Herring questions-help please

[C_Run]

After looking at the coast salmon thread the past few days it inspired me to go out and pick up some herring. The availability in Monmouth was limited but I did get a pack of red which seemed pretty small. I'll do some more looking next time I am out and about. Last year was the first time I brined herring and I used the salmon university recipe. They state that the herring will keep for a few weeks in the brine if refrigerated. I noticed mine seemed to be a lot less firm after a couple of weeks. Anyone else have that problem or know why? They definitely did not hold up as I had expected.

Next question...what's the deal with the different sizes? How do you decide which size to use? There is a big difference between a red and a purple.

Finally, they suggest adding optional scents like garlic or anise to the brine. Any opinions about that or adding colors?

I still can't go yet but want to get this part down a bit better than last year. Thanks for any input and keep posting your pictures.

C

 

[alm21]

I'm new to fishing herring but picked up two coho the first time trying it. I went with Green Label since that is the most common sized used. For the brine, I used the off-the-shelf ProCure premixed brine. I tried the Natural and Green. Both caught fish. Easy and didn't require much brain work.

 

[Noahk]

Hey Chris. 99% of the people I know fish green, regardless of the water. You can also put the brined herring in the freezer. If you have enough salt and it's mixed well it won't freeze. I stopped brining herring as I didn't see much of a difference between when I did and didn't. In the summer I generally pull a frozen tray out of the freezer in the morning and fish with it for the day. They don't last as long in 60-70 degree water as they do in 40-45 degree water and I usually find myself using most of the tray by day's end. I then freeze the left overs for Sturgeon bait. In the winter I'm more likely to brine some, just to preserve them. People can get pretty into the whole process, but I'm not convinced it makes much of a difference.

 

[C_Run]

Hey Chris. 99% of the people I know fish green, regardless of the water. You can also put the brined herring in the freezer. If you have enough salt and it's mixed well it won't freeze. I stopped brining herring as I didn't see much of a difference between when I did and didn't. In the summer I generally pull a frozen tray out of the freezer in the morning and fish with it for the day. They don't last as long in 60-70 degree water as they do in 40-45 degree water and I usually find myself using most of the tray by day's end. I then freeze the left overs for Sturgeon bait. In the winter I'm more likely to brine some, just to preserve them. People can get pretty into the whole process, but I'm not convinced it makes much of a difference.

Green was what I had last year and also what our Buoy 10 guide used. He didn't brine his- just got fresh ones every day. I know there are some other opinions out there. I will probably stick with my method since I still have all the stuff. I had never seen purple label until today. Those are huge and I wondered when you would want them that big. I guess when fishing for huge fish?

I like the idea of minimal brain work though, might try the premix next.

 

[Noahk]

There is a black label too, even bigger! Popular for Halibut.

 

[RunWithSasquatch]

Chris,

There is as many of opinions as there are people on this topic. Fishermans choice, so hopefully enough people pitch in for you to formulate your own recipe to kill nooks with herring.

As far as brine, any commercial bought brine from Bi-mart, or any willy-nilly sporting goods store will work. Ive used the Salmon U's brine, caught fish. Pautzkie's- caught fish. Used Pro-cure's, caught fish.

Common theme, herring was the bait.

I dont think it matters what you bathe your bait in as long as its salty, and toughens the hid a little. Im more interested in a GOOD bait, IE- a herring with as much of the scales on it as possible, to produce a good flash. I prefer to brine them the night before, take them to the river in the brine, and as I take a few out of the container, Ill take a few from a fresh pack and put them in. Whats left at the end of the day gets tossed away, and I start over again.

Next is the motion, the action. I think the movement of your bait is more critical than anything. Your bait could be the most awesome smelling, tasting bait in the world, but if it aint giving the proper dance to excite the fish, it wont matter.

As for size, my personal feeling is the bigger the better. Think Texas. Ive caught fish on greens, blues, purples. I go with greens for spring fish in the Willamette, but fall fish are more aggressive and less shy, they are coming into the rivers with substantially warmer waters. So with a bigger bait, you get a bigger flash, bigger presence in the water column. Ill fish a purple in the fall. Sometimes a blue.

 

[eugene1]

I use blues unless they're out, then greens.

I like to brine them in Salmon Univ. recipe but only salt powdered mile and bluing. Also I use ice cream salt since I am cheap, but I use Kirkland water since it doesn't have copper in it. No scent. Do it the night before fishing.

Sometimes I use raw unbrinned and they work well too.

Mine get tossed after a few days in the fridge, the don't seem to last very long for me.

 

[Irishrover]

All sound advise. The only thing I do different is use a nose clip instead of the plug cut. It's not better it just what I like and it works well for me. I only keep them a couple of day once brined. The salmon university brine is good, but one time I forgot and left the bait box on the boat for longer that I should have. Sour milk and rotten herring, what aweful smell!

 

[jamisonace]

I heard the new pautzke natural brine is hot. But then, I've used it 5 times and been skunked 5 out of 5. So was everyone else tho.

 

[mikeredding]

I am no expert by any means but this is what I do.
1/2 gallon of distilled water.
1 cup non iodized rock salt
1/2 cup Pro Cure Brine & Brite
2 tablespoons Pro Cure 100% krill powder
2 tablespoons Pro Cure Powder die. (usually chartruese)

Let soak 24hrs and fish!
I always throw out remaining bait after day two.

 

[C_Run]

Thanks for the input everybody. I think I may have been expecting them to last too long. I wasn't sure how many I would be using so I made up a couple of dozen at once which was way more than I was using per day. Even so, they did work after a few weeks in the fridge although they had softened up a bit and did not last as long in the water. The nose cone thing is an interesting gadget I might also try this year. Might even try some big- ass purple ones. I like to try new things. I got the spin down last year thanks to my little plastic miter box. Can't wait to go.

Mike redding, I think your avatar picture might just qualify you as an "expert".

 

[mikeredding]

Mike redding, I think your avatar picture might just qualify you as an "expert".[/QUOTE]

I don't know about that but we did have a good run last weekend.
Thanks for the compliment though.