Roe Question...

[kemper]

Hey guys/gals. Ive got some fresh roe here, and its a new thing to me as I usually just buy it tied or loose from the store. Can I tie up a bunch of it now and put the bags in the freezer, then take them out to thaw a little while before I go fishing? Ive got more than enough row for the next few weeks, but I know by april/may Ill be needing some. Will it be ok tied and in the freezer till then?

 

thanks

[Fishnfiend]

I usually freeze 'day packs' (enought to tie 20-30 sacs) in snack size baggies. Squish all the air out with a ruler or suck it out with a straw. THen tie 'em up just before you are going out. I have never had a problem with freezer burn... (knock on wood)

[kemper]

Ya frezer burn was what I was worried about, I know it will not affect the store bought cured row but I wondered about this stuff because im not sure how my buddy cured it. I can tell that it is cured to come extent (or at least I think so) but it is VERY fresh. Ive been hurting for row because I havent caught a loose hen in quite some time.

[charlied]

I wouldn't pre tie them cause sometimes the roe bag material can scrape and puncture the eggs when they freeze ro thaw out. As fishinfiend said...small bags for day trips and I would make sure they are freezer bags thou, and if your worried about freezer burn just double bag them.

[Bob]

I've always had better luck with uncured roe, fresh or frozen. When you freeze roe, ice crystals form inside the eggs and they can puncture the shells. When this happens, the eggs don't last as long but on the plus side, the stuff that bleeds out of them is a powerful attractant. Just take some extra bags for a day's fishing. This is going to happen whether you bag them before or after freezing them. I like to bag them first and package what I figure I'll need for a day, then it's a simple matter of grabbing them and letting them thaw on the way to your fishing hole. If you feel a need to cure them some, just leave them in cold running water for a while and it will harden them up a bit.

[tonyb]

You will catch less juvenile trout in the spring in streams if you DO NOT use roe.

 

For the big spawned out fish, artificials will work 5 to 1 (my experience anyway)

 

Tony

[just2manylures]

I would double bag them just to be sure. You don't want to get to the creek and find your roe with freezer burn

[Canuck2fan]

I find it less messy to tie the bags before freezing. I find if I keep them in very small plastic disposable containers. Like the glad ones that I don't get freezer burn either. Sure some of the eggs are going to break by freezing them but if they are already tied you don't have to deal with the sticky goo from the eggs breaking after freezing them. The liquid is still potent for attracting fish though. I have caught just as many fish with uncured frozen roe done that way as with fresh uncured, which isn't saying much really as I still don't catch near as many fish as I would like no matter what I use for bait. LOL

Edited March 16, 2007 by Canuck2fan

[blaque]

I just cure them with a little river water, a quick rinse is all, set them out on wax paper when i get home, spread out of course........and just let them air dry in the fridge for a few hours. I bought a vacuum pack food sealer for like 45 bucks and it works great and the bags you use are freezer bags. I just , as all have said, bag up a days worth and vacuum seal and take out before bagging the night before. Doesnt take long for roe to thaw out. Ive had brown eggs for two years and there as good as the day i put them in the freezer.