# Salting Bait



## Surf Fish

A while back there was a discussion about salting shrimp on here, and The Commander up in Georgia gave it a try and told me it worked. So I thought I'd do some experimenting myself. 

Probably 50% of the shrimp I've bought for bait over the years wound up getting thrown away and not used; it's not easy to keep fresh shrimp fresh very long, and if you freeze it and reuse it a few times, it's pretty nasty. Not to mention that a discussion with the lady at the local fish market leads me to believe that there is really no such thing as "fresh" shrimp unless you catch it yourself; she told me that all the local boats flash freeze the shrimp on board the boat, and it's thawed out when it hits the seafood market and sold as fresh. 

For the last month or so I've been fishing with salted bait only, nothing fresh, to see how well it worked, and to try and figure out the best preparation method. I've read a dozen different methods, but The Commander told me "layer of salt, layer of shrimp", so that's where I started, and it seems to work pretty well. 

Here's the method I've used. Not sure it's the best method, but it works for me. Go to the store and get some Kosher salt, in a box. Two kinds available here locally. The kind in the white box is much coarser and seems to work faster/better than the black box, but the black box type does work.

Peel your shrimp, and cut it up into the size pieces you usually use for bait. 

Put a layer of salt into the bottom of a plastic container. 

Put a layer of shrimp pieces on the top of the salt.

Cover them with more salt, and repeat the process. 

When the container is full, stick it into the refrigerator (no need to freeze it). I've found that percolation time is about two weeks. Anything longer than that doesn't seem to make any difference. But you don't have to wait two weeks to use the shrimp, it's going to start to toughen up over night, so you can just take the container along fishing, in your cooler, and dig pieces out of the salt as you need them. Stick the container back in the refrigerator when you're done, which is what I was doing when the experiment started. 

There are a few obvious advantages to salted shrimp. One, you don't waste any bait. If you salt two pounds of shrimp, you won't be tossing the second pound in the trash when it gets stinky, because it won't get stinky. Two, when you're fishing, it's really convenient to have bite sized, peeled, ready to go pieces of shrimp. Three, the shrimp is almost rubbery when it's been salted, and it stays on the hook very well. After it's been in the water it seems to rehydrate a bit, and looks just like fresh shrimp. Four, it saves you time. You don't mess around on the beach peeling shrimp, you just stick a piece on the hook and get back to fishing.

When I wind up with some that's been in the salt for longer than two weeks, I take it out of the salt, rinse the salt off, dry it on a paper towel, and stick it into a zip lock bag. I store it in the refrigerator, but even when it's been in the cooler all day it hasn't got a even a hint of stinky. Toss the bag back in the refrigerator, and use it next fishing trip until it's all used up. 

I'm also experimenting with other baits; cut bait, finger mullet, clams, etc. Here's some finished product; finger mullet, shrimp, and cut Whiting.

How's it work? Well, the fishing hasn't been great for the last month, but I've been catching fish. It seems to me that the shrimp works as well as unsalted shrimp. Yesterday I fished with one of the local guys on the beach, and we both caught about the same number of fish - him with fresh shrimp, me with salted shrimp. 

When I clean Whiting, I cut the rib cage out after I've skinned the filets to make them boneless, and I've been saving those and salting them. I also save the heads to feed the big fish later, but I just stick them in the freezer. The Bluefish gobble the salted Whiting up when they are around, and I've also caught a few nice sized Whiting on salted Whiting too. 

I'm not really sure it's worth the effort to cut up and salt finger mullet. The one's I've salted were not fresh, they've been in my freezer since last fall. I think salting fillets of larger fresh mullet might be more productive; skin the filets and just salt the meat. The salt really dehydrates the finger mullet; a chunk will decrease in size about 75% when it's done in the salt. The mullet gets very tough, and doesn't rehydrate as well as the shrimp does. I've caught a few small blues using it, but when given a choice of baits, the fish seem to pick the salted mullet last. Probably more productive to just saw up the frozen finger mullet and use them that way. 

I just put some clams in the salt tonight, so we'll see if they toughen up over night like the shrimp does.


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## Railroader

I am convinced that the salted shrimp works just as well as any other, and has all the other benefits that Jim mentioned.

I have been storing mine in the freezer, but it never really freezes, and some of the original batch I made at the end of last year is still good enough to use.

I had given the Mz. a baggie with several bites in it that she was carrying up and down the JBP, fishing the cleaning tables. That baggie, with shrimp still in it, wound up in one of the little baskets on the side of my cart, and I found it two weeks later  , while fishing with Barty........

I was seriously afraid to open the baggie and take a sniff, but I did it for the benefit of fishing knowledge...NO objectionable odor, even after spending a couple weeks in my storage shed.

At this point in the field testing, I have not seen the day when fresh shrimp outfished the salted by any noticeable margin, but I HAVE seen the salted shrimp work better. I think that this situation was due to the fact that the salted stuff stays on the hook so much better, and that day fresh bites would wash off in short order, due to current/rough water.

