# Lets see your egg collection



## KSUFLASH (Apr 14, 2004)

As the passion of steelhead fishing continues to grab you and consumes your mind, for the bait fisherman "eggs" are always a thought. Lets see some pics of your eggs. Here is a sampling from the man cave fridge.


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## therockgj (Feb 21, 2011)

That's awesome! lol


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## thephildo0916 (Mar 4, 2009)

Here is part of the collection.


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## ChromeBone (Oct 3, 2011)

I got a question!!! When you guys thaw your frozen eggs do yours get a lil gummy and sticky? like some of the juice comes out, like iff where curing them? Iff so do you guys just leave them in there for a day or so to suck the juice back up or are they just guna be like that?


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## brodg (Sep 6, 2010)

Egg porn!!!!!!!!!!


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## KSUFLASH (Apr 14, 2004)

Eggs thawed can get that gooey tacky look to them. I don't worry much about it. I just fish them regardless. You may notice some juice at the bottom of your egg container as well. No fear, just fish them the same as more dry eggs.

-KSU


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## creekcrawler (Oct 5, 2004)

Dude, that is insane!

Can you actually use all those in a season?


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## Mepps3 (Apr 23, 2006)

KSUFLASH said:


> As the passion of steelhead fishing continues to grab you and consumes your mind, for the bait fisherman "eggs" are always a thought. Lets see some pics of your eggs. Here is a sampling from the man cave fridge.


You win the salmon egg tie award 

http://www.zazzle.com/salmon_egg_tie-151026473925239216


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## FISHIN216 (Mar 18, 2009)

KSUFLASH said:


> Eggs thawed can get that gooey tacky look to them. I don't worry much about it. I just fish them regardless. You may notice some juice at the bottom of your egg container as well. No fear, just fish them the same as more dry eggs.
> 
> -KSU


Thanks .....i was wondering about that goo.....the top row looks like jelly beans....awesome!

Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


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## KSUFLASH (Apr 14, 2004)

The red stuff on the bottom row is scraped skein. The other rows are a mix of Pautzke Brine and Pautzke BorX O' Fire cures.

Brines keep the translucence of the egg. The borax cures give it a more hazy look.

Behind all that is some fire cured Steelhead skein that isn't in the pictured. Also got some singles hidden in there somewhere.


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## ChromeBone (Oct 3, 2011)

thephildo0916 said:


> Here is part of the collection.


Are those Channel Cats?


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## thephildo0916 (Mar 4, 2009)

ChromeBone said:


> Are those Channel Cats?


They are Kings


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## ChromeBone (Oct 3, 2011)

thephildo0916 said:


> They are Kings


Sorry this laptop im using at works sucks. I was guna say Catfish lol! Thats a nice Stringer of kings  My gf smashed all my brownie eggs from last year.
Had to make a trip to EO on the way home last trip to the tribs  700 miles round trip that day lol


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## CARL510ISLE (Jan 8, 2010)

Just curious, why all the coloring? Do you use mesh to match the egg color or mix that also? I'm sure the hot colors produce in stained water, but what about the other colors? Do you harden them and fish them as singles or is a lot of what's there still in the experimental stage? Those blue/green eggs fished as singles would likely probably be deadly in clear water.

Aside from changing mesh colors and perhaps adding some coloring for stained water, isn't a natural colored egg typically most effective in normal flow and visibility? Interestingly, I find some guys process eggs most conducive to their preferences of what type of water they like to fish. Guess I prefer boring eggs similar to those 4 or 5 bags in the middle and modify more with mesh colors. 

Very nice variety and it's always nice to have eggs a little different than the other guys as sometimes a subtle change is all it takes.......

C510I


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## ParmaBass (Apr 11, 2004)

Ben.... You have a sickness. 

Nice.


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## KSUFLASH (Apr 14, 2004)

Some of the eggs pictured are experimental. Others are tried and true. The natural colored ones are most popular across steelhead alley. While some of the brighter colors are more of a situational egg. 

I have found that when running a colored egg, I have best success with a white mesh. I run the natural colored eggs with the available colored meshes. 

As far as the green egg, well....... that one is truly experimental! We will see how they work in low and clear conditions. 

I usually take a variety of colors with me to the river. I tie up some the night before, then take the loose with me. If I find a color that is on fire, then I can tie up streamside with what I have with me in loose form.

-KSU


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## Lundfish (Apr 7, 2010)

I was in the UP last month and caught some kings on spawn that our guide had. When we were done fishing, I kept the eggs from one of the kings and froze it in 2 separate foodsaver bags.

When I arrived back to the UP over the weekend I thawed out one of the bags. Then I tied a bunch of sacs to go fishing for steel. What a mess btw!

I just kept the eggs in the fridge. Later in the weekend I could see them turning white.

1. Should I tie them before I freeze them? 
2. Can they be refroze after they're thawed?
3. Can they be cured after being thawed?

I'm brand new to this egg fishing but I did manage to get about a 10 pounder on Friday!


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## ChromeBone (Oct 3, 2011)

Lundfish said:


> I was in the UP last month and caught some kings on spawn that our guide had. When we were done fishing, I kept the eggs from one of the kings and froze it in 2 separate foodsaver bags.
> 
> When I arrived back to the UP over the weekend I thawed out one of the bags. Then I tied a bunch of sacs to go fishing for steel. What a mess btw!
> 
> ...


If you are going to freeze them, Cure them first. I always tie mine Before I head out depending on how the water is. Making them bigger for stained water smaller for clear.

