# Spawn sacs



## Indybio72 (Nov 6, 2013)

This is my first year fishing for steel so what I am saying stems from what I have read on this forum. When it comes to spawn sacs why does it seem like so many people say that fresh spawn is the only way to go and the pre tied sacs you can buy are complete crap. In my opinion the fish would strike it because of its visual aspects, not a scent, it drifts by so quick they are definitely not using sent to locate it. Just like jigs and fly's are can be very productive and there is no scent to them. So based on that if fish strike because they see it then why is there a difference in fresh vs pre tied spawn. They look the same depending on what colors you get. I don't understand why people bash pre tied spawn like atlas so much? A guy the other day asked if I had spawn,even though I was using a jig, told him I had the pre tied stuff to which he replied "you don't plan on catching fish today do you"


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## tehsavage (Aug 16, 2013)

? to each his own ? as long as whatever u do catches fish! everyone has their own ritual / tendencies that they think makes them sucessful.


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## Indybio72 (Nov 6, 2013)

I was just curious because the majority seem to side on fresh spawn as the only way to go, but I don't really understand the difference. I'm not pro one way or the other, every time I've gone I've just used jigs, just curious


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## steelhead sniper 860 (Nov 6, 2013)

there is a massive advantage to fishing with fresh eggs, if you have used them you would know. 
Sure you can catch fish with "stuff from the jars" but at a fraction of the rate. Every noobie has used the stuff in the jars that's been on the shelf since the 90s, but honestly If youre going to buy bait from a store, just go to the seafood section and pick up a 12oz bag of small salad Shrimp for $5 you get 100-150 pieces and only use half or less at a time. one bag lasts me all season as a back up.

Both scent and Looks matter when these fish decide to strike.
You are right you can catch them on flies, I personally think scent matters and helps a lot when the water is stained or has Low visibility conditions As fly fisherman prefer clearer conditions it seems.

Also About scent, as a kid I remember I would be in my bedroom just waking up in the morning and I could smell breakfast or bacon cooking in the kitchen. although the food was all the way downstairs, the scent still drew me in  

I generally keep a couple female fish at the end of the season, around late april or early may, and cure the eggs with 20 mule team borax and deep freeze them in our ice chest for my next season. Hope this helps.


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## Indybio72 (Nov 6, 2013)

steelhead sniper 860 said:


> there is a massive advantage to fishing with fresh eggs, if you have used them you would know.
> Sure you can catch fish with "stuff from the jars" but at a fraction of the rate. Every noobie has used the stuff in the jars that's been on the shelf since the 90s, but honestly If youre going to buy bait from a store, just go to the seafood section and pick up a 12oz bag of small salad Shrimp for $5 you get 100-150 pieces and only use half or less at a time. one bag lasts me all season as a back up.
> 
> Both scent and Looks matter when these fish decide to strike.
> ...


Thanks for your input. I've read that about shrimp before as well. Like I said I'm not familiar with spawn at all so I just didn't understand the difference, besides scent. I fish all summer for carp and I'm aware of how developed there sense of smell is for them but also the bait is just sitting on the bottom waiting for them to pick up the scent. And steel definitly do not have the same anatomy as a carp in there olfactory regions (steel are for sure not scavangers), plus the sacs is wizing by them in the current so its not as if they get a good smell on of it. One second theres nothing, they smell it, then its gone downriver and the scent with it as it travels with the current, not like in air. HOWEVER, with all that being said about steel not having very well developed olfactory systems and the scent not lasting long in the current, it must still make a diffence if many people report that fresh is better. This just surprises me, due to what I said above. But just like science if you can prove it then I'll believe it


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## bassman56 (May 22, 2005)

Those atlas eggs are crap and I'm not saying that because I'm a purist. I have never caught a fish on those eggs. And besides its not cheap. My suggestion is go buy some fresh salmon eggs and tie your own sacks, much cheaper that way. And to say smell does not make a difference is ridiculous. I've fished sucker spawn flies before with no luck, then as soon as I dipped them in the juice from my spawn sacks I got hits. God knows what chemicals are in those atlas eggs to preserve them.

Sent from my SM-N900T using Ohub Campfire mobile app


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## Indybio72 (Nov 6, 2013)

I don't doubt you. Just surprised by it. Haven't really looked into it but are there pastes or scents that people use for jigs or whatnot. Seems like that would be a good advantage from what your saying.

Also do you feel that the scent is producing strikes that would not have happened otherwise, or do you think that the fish strikes like it would otherwise but then hangs on longer due to the scent, giving the angler more time to react and set the hook. For a lure with no scent the fish has no purpose to hold on onces it strikes because it realizes its a fake if it doesn't hook itself, but with a smell it may hold on just enough longer.


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## steelhead sniper 860 (Nov 6, 2013)

there are a lot of advantages to tying your own egg sacks. 
you can tie them different sizes & colors based on stream clarity and conditions.
I like using a variety of colors, and also a variety of sizes.
Its nice to have larger egg sacks for stained water and medium -smaller size egg sacks for when the stream is prime or in clear water
conditions.
Also the jars only come with a handful of sacks. Sometimes if im only going to the stream for an hour or two I might use a handful. but if im going on an Expedition I am armed with 20-50 sacks.


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## steelhead sniper 860 (Nov 6, 2013)

most people aren't fishing runs where the water if flowing blazing fast, that's only one small portion of most holes, Try fishing some slower deep runs sometimes, it may take patience but you might get rewarded.


