How do I preserve grasshoppers?

[thumper]

Can I use the same brine/salt method as with minnows?
Would they retain their colour and detail?

How about borrowing my wife's dehydrator ?
I s'pose I'd need to dry them, but not to a crisp where they'd fall apart when trying to put them on a hook. I suspect they'd darken quite a bit too - maybe resemble a stonefly - hmmm...

When I freeze a baggy full, they just turn to mush when thawed.

[waterninja]

in my experiance grasshoppers do not make good fish bait. fish seem to shy away from the smell or taste.
please send pics. that prove me wrong.

[thumper]

What is wrong with people?
I don't need to send pictures to prove a d@mn thing.

I'm simply asking if anyone knows how to preserve grasshoppers.

[waterninja]

sorry. thought you were using them to fish with and i was only saying.
don't know how you preserve them, but keeping them in a jar of formaldahyde might do.

[huntsfurfish]

Originally Posted by waterninja

in my experiance grasshoppers do not make good fish bait. fish seem to shy away from the smell or taste.
please send pics. that prove me wrong.

Used to use them on the SSR when I was a kid. Worked great for big goldeye. And also worked for walleye at times.

[pikergolf]

Try some whiskey, soak them in that and see. I see the biggest problem is them getting soft, maybe a strong salt solution?

[huntsfurfish]

pickle with vinegar? Freeze? Actually have no idea. But those would be 2 ways I would explore.

[Albertafisher]

Originally Posted by waterninja

sorry. thought you were using them to fish with and i was only saying.
don't know how you preserve them, but keeping them in a jar of formaldahyde might do.

Formaldehyde is toxic for sensitive fish, best preservation method is probably pickling.

[caver77]

Boy that all seems like a lot of effort to go through, and it's a long time to spring. I'd recommend just skipping the middle man for now.Ok, jk.

[BeeGuy]

WN,

Grasshoppers make great bait, especially when they are still kicking.

Thumper,

I get a lot of grasshoppers in my bug samples, which end up preserved in alcohol (70-95%).

Small grasshoppers preserve a lot more effectively and retain their natural colours, whereas larger grasshoppers are notorious for turning dark brown.

The problem is that the large hoppers have a lot of guts.

I would try flash freezing them to kill them, and then packing them in salt in the fridge for a couple days to draw out a lot of the water, then putting them into the freezer.

I think you will find it pretty difficult to maintain their natural colour, but that said, I think they will still make good bait once salted.

[Redfrog]

Put them in a container in the freezer for an hour or so till they are dead. Spread on a sheet of foil in the freezer and then keep them in a small zip lock bag with salt in the freezer. I've only used the frozen ones for ice fishing. They worked well.

[thumper]

Thanks guys - salting seems to be the consensus. I might drown them in brine overnight to firm them up - and then bury them in salt for a day to dessicate them a little - then freeze.

My wife's dehydrator gets a reprieve!

Sometimes during hopper season, I need to get an early start to get on the river, and can't wait for the day to warm up for the hoppers to get active. It would be nice to have a stash of them ready.
Also I wouldn't have to pack my pink butterfly net around and cause accidents by passerbys trying to photograph a 250 lb grown man chasing grasshoppers along the highway shoulder...

[-JR-]

Originally Posted by waterninja

in my experiance grasshoppers do not make good fish bait. fish seem to shy away from the smell or taste.
please send pics. that prove me wrong.

Geee waterninja what are you trying to do ,become a AO grumpy old man like the rest of us !

Have an Ice Cream ,and Cool Down !

[Pikehunter13]

Grasshopper recipe,

3/4 oz green creme de menthe
3/4 oz white creme de cacao
3/4 oz light cream

Enjoy

http://www.drinksmixer.com/cat/315/

[Redfrog]

A grasshopper walks into a bar, and the bartender says Hey we've got a drink named after you.
The grasshopper says really? You got a drink named Kevin?

[waterninja]

Originally Posted by -JR-

Geee waterninja what are you trying to do ,become a AO grumpy old man like the rest of us !

Have an Ice Cream ,and Cool Down !

i was just trying to save the op a lot of time and trouble. seems like they work good as bait after all.
personally i like my grasshoppers dipped in chocolate.
p.s. next time the ice creams on you. lol.

[Wild&Free]

Originally Posted by thumper

Also I wouldn't have to pack my pink butterfly net around and cause accidents by passerbys trying to photograph a 250 lb grown man chasing grasshoppers along the highway shoulder with a pink net...

fixed

I'd use an air tight jar, and a pile of salt. suffocate and desiccate them.

[Zip-in-Z]

Kwai Chang Kaine meets Master Po for the first time .... Master Po calls his young student "Grasshopper" in reference to a scene:

Master Po: Close your eyes. What do you hear?
Young Caine: I hear the water, I hear the birds.
Po: Do you hear your own heartbeat?
Caine: No.
Po: Do you hear the grasshopper which is at your feet?
Caine: Old man, how is it that you hear these things?
Po: Young man, how is it that you do not?
Caine steps on it and says good bait for fishing!

[waterninja]

zip you have ninja computer skills.