If you've ever dealt with soft, mushy bait that flies off the hook the particular second it strikes the water, after that salting bait for fishing is heading to be your own new favorite trick. It's one of those old-school techniques that somehow got lost in the era of high-tech lures, but for anyone who prefers the genuine thing, it's an overall total lifesaver. Whether you're tired of small fish pecking your own bait to items or else you just desire to stop throwing away money on new shrimp that goes bad in a day, salt will be the answer.
I remember the first time We tried this. I was surf casting and getting frustrated because our fresh mullet was falling apart each time I tried to put some muscle tissue right into a long solid. An old guy straight down the beach noticed me struggling and handed us a pot of what looked like shriveled-up jerky. "Try this, " he said. That was my introduction in order to salted bait, and I haven't appeared back since.
Why you need to bother with salt
The main reason we do this is for strength . When you salt a piece of fish or shrimp, you're essentially curing it. The salt draws out the moisture through osmosis, which toughens the particular flesh. Instead of a smooth piece of meats, you end up with something that provides a leathery, rubbery texture. This is definitely huge when you're dealing with "trash fish" like pinfish or puffers that like to nibble. They can't just rip a salted bait off the hook in one go; they have to work for it, which gives the bigger predators additional time in order to find your collection.
Another big plus is the particular scent. People believe becoming dry the bait causes it to be less appealing, but it's in fact the contrary. By eliminating the water, you're concentrating the natural natural oils and proteins that will fish love. As soon as that salted bait hits the water, it starts to rehydrate slowly, releasing the super-concentrated scent path that's much more powerful than what you get from the regular "fresh" piece of bait that's been sitting down in a hot cooler.
Selecting the right sodium
Before a person run to the kitchen, you should understand that not all salts are created equal for this particular job. You need to avoid iodized table salt if you can. While some people say it doesn't matter, most skilled anglers swear that the smell of iodine can in fact spook the fish.
The best options are kosher salt, pickling salt, or ocean salt . Pickling salt is excellent due to the fact it's very great and covers the bait quickly, although kosher salt is usually the cheapest and easiest in order to find to conserve. You're going to use a lot associated with it, so don't go purchasing the fancy pink Himalayan stuff. Just grab the particular biggest, cheapest package of non-iodized sodium you can find at the grocery store.
The dried out cure method
This is the most common way to do it, plus honestly, it's the particular easiest. You don't need any exclusive equipment—just a plastic container or perhaps a heavy duty Ziploc bag.
Preparing the bait
First, a person want to make sure your bait is as new as is possible before you start. If it's already rotting, sodium isn't going to fix that. In case you're using baitfish like mullet or mackerel, you may salt them entire, but I prefer to cut them into chunks or pieces first. This guarantees the salt reaches the flesh quickly. For shrimp, you can leave the shells on or take them off—taking them off results in a much tougher, "rubber band" style bait.
The layering process
Start with a solid layer of salt at the base of your pot. Lay your bait down in the single layer, producing sure the pieces aren't touching each other too much. After that, bury them within another thick layer of salt. When you have even more bait, just keep layering: salt, bait, salt.
The waiting sport
Let it sit. If you're doing small parts like shrimp or even thin strips of fish, 24 hours is usually enough. For thicker pieces or whole fish, you might would like to give this 48 hours. You'll notice a lot of liquid pooling at the base of the container—that's the moisture being pulled out. A few people prefer to strain this liquid away halfway through, which usually definitely helps velocity things up.
Salting specific types of bait
Different baits react differently to the healing process. Here's the quick breakdown of what to anticipate with the almost all common choices.
Shrimp
Salted shrimp are renowned for a cause. Fresh shrimp is notoriously fragile, yet once salted, it stays for the hook through the most aggressive casts. This turns a radiant orange-pink color and becomes very difficult. If you're fishing in high-current places or places along with lots of small bait-stealers, salted shrimp is your best friend.
Squid
Squid is definitely already pretty tough, but salting it makes it nearly indestructible. It also assists get rid of that slimy texture that makes it hard to handle with moist hands. Salted squid is fantastic for bottom fishing due to the fact you can capture multiple fish on a single piece of bait without having it tearing.
Oily fish (Mullet, Mackerel, Sardines)
These fish possess a high oil content, which can make them smell great but also makes it spoil fast. Salting locks those oils in. The pores and skin becomes very hard, which is perfect for trolley rigs or even long-distance casting. The scales also remain on a lot better than they do on iced bait.
Keeping your salted bait
One of the coolest points about salting bait for fishing is that you simply don't necessarily need a freezer anymore. If you've cured the bait properly, it's preserved. I usually keep mine in the fridge just to be safe, but I've kept salted shrimp within my tackle box for a week within moderate weather with no any issues.
If you want it to final for months, a person can throw the salted pieces into a vacuum-seal bag or even a container. They won't get cold solid because of the higher salt content, so you can take them from the freezer to the drinking water without waiting for them to thaw. It's incredibly convenient for those last-minute trips when the particular bait shop is closed.
The few pro ideas for better results
If a person want to take your salted bait to the next level, you may get a little creative.
- Add several color: Some guys like to add a bit of powdered food colour or specialized bait dye to the particular salt. Bright red or neon green can also add that extra visual appeal in murky water.
- Boost the scent: You can mix in a little bit of garlic powder or even commercial fish attractant with the salt. The salt will certainly pull those scents to the flesh since it cures.
- Look into the texture: In case the bait seems too brittle, you might have left it within the salt too long. If it's still "squishy, " it needs additional time or even more salt. You're aiming for the particular texture of a gummy bear or even a bit of beef jerky.
Why it's much better than frozen bait
Let's end up being real: frozen bait usually sucks. Once it thaws, this becomes a watery, mushy mess since the ice crystals have broken lower the cell walls of the meat. Salting avoids this problem entirely. Rather than breaking the bait lower, you're reinforcing this. Plus, you don't have to offer with the "bait soup" at the bottom of the cooler that smells like a dumpster by noon.
Last thoughts
Salting bait for fishing is a basic, cost-effective way to make your time upon the water more productive. It saves money, keeps your own bait on the hook longer, and provides a focused scent that fish find difficult to resist. Next time you might have some leftover bait at the finish of the time, don't dispose of it. Grab a box associated with salt, spend 5 minutes prepping it, and you'll have a "secret weapon" all set for your following outing. It's 1 of those little changes that can create a huge difference in your catch rate, especially when the conditions are tough.