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## Indybio72 (Nov 6, 2013)

Thanks for the suggestions. I will definitely have to look into how to cure eggs and whatever else is involved in the process.

If scent is a big part, how often do you change a sack. Not sure how long the scent would last on one


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## FISHIN216 (Mar 18, 2009)

When the sack starts looking white its time to change it

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## kapposgd (Apr 10, 2012)

Indybio72 said:


> What makes you say steelhead don't smell well?
> 
> Sent from my DROID RAZR using Ohub Campfire mobile app


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## Indybio72 (Nov 6, 2013)

kapposgd said:


> What makes you say steelhead don't smell well?
> 
> Sent from my DROID RAZR using Ohub Campfire mobile app


 I'm not saying that their sense of smell is bad. Its just not as well developed as scavanger type fish like carp and catfish which when you fish for them you really care about baits that have a scent. Steelhead and other realted fish to them are more visual predators. I'm just surprised with the smell thing since it seems like a lot of people use jigs, flies, spoons etc which dont have a scent aspect. 

Im not trying to argue. Im sure scent does play a large role if many people have success with it. I was just trying to point out that its not like steelhead are a scavanger fish that heavly rely on scent, and have really developed olfactory systems. Im not trying to upset anyone, maybe I just worded things wrong.


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## BigDaddy300 (Nov 1, 2004)

I believe the most important thing of consistently putting fish on the bank is presentation followed closely by presentation. Lol. With that being said steelhead do smell very well. Like salmon, how do you think they find their way back to the rivers. Even more so in natural reproduction fish like the ones out west. 

lund 1775 pro v se


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## Indybio72 (Nov 6, 2013)

BigDaddy300 said:


> I believe the most important thing of consistently putting fish on the bank is presentation followed closely by presentation. Lol. With that being said steelhead do smell very well. Like salmon, how do you think they find their way back to the rivers. Even more so in natural reproduction fish like the ones out west.
> 
> lund 1775 pro v se


You got me there. Just wondering now why scent isn't a larger aspect of fishing for steel. I mean with jigs and flies and whatnot, seems like they would really benefit from some sort of a smell attractant.


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## Whaler (Nov 16, 2004)

The first time I fished for Steelhead I used some spawn sacs from a jar. I caught four fish on those and a guy near me said " that's the first time I've ever seen anyone catch fish on those." They worked that day but fresh spawn is such better.


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## Steelie.B (Mar 9, 2010)

Indybio72 said:


> Just wondering now why scent isn't a larger aspect of fishing for steel.


Relying on scent turns angling into harvesting, and makes the non-angler think he is angling. There's a reason that there are bait bans out west on a few native steelhead rivers where returns are in danger. Bait out-catches lures and flies. Learn to catch consistently without the crutch of scented bait and you will have accomplished something.


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## Indybio72 (Nov 6, 2013)

Steelie.B said:


> Relying on scent turns angling into harvesting, and makes the non-angler think he is angling. There's a reason that there are bait bans out west on a few native steelhead rivers where returns are in danger. Bait out-catches lures and flies. Learn to catch consistently without the crutch of scented bait and you will have accomplished something.


Understandable, but this is also species dependent. As an example I fish for carp a lot and make my own bollies, with the most important part being smell. But I by no means feel I'm harvesting them. You still only catch low numbers, but you'd catch zero without scent. I agree with you on fish like steel, bass, and other more predatory fish, yeah you can catch them with scented baits but using lures and the like is better.

Like I said in the first post I only use jigs and flies on a pin, I was just interested about the scent thing.


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## Steelie.B (Mar 9, 2010)

Indybio72 said:


> As an example I fish for carp a lot and make my own bollies, with the most important part being smell...... but you'd catch zero without scent.


Sorry, but that's a negative....


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## Indybio72 (Nov 6, 2013)

Steelie.B said:


> Sorry, but that's a negative....


Ha, figured someone would say carp on the fly. I'd love to try but never had the luck to have clear enough water to sight fish for them. I kinda meant that if you just blindly cast a boile out with no smell the odds of a fishing swimming by and finding and taking it are very very small. But I think you get what I'm saying if your not sight fishing for them then your probably not gonna catch anything unless it has a sent. Its not a predatory fish that you can blindly cast a lure to and catch one like a bass or something.But still when I fish for them I don't feel like I'm harvesting them, I just release them anyways. Some species are just more suited to fishing with scent, catfish are another I can think of (but I have seen people catch them on the fly too)

Nice catch though  mind if I ask where you got it?


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## steelhead sniper 860 (Nov 6, 2013)

Indybio72 said:


> You got me there. Just wondering now why scent isn't a larger aspect of fishing for steel. I mean with jigs and flies and whatnot, seems like they would really benefit from some sort of a smell attractant.


If you notice, Most of the guys who are Jig-fisherman Say to "tip your jig with a maggot or wax worm" that gives it the scent.


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## Indybio72 (Nov 6, 2013)

steelhead sniper 860 said:


> If you notice, Most of the guys who are Jig-fisherman Say to "tip your jig with a maggot or wax worm" that gives it the scent.


Gotcha, thanks. This is my first year for steelhead so there's a lot to learn, thanks for all your guys input.


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## Indybio72 (Nov 6, 2013)

Would meal worms work the same as maggots or wax worms? I think that the pet stores by me only have meal worms


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