Salting your smelts

[Kingfisher]

Every time I get smelt they always seem to end up mushy when they thaw out. I was thinking of taking some smelts and put them in some rock salt to cure them for a while to make them tougher. I have used this method for hering on the west coast and I think it would work just as well for the smelts. Anyone out there salt their smelts?

Rob

[horsetrader]

Originally Posted by Kingfisher

Every time I get smelt they always seem to end up mushy when they thaw out. I was thinking of taking some smelts and put them in some rock salt to cure them for a while to make them tougher. I have used this method for hering on the west coast and I think it would work just as well for the smelts. Anyone out there salt their smelts?

Rob

When I buy my minnows if their not salted I put a teaspoon of salt on them then put them back in the freezer they melt salt and refreeze toughens them up
should work for smelt to

[Dust1n]

for minnows yes but smelts are pretty solid

[tacklerunner]

This technique works really well on all baitfish including smelts. (well smelts aren't technically "baitfish" as defined in AB but you get the drift)

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

Makes them nice and shiny too!

[Kingfisher]

That's a great site. I'm going to do a batch of smelts right now. We'll see how they turn out.

Rob

[chubbdarter]

i love deep fried smelt in tempura batter...crispy golden yummy.

oppppsss wrong thread...i thought we were tradig recipes

[fish on]

Originally Posted by chubbdarter

i love deep fried smelt in tempura batter...crispy golden yummy.

oppppsss wrong thread...i thought we were tradig recipes

bait eater

[Drano]

Originally Posted by tacklerunner

This technique works really well on all baitfish including smelts. (well smelts aren't technically "baitfish" as defined in AB but you get the drift)

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

Makes them nice and shiny too!

thanks for the great site

[critter]

I find that on jigs and active moved lures, salted bait is perfect and stays on much better. I always salt my minnows for jigging. However, if fishing the bait still, or on a tip up just by itself, the fish will not hold on near as long to heavily salted bait. I have noticed especially for lake trout, and mostly halibut on the coast. Unsalted, even often mushy bait outfishes shrivelled salted bait 10:1, as the fish must be given lots of time to inhale the bait. They obviously taste the salt and dont care for it. Youd be surprised how much it affects the taste. Salt a minnow, use it as long as you wish, then lick the skin, and itll be saltyyy

[Daceminnow]

Originally Posted by horsetrader

When I buy my minnows if their not salted I put a teaspoon of salt on them then put them back in the freezer they melt salt and refreeze toughens them up
should work for smelt to

trader, what about salting thawed minnows before re-freezing. ever done that? minnows frozen and thawed a second time most often are to soft too use again. will salting toughen them up?