Their own eggs are the best all-round baits for steelhead and salmon and often for
other trout and whitefish. I learned early on that taking time to prepare and preserve
trout and salmon spawn could make the difference between great fishing trips and poor
ones. Conservation also entered the equation, as I never liked to kill more female fish
than necessary. Preserving spawn helps you avoid waste. Here are some of my favorite
methods.
**Note** Always rinse off any blood that can come into contact with the eggs as soon as possible
to prevent spoilage.
Separating Single Eggs from Skein
You can separate eggs from the membrane in tight skeins by immersing them in water at a
temperature of 115° to 120°F and hand-manipulating the egg mass. The membrane coagulates at
this temperature, and the eggs may be separated easily without damage.
Single Egg Recipes
Recipe #1
3 cups eggs
1 Tablespoon powdered borax
1 tablespoon Salt
1 tablespoon benzoate of soda
3 cups of water
Preferred dye if used
Place all ingredients in a pan and bring to slow boil. Stir frequently and test every 30 seconds
after boiling begins. Test for firmness with a fish hook. The outer skin of the egg should be tough,
but the inner section should be soft but not liquid. Once you have the texture you desire,
immediately remove from heat and set in cold water. Place eggs in freezer bag and cover with
glycerine.
Recipe #2
1 quart of loose salmon or trout eggs
1 cup salt
1 cup brown sugar
1 quart water
Add eggs to salt-sugar-water solution. Let stand for 5 to 7 Hours. Drain well and store in
refrigerator (Eggs will last about 8 months) or store in freezer (eggs will last a year or two).
Cut Spawn/Skein Recipes
Recipe #1
With a sharp knife, cut down the centre of the skein to the membrane. Try to cut as few eggs as
possible. Lay the skein egg-side down on a layer of paper towels for 12 hours. After drying, cut
eggs in desired chunk sizes and allow to dry for an additional 2 hours.
Blend a mixture of 1 cup of cherry jello and 1 cup of powdered borax.
Dust chunks completely with mixture.
Store in Fridge or Freezer
Recipe #2
Take skein, wash with cold water, pat dry, wrap in news paper and place in refrigerator for 6
hours.
Soak eggs for 30 minnutes in a solution of 1 quart water, ½ cup salt and ½ cup brown sugar.
Roll whole skeins in powdered borax and let sit for 4 hours.
Cut to desired size.
Pack chunks in glass jars. Each layer of eggs should be separated with a layer of borax.
Eggs will last up to two years
Recipe #3
Rinse skeins in cold water, wipe and pat dry.
Cut skeins into fishable chunks.
Wrap in newspaper and store in refrigerator for 6 to 8 hours.
Combine a mixture of sodium sulfite, white sugar and salt.
Sprinkle mixture over chunks, be sure to cover eggs completely.
Place eggs in a plastic or glass container, then refrigerate (DO NOT FREEZE).
Water-Hardened, Fridge Air Dried
Recipe: Mature trout (steelhead and brown trout are considered best) or salmon eggs, borax (if
desired).
For tying into spawn sacs, loose eggs and clear mature eggs almost separating from the skein are
best. Mature eggs still in the skein can be hand-loosened gently in a container of cold water or
scraped out (a spoon or a flat, dull knife and a Teflon board work well). The shells of mature eggs
harden when exposed to water, a natural protection process that usually occurs after they've been
fertilized. To trigger hardening, rinse eggs for several minutes in river water or at home in a
colander, making sure all debris, blood, and membrane are removed. Place eggs in plastic bags
or other containers and refrigerate for at least a couple of hours (hardening can take one to six
hours). If eggs will not fully harden, spread them thinly on a paper towel on a plate and return to
the fridge for up to three hours to air dry. They can now be tied into sacs, frozen as is in jars, or
further preserved by other methods. I like small jars that hold just enough eggs for a day's fishing,
rather than large jars with excess eggs that have to be refrozen. To protect them from freezer
burn, when small jars are unavailable, I double-wrap eggs in small air-tight plastic bags and place
them in a Tupperware container. Unfrozen fresh spawn has a refrigerator life of less than two
weeks and a freezer life of several years.