I also made up a batch that I added some red food color to...I don't think this affects the fish at all one way or the other, but it sure as hell affects fishermen....Everyone that sees it wants to know where I got "that red shrimp". 

Imported from a buddy that lives on The Red Sea....


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## cygnus-x1

Great post Surf Fish! Thank you a lot. I have been told by a fellow member (TunaFish) that you can also salt bloodworms. I maytry this trick with bloods, spots, and with clams.

thanks !


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## bigphil

yeah, the salted shrimp thing is pretty cool. In my first attempt, I didn't use enough salt. Happened to be fishing that day with RR and Surf Fish and he showed me how much salt. Basically you salt the shivix out of it. More seemed to be better.

The last bunch I did, all the moisture ended up at the bottom in the salt, but the shrimp didn't seem to be affected. I am anxious to see how mullet works out. You freeze that stuff, it turns to mush pretty easy and the only thing staying on the hook is the skin.

I threw my shrimp out after 3 weeks. Now I know I should have just put it in a ziploc and back in the fridge. Can't wait till I can start going back to the docks and getting it off the shrimpers again. By that time I'll be catching mullet in the cast net and probably won't need shrimp anymore.

Oh, you all be sure and put it in a good container (well with a good lid). I've been using an old cool whip container and my 5 year got it out several times thinking it was, well, cool whip. We've had a couple spills at my house.


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## Cdog

Surf Fish said:


> I'm not really sure it's worth the effort to cut up and salt finger mullet. The one's I've salted were not fresh, they've been in my freezer since last fall. I think salting fillets of larger fresh mullet might be more productive; skin the filets and just salt the meat. The salt really dehydrates the finger mullet; a chunk will decrease in size about 75% when it's done in the salt. The mullet gets very tough, and doesn't rehydrate as well as the shrimp does. I've caught a few small blues using it, but when given a choice of baits, the fish seem to pick the salted mullet last. Probably more productive to just saw up the frozen finger mullet and use them that way.


I salt my fingers whole and freeze them that way. When the puppy drum run up here I have had good luck with the salted fingers. Hadn't tried chunking em and then salting but sounds like I dont need to. Good post Surf Fish.


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## Slingblades

I agree with those who salt their shrimp. As soon as I buy some now, I peel it and salt it. The more course salt works best for me. I haven't been cutting it into pieces, but may try that also. We have had good luck with our salted shrimp, and it definitely stays on the hook better.

A point of note: there is a local "fresh fish" market near where I live. The guy makes two trips a week to the coast to pick up fish to bring back to sell. He told me a long time ago that the first thing you need to do to keep your shrimp fresh was get it out of the plastic bag (such as what many shrimp are packaged in when you buy them to fish with.) This was of course directed at the eating shrimp. His comment was the bag accelerates the spoiling process. He told me put them in the fridge over ice, and they'll last several days. If you notice it makes sense because he would have them over ice in the cooler. Don't know how true this is, but it came from a good source. :fishing:


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## Team Buddhahead

*Great information...*

I will be trying this next week. Thanks for the great information. Anything to keep shrimp on the hook when you power cast has to be a great thing!!!


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## hengstthomas

I have noticed if you fillet herring shad spot or whatever fish for bait and salt them you should scale them first or the salt will cause the fillet to curl because one side shrinks and the other cant because of scales.


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## hengstthomas

Oh and I have always used table salt and not kosher. Not that it makes a difference but one is usually always on hand. I have yet to see any ill affects from this.


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## Mark G

hengstthomas said:


> Oh and I have always used table salt and not kosher. Not that it makes a difference but one is usually always on hand. I have yet to see any ill affects from this.



Haven't tried it myself but have been warned to not use table salt, only kosher, don't know the specifics on why really, just passing it along


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## fishbait

I found this excerpt from a bbq site that explains the difference. Either salt will work. They are exactly the same substance.

The structure of mineral salt is as a cubic crystal. A single grain of Kosher salt is composed of many cubes, stuck together into a big grain. As a result, a single grain of Kosher salt can absorb much more liquid than a grain of granulated salt. (To the right is a photograph of a grain of Kosher salt, magnified 75 times.)


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## hengstthomas

*heres the skinny on SALT*

What is the Difference Between Kosher Salt and Sea Salt? 

Many chefs prefer kosher salt in cooking certain dishes, usually as a topping, to add special crunch or taste to food. Kosher salt is made by similar evaporation processes as cubic table salt, both plain and iodized. However some processes allow their crystals to growth at normal atmospheric pressure which makes a different shaped and larger crystal possible. These are used for Kosher Salt. Kosher salt contains no additives. In other manufacturing processes, Kosher Salt is made by compressing table salt crystals under pressure and then sizing the resulting agglomerates to yield a coarse-type salt. 

