Salting Minnows

[4x4bassin]

It's almost time for our annual backwoods lake trout trip and had an idea about salting some minnows and taking them .

I would like to take live ones but they would not survive the trip in ( 1 hour atv ride and very rough )also the water that

the minnows go in would add some weight that we surely don't need , already tight for space !

Has anyone here ever salted there own minnows with success and could offer some tips ?

Thanks

[DRIFTER_016]

It's almost time for our annual backwoods lake trout trip and had an idea about salting some minnows and taking them .

I would like to take live ones but they would not survive the trip in ( 1 hour atv ride and very rough )also the water that

the minnows go in would add some weight that we surely don't need , already tight for space !

Has anyone here ever salted there own minnows with success and could offer some tips ?

Thanks

 

 

I do it all the time and use a couple of methods.

The first one I just put my ciscoes/minnows in a ziplock bag and add pickling salt and shake the bag to cover the baits evenly, then place in the fridge overnight. The next day drain off the liquid that comes out of the bait and test the firmness of the bait. If it's still too soft leave for several hours more and check again. When they firm up to your liking wash off the salt to stop them from curing too much and go fishing.

 

This is a good brine recipe that works well with ciscoes/herring and smelt (should work for shiners too)

 

Bait Brine Instructions

 

 

Have fun!!!!

[Terry]

remember you can only have 120 of them

[Nipfisher]

remember you can only have 120 of them

 

 

Does 120 apply to live bait only? If they are salted (dead) does the limit apply? How about smelt posession? If we are gonna eat some and use some for bait how does the possession limit apply?

[Fang]

The 120 applies to any minnows you have in your possession, live or dead, store bought or self caught. MNR were actively checking the salties on Simcoe and letting evryone know it is part of the overall count.

 

Try Google search with preserving cut bait using laundry bluing. The recipes are primarily used for salmon fishing but I've seen these preserved baits and boy do they shine. Scales don't come off and they don't go all white and milky.

[Nipfisher]

Thanks fang. So one person can only possess 120 smelts regardless of the planned use?

[steelie hunter]

I have heard rice works better than salt for preserving minnows. I have yet to try it myself though

[Nipfisher]

Just received a note from a buddy saying that Smelt were illegal for bait. Where does it say that in the regs? They are not a game fish? Temagami has a reg. against bait over 5.5" but can still use smaller ones.

[bigugli]

Smelt is illegal as a live bait. However, in some zones and bodies of water, the use of dead smelts is not allowed.

[splashhopper]

I didn't think u could take minnows from one lake and use them in another?

[Nipfisher]

I didn't think u could take minnows from one lake and use them in another?

 

 

All the minnows I buy at the bait shop come from a different lake then I fish.