the heads off. freeze the heads. no amount of salt really helps that much esp if you are using bait in an area of lots of current. you can catch enough herring to save heads and use bodies when fresh. lots of times, its just not efficeint to do this, as the price of kosher salt/time to properly brine and the usuable result is not better than just buying fresh


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## Waal (Jan 23, 2008)

NTKG said:


> no amount of salt really helps that much esp


Salt is the perfect preservative, it kept the Vikings going for months while they rowed the oceans. Salt and freeze I say.


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## NTKG (Aug 16, 2003)

Waal said:


> Salt is the perfect preservative, it kept the Vikings going for months while they rowed the oceans. Salt and freeze I say.


wasnt that meth? 

all kidding aside, yes brining your bait works, but the slime on fish(which is good) is removed as well, as are most fluids which is really what you want in your baits any how. the salted baits are like jerky compared to a steak. yes in essence you have the same thing, and if your hungry enough or whatever you may eat jerky, but if theres a steak anywhere near your rather going to eat that.

brining/freezing baits like shad.herring.bunker etc are difficult to do properly and finger mullet and mullet are much easier. Again its just a matter of cost for benefit. Cut the heads off, if it wont eat a herring head it wont be any fun to catch anyway!


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## Waal (Jan 23, 2008)

Those Vikings were well travelled you know!!! Had all sorts of goodies.
Salt and freeze if you need to preserve, if not, lhang the fish carcass in the air for half a day with a couple of sky hooks (it's a viking thing), then go fishing. :fishing:


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## NTKG (Aug 16, 2003)

you kidding me man? vikings aint got nothin on us asians. Vikings are gone, well us asians well....(cant say on a family site)

im tellin ya, you cant beat the intuition of folks who came from 3000+years of eating fish and rice!


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## Waal (Jan 23, 2008)

Can you catch herring in Asia? I merely posted an old tradition of preserving herring from the northern hemisphere.

Maybe we should cover the herring with rice, never tried that before, wonder if it works?


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## Waal (Jan 23, 2008)

*Re Vikings are gone.*



NTKG said:


> you kidding me man? vikings aint got nothin on us asians. Vikings are gone, well us asians well....


There was a study done recently, looking at the DNA of folks in countries such as Scotland, England, Wales, Canada, America etc. I think you will find your suggestion, "vikings are gone" inapropriate due to the findings of DNA in those countries mentioned matching that of the Scandinavians who travelled the globe, are they gone, I don't think so.

I also think such a statement is very unwise to say in today's political climate, Hitler said something similar about the Jews and other minority races, he believed that the Arian race was somehow better that the rest, that's what you are saying, "*vikings aint got nothin on us asians. Vikings are gone,*"

That said, I have to go fishing.

Have a mighty fine day, I will.


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## NTKG (Aug 16, 2003)

i hope you could see the humor of what I was saying.... i think the rice idea may work?


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## Waal (Jan 23, 2008)

Ooop's, what a day! Yes, herring with rice, wonderful.

Best wishes,

Waal.


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

*Ntkg*

Used to fish Pamlico for cobes back in the late seventies... This one ole fella caught more than most,and was VERY CONSISTANT at it.. One day I asked what bait he was using.. He pulled out a strip of salt herring from his cooler. Said he always cut them in triangles,so they had action .. I never question somebody when something is working,so I tried it also.... Caught a few on that stuff,but live eels work better,imo...


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## dirtyhandslopez (Nov 17, 2006)

Yepper, the rice idea will work, but it'll all go down better with some vinegar on it  Use fresh for bait or eat AQAP.


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## NTKG (Aug 16, 2003)

Drumdum said:


> Used to fish Pamlico for cobes back in the late seventies... This one ole fella caught more than most,and was VERY CONSISTANT at it.. One day I asked what bait he was using.. He pulled out a strip of salt herring from his cooler. Said he always cut them in triangles,so they had action .. I never question somebody when something is working,so I tried it also.... Caught a few on that stuff,but live eels work better,imo...


btw kenny,

a va boy beat out you kahkalakians! long live VA!


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## rgking03 (Mar 20, 2005)

Match the hatch and fresh is best!!


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