Sea salt is produced by evaporation of sea water at atmospheric temperature and pressure. The crystals tend to form inverted pyramid shapes not all that different from Kosher Salt produced at atmospheric pressure referred to in the first paragraph. Depending upon the geographic location, altitude, and composition of the salt ponds from which the salt originates, the salt may take on certain colors representing some of the trace minerals in the area. Some of these impart a different taste or flavor, either pleasant or possibly objectionable to the taste of the salt, and hence, the food to which it is added. *Mainly, it is a matter of preference and cost. Per pound, sea salt is far more expensive when compared to Kosher Salt or regular cubic table salt. *
Are “Kosher Salt” and Table Salt that is Kosher Different? 

Kosher Salt is the name of a particular type of salt (sodium chloride) that is available in supermarkets and other stores that sell groceries. It is produced by a manufacturing method explained above and is certified as Kosher by one of many rabbinical inspection institutions that carry out food plant inspections. Table Salt, both plain and iodized, is usually listed as manufactured under the same rabbinical institutions. An identifying emblem will notify the consumer that the salt has been produced and packaged under strict kosher conditions. If the kosher emblem is missing from the label, it is safe to assume that the salt is not necessarily certified as produced under kosher inspection. 

With table salt, the size of the crystal is smaller than Kosher Salt, and it is usually cubic in shape. Table salt contains additives to keep the small crystals from caking and clumping. All salts are very prone to pick up moisture, and smaller crystals are capable of adding more moisture than larger ones. As the crystals release moisture with changes in relative humidity, the crystals form new bonds and stick together. The salt crystals must stay uniform for proper ingredient dosing of foods and to fit through the holes in the salt shakers!


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## Lip Ripper

and iodized salt prevents goiters!!!!! 

my name is lip ripper and im as stupid as a 5th grader


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## Doormat

hengstthomas said:


> I have noticed if you fillet herring shad spot or whatever fish for bait and salt them you should scale them first or the salt will cause the fillet to curl because one side shrinks and the other cant because of scales.



I fillet the herring then I lay it down in the same manner as I would to skin it, but I leave about 1/4 of the meat on the skin. There is way less curl this way. Then I take a pair of SHARP scissors and cut it up into strips. The big flashy scales make the bait way easier for the flounder to see. I would never scale them for that reason. I layer it like above but skin side down in those disposable containers that lunch meat comes and store them in my fridge. I occasionally will put a few paper towels in it to suck up the extra moisture. I have used them for months.


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## terpfan

is there big difference in performance between salted bait and fresh ones???


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## hengstthomas

Doormat said:


> I fillet the herring then I lay it down in the same manner as I would to skin it, but I leave about 1/4 of the meat on the skin. There is way less curl this way. Then I take a pair of SHARP scissors and cut it up into strips. The big flashy scales make the bait way easier for the flounder to see. I would never scale them for that reason. I layer it like above but skin side down in those disposable containers that lunch meat comes and store them in my fridge. I occasionally will put a few paper towels in it to suck up the extra moisture. I have used them for months.


I dont think the difference is very big with or without scales as far as flashiness goes but without scales it looks more appetizing (loose like an eel and not stiff and less twisting in the water) and it gives off more scent without scales.Believe me I fish at night and the herring shine mighty fine.


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## Doormat

hengstthomas said:


> I dont think the difference is very big with or without scales as far as flashiness goes but without scales it looks more appetizing (loose like an eel and not stiff and less twisting in the water) and it gives off more scent without scales.Believe me I fish at night and the herring shine mighty fine.




"Shad, like all herring, have large silvery scales the reflect light to dazzle daytime predators. These scales are deciduous, so that if a predator does grab a fish, the victim may escape by leaving a few scales in the predator's mouth. The belly of a herring tapers to a sharp keel, casting a sharper shadow than a more rounded fish, thus making them less visible to predators from below*. A mature adult shad weighs about 4 pounds, and is two feet long. "



I don't know how much difference it makes, but if they do reflect light then it probably does help with "flash". My response was a method to get around the problem of the salted bait strips curling, not a critique of your method.


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## hengstthomas

Doormat I understand what your getting at but next time try using a scaled piece of shad or herring and tell me if they still reflect or not and how much different they are. I use 12" + strips of shad for stripers in the Rips and it works well. I am just thinking you may do as well without the scales also. Just my opinion and not busting your ways either.


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## Fisheadgib

My wife has a small bait buisiness where she sells frozen sand fleas and salt cured shrimp to a couple of local bait shops. She does the shrimp the way you described but she leaves it in for about a month. It becomes very tough and durable and no longer needs refrigeration. It works every bit as well as fresh peeled shrimp and stays on the hook better. We've had times where it got more hits than fleas.


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## POMPINOLOVER

Hey Fishead how exactly do you preserve yall's sanfleas?


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## Fisheadgib

POMPINOLOVER said:


> Hey Fishead how exactly do you preserve yall's sanfleas?


The fleas we just freeze. The shops we sell to specify fresh frozen. I've read about blanching them and salting them, but our local shops just want them untreated and frozen. We've even tried dying them different colors but found that it takes a high (costly) concentration of dye for it to take.


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