How to Salt Shrimp for Bait to Make Them Last Longer
If you're tired of your bait falling off the lift every time a person cast, learning how to salt shrimp for bait is going to be a total game-changer for your next fishing trip. Right now there is nothing more frustrating than purchasing a beautiful bag of fresh shrimp, heading out to your favorite spot, and realizing that the second the bait hits the particular water, the "bait stealers" have selected it clean before a real seafood even has a chance. Salting will be the old-school remedy to that exact problem, and honestly, it's one of those skills that will every saltwater fisherman should have within their back wallet.
Why you need to Quit Using Just New Shrimp
Don't get me wrong, fresh shrimp will be incredible bait. Fish like it. The problem is that new shrimp is basically just like a piece of wet tissue document once it strikes the salt drinking water. It's soft, it's delicate, and it's incredibly easy for a small pinfish or snapper to yank it right off the hook.
When a person learn how to salt shrimp for bait, you're fundamentally putting that shrimp by way of a curing process. The salt draws out all the excess moisture, which changes the structure from "mushy" to "rubbery. " This rubbery consistency is exactly what you want. It stays on the hook through long casts, resists the pecking of small seafood, and lets you get more "soak time" from every single piece of bait. In addition, you don't have to worry about a smelly cooler full of rotting seafood at the finish of the day because salted shrimp is naturally preserved.
What You'll Need to Get Started
A person don't need a lab or any fancy equipment to do this. The majority of what you require is probably sitting in your kitchen right now.
- Shrimp: You can use fresh shrimp, or maybe that bag of frozen "bait shrimp" from the local tackle store.
- Salt: This is the most important part. You want non-iodized salt . Kosher salt or even pickling salt works best. Avoid regular table salt if this has iodine within it, as some old-timers swear the smell of iodine scares from the fish. I usually just get the cheapest big box of Kosher salt I can find at the particular grocery store.
- A Box: A Tupperware container you don't mind getting a bit fishy, and even just a heavy-duty Ziploc bag.
- Optional Extras: Some people like to add things such as garlic herb powder or industrial bait scents, yet honestly, plain salt does 90% associated with the work.
The Step-by-Step Procedure
The actual process of how to salt shrimp for bait is surprisingly easy. You don't have to end up being a chef to get this perfect.
Prep Your own Shrimp
First off, decide if you want to salt them whole, or even if you want to peel and cut them first. I prefer to peel mine and cut them straight into bite-sized chunks before salting. The reason why? Since the salt may penetrate the meat considerably faster when the shell is off. Also, it's the lot easier to cut them into clean pieces when they're fresh than it really is once they've toughened up. In case you're targeting larger fish and desire to use entire shrimp, just keep them as they are.
The particular First Layer
Take your container and pour a thick layer of salt on the particular bottom. You desire regarding half an inch of salt in that area. Think of this just like a bed for the shrimp to lay on.
Layering the Bait
Lay your shrimp or shrimp pieces out upon top of that salt. Try not to let them overlap too much; a person want the salt to touch as much of the particular surface area since possible. Once you've got a coating down, pour even more salt on top until they are usually completely covered. In the event that you have a lot of shrimp, you can perform this in layers—salt, shrimp, salt, shrimp—kind of like the weird seafood lasagna.
The Waiting Game
Right now, you simply wait. Many people leave all of them for at least 12 to 24 hours. If you're in a hurry, a few hours may give them a little bit associated with toughness, but for that true "indestructible" bait, give it a full day. You'll notice after a few hours that the salt is definitely getting wet. That's good! It indicates it's doing the job and pulling the water out of the shrimp.
Draining and Final Curing
Right after about 24 hrs, you'll probably see a large amount of liquid with the bottom of the container. Some individuals like to deplete this off plus put in a fresh layer of dry salt to finish the particular process. This "double salt" method can make the bait actually tougher.
Once the shrimp feel firm—almost such as a gummy bear—they're ready. You are able to tremble off the excess salt and place them into a fresh Ziploc bag. A person don't even need to bear them in the fridge, even though keeping them within a cool place doesn't hurt. I've kept salted shrimp in my deal with bag for days, and they remained totally fine.
Customizing Your Salted Bait
If a person want to obtain a little "extra" with it, you can customize your bait during the salting procedure. A lot of guys like to include a bit of garlic clove powder to the salt. Believe it or even not, fish seem to love the aroma of garlic.
Another trick is incorporating food coloring. In the event that the water you're fishing in is a bit murky, a shiny pink or neon chartreuse salted shrimp can stand away way better than a natural-looking one. Just add a several drops of coloring to the salt mixture while you're prepping. Just be warned: your fingers may be stained for a few times if you proceed this route.
Tips for Using Salted Shrimp around the Water
If you finally get to the water, you'll notice a huge difference. If you hook a piece associated with salted shrimp, this feels solid. You can really whip your rod for a long-distance solid without worrying regarding the bait traveling off in one path and your catch in the additional.
One thing to bear in mind is that salted shrimp will "rehydrate" slightly once they've experienced the water for a couple of minutes. They'll soften up just a small bit, however they can still be very much tougher than refreshing bait. If a person find they are usually as well difficult as well as the fish aren't committing, try peeling handful of the "cured" outer layer away with your fingernail to let more associated with that natural scent escape.
Common Mistakes to Prevent
Even though it's simple, I've observed people screw up how to salt shrimp for bait within a few ways:
- Using not enough salt: Don't be stingy. Salt will be cheap. If you don't use enough, the shrimp won't treatment properly and they'll just start to rot. You would like all of them buried.
- Using iodized salt: As I mentioned before, some anglers think the iodine has a chemical fragrance that puts seafood off. Stick to Kosher or sea salt to end up being safe.
- Forgetting to empty: When you leave the shrimp sitting within the "brine" (the liquid the salt draws out), they won't get that difficult, leathery texture. Be sure you drain that liquid or add enough salt to bathe it all up.
Why This particular Method Saves Cash
Fishing is usually getting expensive. Involving the gas for the particular boat, the deal with, and the cost of bait, the day on the water can actually add up. By using fresh shrimp, you might go through 2 or three dozen in a few of hours due to the fact they're so easy to lose.
With salted shrimp, that same bag of bait might last you the whole day. You're catching more fish per shrimp because you aren't feeding the particular small ones for free. Plus, since they don't spoil, you can take whatever you didn't use home plus save it for next time. Simply no more throwing out $20 worth of left over bait in late the trip!
Wrapping It Up
Learning how to salt shrimp for bait will be honestly one associated with those things you'll wish you began doing years back. It saves money, it saves period, plus it definitely will save your sanity when the bait stealers are out in full force. It's a simple, low-tech way to create your fishing more efficient.
Next time the truth is a sale on shrimp at the particular supermarket, or you have some leftovers from a time of fishing, don't toss them. Get a box associated with Kosher salt, spend a few minutes prepping them, and you'll possess the best, toughest bait in your tackle box for your next outing. Your own hook will remain loaded, and ultimately, that big 1 is going to find it. Delighted fishing!