Immature opaque eggs tight in the skein never fully harden. Freezing them untreated will cause
ice crystals to break their fragile shells, producing mushy, sticky eggs when thawed. They're still
excellent bait, but messier to tie. I roll these spawn sacs in borax. They milk well and are great in
slow-water situations where scent is especially important to enticing hits from fish.
Pros and cons: The simplest treatments. Require the least effort and eggs retain natural scent
and color. Short shelf life, unless frozen.
Boraxed Skein Chunks and Spawn Sacs
Recipe: Salmon or trout skeins, 20-Mule Team Borax.
Wash skeins under cold water and rinse thoroughly. Roll in paper towel and allow eggs to firm up
in the fridge for two days. Cut skeins into dime-sized chunks for steelhead and quarter-sized for
salmon. Drop chunks into powdered borax and roll them around until coated. Place a 1-inch layer
of borax at the bottom of a jar and then add chunks. Sprinkle borax on top of them and refrigerate
for several weeks or freeze immediately. Mature spawn can also be preserved this way or by
soaking in a saturated cold-water and borax bath for up to two hours.
Pros and cons: It's a good way to preserve immature skeins. Boraxed spawn sacs and chunks last
and milk well in water. Even under an egg snell, skeined chunks do not stay on a hook as well as
spawn sacs. Well-sealed boraxed eggs can last for months in the fridge and years in the freezer.
Time-tested fish catchers.
Salt-Cured Single Eggs
Recipe: Loose mature chinook eggs; salt (non-iodized pickling or sea salt).
Rinse chinook eggs under cold water and allow to harden in the fridge, then place on paper towel
and plate to air dry for several hours. Heavily coat eggs with salt and allow them to dry for up to 12
hours and become wrinkled. Roll eggs around in salt every couple of hours. Test hardness by
squeezing eggs with fingers and using a small hook. When an egg stays firmly on the hook,
without splitting or popping, place salt and eggs in small baby-food jars and freeze. These eggs
are ready for fishing on small hooks.
You can also use salt to cure steelhead and other trout eggs. Many anglers salt entire skeins and
loose eggs before tying into spawn sacs. For this, you can also use a saturated salt-water bath
(some anglers add a few tablespoons of brown sugar) and leave previously water-hardened eggs
in it for up to 2 hours. Then drain and package or tie into sacs immediately.
Pros and cons: Salted eggs maintain their colour. Single eggs work great under a float, especially
in slow, deep runs below spawning riffles. While eggs might be wrinkled, after fishing with them for
a while they plump up. Because single eggs are fished on small hooks, fish often swallow them
deeply. Consider using barbless hooks when catch-and-release fishing. Single eggs are simpler to
prepare than tying spawn sacs. They keep for months in the fridge and for several years frozen.
Boric Acid Cure
Recipe: Trout or salmon eggs, boric acid crystals.
Water harden eggs as before and allow to drain and fridge dry for up to two hours (they might
wrinkle). Dissolve one tablespoon of boric acid crystals per quart of water. Add dried eggs and
stir. Allow eggs to absorb the solution for about one hour and to plump up. Test by squeezing with
your fingers. They should be firm and rubbery. If eggs pop, soak them longer in the solution. They
can be refrigerated or frozen in baby-food jars or tied into spawn sacs and frozen.
Pros and cons: Unfrozen eggs will last up to 6 months in the fridge, years frozen. They have
natural appearance and colour. Experimentation is required to get eggs to the right hardness.
There are other more complicated homemade recipes that use sugar, salt, as well as mineral and
scented oils, such as sardine and shrimp oil. Oils protect eggs from freezer burn and hold scent.
Finally, there are also store-bought products, such as Pro-Glow and Pro-Cure, which colour as
well as preserve eggs, but the easy methods I've described have worked well for me.
No matter which method you choose, preserving eggs will help limit the number of fish you kill for
spawn. This is especially important when dealing with wild populations of trout and salmon.
Whenever possible, keep only female fish from stocked put-and-take fisheries, such as chinook
salmon and brown trout, for bait eggs. Being selective about fish you harvest and preserving their
eggs to prevent waste goes a long way toward steelhead conservation.