Ive only been steelheading for a few yrs so im still new, But I do slay them  I Fished offshore since I was young.


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## KSUFLASH (Apr 14, 2004)

Optimal egg storage goes something like this.

*If Freezing storage:*

1. Catch fish
2. Bleed fish
3. Harvest Eggs
4. Cure Eggs
5. Freeze Eggs in usable portion size baggies
6. Thaw a baggie of eggs
7. Tie up sacs
8. Fish Eggs

Trying to refreeze eggs a second time doesn't work for me. They get gooey all over the place.

I have not tried to cure eggs that have previously been frozen. I always cure them first then either freezer or fridge store them.

There are some cures that have been proven to keep eggs good just in the fridge for a year or so, and no freezing of eggs needed. 

*If Fridge storage:*

1. Catch fish
2. Bleed fish
3. Harvest Eggs
4. Cure Eggs
5. Store eggs in usable portion ziplock baggies
6. When ready to fish, tie up sacs
7. Fish Eggs

Powder cures are a slower more methodical cure, while liquid/brine cures are quicker. Brine cures keep the egg translucence while the borax based cures give the egg a more solid appearance.


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## Lundfish (Apr 7, 2010)

Alright sounds good. I was trying to steer away from curing eggs because doesn't it take away scent and oils that will attract fish?


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## thephildo0916 (Mar 4, 2009)

Lundfish said:


> Alright sounds good. I was trying to steer away from curing eggs because doesn't it take away scent and oils that will attract fish?


It is almost the opposite now. Some cures will help the eggs milk, aka putting more scent into the water. They also preserve the shell, and make them last longer.


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## KSUFLASH (Apr 14, 2004)

Some prefer uncured eggs, while others prefer cured. Its personal choice. What I do know is that double freezing eggs regardless of cure or uncured make a mess of things.


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## Lundfish (Apr 7, 2010)

I just want to catch fish! It sounds like curing is the way to make them last longer. It's either that or putting eggs in smaller bags to freeze. That's where I made my biggest mistake and ruined a bunch of eggs.


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## KSUFLASH (Apr 14, 2004)

Eggs are likely not ruined, just very gooey. I would try and take a large knife and break the block of frozen eggs up into smaller portions. Then just pull out a smaller bag of them when your ready to fish. Thaw them out and go fish.

Gooey eggs will milk out quickly, so you may have to tie up more then you would expect. Cured eggs release the "milk" a bit slower. If over cured, eggs will not milk and look like marbles forever. If your eggs are not getting that pale look to them after a while, then they aren't milking. 

Though I will say that milking or not, fish hit beads too so this whole curing and non curing topic is all personal preference.

To each their own, I like cure because I like pretty colors...HAHA! The fish like it too!

-KSu


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## Lundfish (Apr 7, 2010)

Haha nice! I caught many a rainbows on a little bit of yarn on a hook too! Milky eggs just sound good along with making your fingers smell delicious! :bananalama:


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## Steelhead Fever (Dec 31, 2009)

what do you use to color those? also, if I want to use some boroxofire on single salmon eggs, what is the best way to go about this? thanks in advance


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## KSUFLASH (Apr 14, 2004)

The link below is to a video How-To on the Fire Cure. BorX O' Fire is the same process. When using Fire Cure you don't need alot of cure. Too much cure and it is easy to ruin the batch. BorX O' Fire is a much easier method of curing loose king salmon eggs. Borx is a slower more methodical cure and the eggs can tolerate a little too much cure on them. Fire cure on the king eggs will turn them into raisins in a heartbeat if messed up.

http://pautzke.com/videos.php?watch=6

-KSU


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## Brian.Smith (May 18, 2006)

Fever" some of the cures have color added to them.


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## ChromeBone (Oct 3, 2011)

Anyone use that flash cure from EO? I bought some to try out my next batch of eggs I get. Any good?


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## Brian.Smith (May 18, 2006)

I like Fire Cure, they seem to milk a little more but lose it faster.


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## Steelhead Fever (Dec 31, 2009)

KSUFLASH said:


> The link below is to a video How-To on the Fire Cure. BorX O' Fire is the same process. When using Fire Cure you don't need alot of cure. Too much cure and it is easy to ruin the batch. BorX O' Fire is a much easier method of curing loose king salmon eggs. Borx is a slower more methodical cure and the eggs can tolerate a little too much cure on them. Fire cure on the king eggs will turn them into raisins in a heartbeat if messed up.
> 
> http://pautzke.com/videos.php?watch=6
> 
> -KSU


thanks!!! I used some on some fresh skein and it just kept making juice, whatsup with that?


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## Steelaholic (Sep 5, 2009)

Nice collection. Here's mine. Probably 20 lbs. total. You never have too many. Fish on!


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## KSUFLASH (Apr 14, 2004)

Steelhead Fever,

The eggs will get all juiced up, then within 24 hours your eggs will have sucked the juice back into the eggs and plumped up. No worries, just give it time.

Steelaholic, You win!! haha! Nice!

-KSU


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## fisherman4life42 (May 25, 2010)

Good stuff here guys,

This may be a dumb question but does it make any difference if you freeze the eggs skein and all or freeze them loose? (both cured beforehand)


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## TRIPLE-J (Sep 18, 2006)

KSUFLASH said:


> As the passion of steelhead fishing continues to grab you and consumes your mind, for the bait fisherman "eggs" are always a thought. Lets see some pics of your eggs. Here is a sampling from the man cave fridge.


now thats alot of eggs
more than I can use in a season


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