Salting smelts

[AK47]

Hey folks, I always have a problem with smelts being so soft and not staying on the jig while jigging... I read somewhere that of you salt them they will be more firm and stay on the hook better without losing their smell and other qualities which attract fish. Can somebody tell me how to properly salt them? Or is it just simple lay them in salt of a day or so and they are good to go?

[WayneChristie]

I cover my smelts and minnows with a layer of course salt, seems to work ok, the fish havent complained. or try this
http://www.salmonuniversity.com/ol_brining_herring.html

[cribfisher]

In the summer when I'm out for a few days and can't keep the bait frozen I use salt to keep it firm. I put a kg bag of coarse salt in a small pail with the bait and ad enough water to make a slush like consistency. I've never tried smelts but it works great with sardines and anchovies. After a day or so the bait gets really firm and shiny as the moisture comes out and it starts to shrink.

[Fisher_man#1]

Another thing besides salting that helps keep bait on hooks is to cut up a mr. twister type grub into little pieces and put that on the end of the hook after you put on the smelt. Seems to work rather well and its cheep. I also tend to cut up my smelts into inch size pieces and put on the hook through the backbone unless im targeting pike.

Cheers,

[EDMfishing]

In BC, salmon fishing it is almost standard (atleast at the resorts i worked) to salt the bait (herring / anchovies) or brine or whatever u want to call it... we would " dry brine it" just open the tray of bait up and toss rocksalt on top, nother tray, more salt, nother tray, more salt and put them in small lunchboxxes (for extra) or in the compartments on the boats... - bait would look like it was new for dayyyyysss maybe weeks ( i wouldnt recommend keeping it for more than a day or 2 unless u need sum stinky burb bait), more salt, the stiffer it will stay.. some people like to mix a pail of salt and water, and toss the bait in it to soak, and jsut pull it out as they use it, but if your moving the bucket around, the scales and such can be nocked off and it wont look nearly as shiny

[tacklerunner]

This site shows the best way:

http://www.lakemichiganangler.com/ti...ed_minnows.htm

[omega50]

If your are salting some smelts anyways you might want to play with their color and brine them in salt and red food coloring-Try doing some this way and compare your catch rate with your regular smelts.

I always add a bit of sugar to my smelts along with coarse salt because sugar strengthens meat fibres. Which at the end of the day will mean that they stay on better.

[Eddy62]

Originally Posted by tacklerunner

This site shows the best way:

http://www.lakemichiganangler.com/ti...ed_minnows.htm

awesome way to go txs