Copyright© 2006 BobberStop.com
other trout and whitefish. I learned early on that taking time to prepare and preserve
trout and salmon spawn could make the difference between great fishing trips and poor
ones. Conservation also entered the equation, as I never liked to kill more female fish
than necessary. Preserving spawn helps you avoid waste. Here are some of my favorite
methods.
**Note** Always rinse off any blood that can come into contact with the eggs as soon as possible
to prevent spoilage.
Separating Single Eggs from Skein
You can separate eggs from the membrane in tight skeins by immersing them in water at a
temperature of 115° to 120°F and hand-manipulating the egg mass. The membrane coagulates at
this temperature, and the eggs may be separated easily without damage.
Single Egg Recipes
Recipe #1
3 cups eggs
1 Tablespoon powdered borax
1 tablespoon Salt
1 tablespoon benzoate of soda
3 cups of water
Preferred dye if used
Place all ingredients in a pan and bring to slow boil. Stir frequently and test every 30 seconds
after boiling begins. Test for firmness with a fish hook. The outer skin of the egg should be tough,
but the inner section should be soft but not liquid. Once you have the texture you desire,
immediately remove from heat and set in cold water. Place eggs in freezer bag and cover with
glycerine.
Recipe #2
1 quart of loose salmon or trout eggs
1 cup salt
1 cup brown sugar
1 quart water
Add eggs to salt-sugar-water solution. Let stand for 5 to 7 Hours. Drain well and store in
refrigerator (Eggs will last about 8 months) or store in freezer (eggs will last a year or two).
Cut Spawn/Skein Recipes
Recipe #1
With a sharp knife, cut down the centre of the skein to the membrane. Try to cut as few eggs as
possible. Lay the skein egg-side down on a layer of paper towels for 12 hours. After drying, cut
eggs in desired chunk sizes and allow to dry for an additional 2 hours.
Blend a mixture of 1 cup of cherry jello and 1 cup of powdered borax.
Dust chunks completely with mixture.
Store in Fridge or Freezer
Recipe #2
Take skein, wash with cold water, pat dry, wrap in news paper and place in refrigerator for 6
hours.
Soak eggs for 30 minnutes in a solution of 1 quart water, ½ cup salt and ½ cup brown sugar.
Roll whole skeins in powdered borax and let sit for 4 hours.
Cut to desired size.
Pack chunks in glass jars. Each layer of eggs should be separated with a layer of borax.
Eggs will last up to two years
Recipe #3
Rinse skeins in cold water, wipe and pat dry.
Cut skeins into fishable chunks.
Wrap in newspaper and store in refrigerator for 6 to 8 hours.
Combine a mixture of sodium sulfite, white sugar and salt.
Sprinkle mixture over chunks, be sure to cover eggs completely.
Place eggs in a plastic or glass container, then refrigerate (DO NOT FREEZE).
Water-Hardened, Fridge Air Dried
Recipe: Mature trout (steelhead and brown trout are considered best) or salmon eggs, borax (if
desired).
For tying into spawn sacs, loose eggs and clear mature eggs almost separating from the skein are
best. Mature eggs still in the skein can be hand-loosened gently in a container of cold water or
scraped out (a spoon or a flat, dull knife and a Teflon board work well). The shells of mature eggs
harden when exposed to water, a natural protection process that usually occurs after they've been
fertilized. To trigger hardening, rinse eggs for several minutes in river water or at home in a
colander, making sure all debris, blood, and membrane are removed. Place eggs in plastic bags
or other containers and refrigerate for at least a couple of hours (hardening can take one to six
hours). If eggs will not fully harden, spread them thinly on a paper towel on a plate and return to
the fridge for up to three hours to air dry. They can now be tied into sacs, frozen as is in jars, or
further preserved by other methods. I like small jars that hold just enough eggs for a day's fishing,
rather than large jars with excess eggs that have to be refrozen. To protect them from freezer
burn, when small jars are unavailable, I double-wrap eggs in small air-tight plastic bags and place
them in a Tupperware container. Unfrozen fresh spawn has a refrigerator life of less than two
weeks and a freezer life of several years.
Immature opaque eggs tight in the skein never fully harden. Freezing them untreated will cause
ice crystals to break their fragile shells, producing mushy, sticky eggs when thawed. They're still
excellent bait, but messier to tie. I roll these spawn sacs in borax. They milk well and are great in
slow-water situations where scent is especially important to enticing hits from fish.
Pros and cons: The simplest treatments. Require the least effort and eggs retain natural scent
and color. Short shelf life, unless frozen.
Boraxed Skein Chunks and Spawn Sacs
Recipe: Salmon or trout skeins, 20-Mule Team Borax.
Wash skeins under cold water and rinse thoroughly. Roll in paper towel and allow eggs to firm up
in the fridge for two days. Cut skeins into dime-sized chunks for steelhead and quarter-sized for
salmon. Drop chunks into powdered borax and roll them around until coated. Place a 1-inch layer
of borax at the bottom of a jar and then add chunks. Sprinkle borax on top of them and refrigerate
for several weeks or freeze immediately. Mature spawn can also be preserved this way or by
soaking in a saturated cold-water and borax bath for up to two hours.
Pros and cons: It's a good way to preserve immature skeins. Boraxed spawn sacs and chunks last
and milk well in water. Even under an egg snell, skeined chunks do not stay on a hook as well as
spawn sacs. Well-sealed boraxed eggs can last for months in the fridge and years in the freezer.
Time-tested fish catchers.
Salt-Cured Single Eggs
Recipe: Loose mature chinook eggs; salt (non-iodized pickling or sea salt).
Rinse chinook eggs under cold water and allow to harden in the fridge, then place on paper towel
and plate to air dry for several hours. Heavily coat eggs with salt and allow them to dry for up to 12
hours and become wrinkled. Roll eggs around in salt every couple of hours. Test hardness by
squeezing eggs with fingers and using a small hook. When an egg stays firmly on the hook,
without splitting or popping, place salt and eggs in small baby-food jars and freeze. These eggs
are ready for fishing on small hooks.
You can also use salt to cure steelhead and other trout eggs. Many anglers salt entire skeins and
loose eggs before tying into spawn sacs. For this, you can also use a saturated salt-water bath
(some anglers add a few tablespoons of brown sugar) and leave previously water-hardened eggs
in it for up to 2 hours. Then drain and package or tie into sacs immediately.
Pros and cons: Salted eggs maintain their colour. Single eggs work great under a float, especially
in slow, deep runs below spawning riffles. While eggs might be wrinkled, after fishing with them for
a while they plump up. Because single eggs are fished on small hooks, fish often swallow them
deeply. Consider using barbless hooks when catch-and-release fishing. Single eggs are simpler to
prepare than tying spawn sacs. They keep for months in the fridge and for several years frozen.
Boric Acid Cure
Recipe: Trout or salmon eggs, boric acid crystals.
Water harden eggs as before and allow to drain and fridge dry for up to two hours (they might
wrinkle). Dissolve one tablespoon of boric acid crystals per quart of water. Add dried eggs and
stir. Allow eggs to absorb the solution for about one hour and to plump up. Test by squeezing with
your fingers. They should be firm and rubbery. If eggs pop, soak them longer in the solution. They
can be refrigerated or frozen in baby-food jars or tied into spawn sacs and frozen.
Pros and cons: Unfrozen eggs will last up to 6 months in the fridge, years frozen. They have
natural appearance and colour. Experimentation is required to get eggs to the right hardness.
There are other more complicated homemade recipes that use sugar, salt, as well as mineral and
scented oils, such as sardine and shrimp oil. Oils protect eggs from freezer burn and hold scent.
Finally, there are also store-bought products, such as Pro-Glow and Pro-Cure, which colour as
well as preserve eggs, but the easy methods I've described have worked well for me.
No matter which method you choose, preserving eggs will help limit the number of fish you kill for
spawn. This is especially important when dealing with wild populations of trout and salmon.
Whenever possible, keep only female fish from stocked put-and-take fisheries, such as chinook
salmon and brown trout, for bait eggs. Being selective about fish you harvest and preserving their
eggs to prevent waste goes a long way toward steelhead conservation.
Copyright© 2006 BobberStop.com
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| Egg and Spawn Sac Recipes |
