# egg question



## corndawg (Oct 24, 2007)

How long do you guys keep eggs sacks on your hook? After a few casts the eggs loose its color and they turn to a whitish shade. Being cheap I tend to keep my on as long as possible and occasionally break an egg to get some scent. Any thoughts?


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## capt S (Sep 5, 2007)

once the eggs turn white its pretty much done. i sqeeze them when they turn white and make a few more casts then discard it.


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## JumpinJackBass (Nov 13, 2007)

you say you like to keep it cheap. if you have time you can buy those jars of egg sacks, break them open and re-tie them in smaller quantities like maybe 2-3 eggs per sack as opposed to like 5-6. this way when they go bad it is only a few.... the greater number of eggs doesent mean the greater chances of catching a fish i have caught fish with just one egg in a sack


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## Crumdfargo (Aug 25, 2005)

They'll still catch fish when they turn white. I use the same sac until it is just destroyed. You can catch multiple fish on one sac too. dont think you have to change sacs every 10 drifts. I only usually change sacs when it is practically just netting on my hook. Look how white the eggs in that sac are. It has already been thru 1 fish.


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## KSUFLASH (Apr 14, 2004)

forget about the sack...what a beautiful fish picture...thats for sharing that quality photo.

flash---------------out


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## Crumdfargo (Aug 25, 2005)

Thanks! Here he is in all his glory. 30" and about 10 pounds:








Big fish of the year for me.


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## corndawg (Oct 24, 2007)

I normally tie my own sacks or use skeins and home cured eggs seem to work and last longer than bait shop sacks. Ok, so I guess Im not cheap just thrifty. 

Crumdfargo,
That first close up pic is really nice. What kind of camera do you have?


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## Crumdfargo (Aug 25, 2005)

Its a fuji s700. Its kind of like a point and shoot for people interested in learning photography. Its got all kind of features, manual settings, and incredible zoom. It was about 250 at cord camera. I love the camera, i would recommend it to anyone looking for a good deal. I get into all the features and things like that, but when I'm on the rivers, the auto setting is the way to go. 

I eat steelhead, so if I get a female, i usually will keep her. I wash the skeins in plain water, air dry them on some paper towels in the fridge until they are dry to the touch(usually an hour or so), then freeze the skeins whole. Dont cut up the skeins before you freeze them or they will get freezer burn. I wrap the whole skeins in a paper towel once they are dry and put them into a ziploc bag to freeze them. The night before fishing, i take out a skein and tie sacs in different colors. I like pink and chartrues. Dont refreeze thawed eggs or skeins, it ruins them. if its cold out, like under 50, you can use the leftover sacs for up to about a week before they just go bad. Some people use scents like anise and such on them, I like au naturale. i like about a penny sized sac. 

I'm not saying anyone on here does, but just to be clear,
DONT ZIP STEELHEAD! It is just wrong and illegal. If I see anyone cutting the eggs out of a fish streamside, I will and have called 1800-poacher.


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## liquidsoap (Oct 22, 2005)

I have caught fish on empty sacs a couple of times.
Only when I was running low.
I usually take them off when they stop smelling.
They can be white and still catch fish as long as there still is scent.


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## freyedknot (Apr 10, 2004)

never caught 1 on store baught sacs? anyone ever catch them w/ the store baught sacs?


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## reo (May 22, 2004)

freyedknot said:


> never caught 1 on store baught sacs? anyone ever catch them w/ the store baught sacs?


Depends on what you mean by store. I have done quite well on sacks bought from Erie Outfitters. 

Mass produced national brand types....not so good:S


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## boss302 (Jun 24, 2005)

Crumdfargo said:


> I'm not saying anyone on here does, but just to be clear,
> DONT ZIP STEELHEAD! It is just wrong and illegal. If I see anyone cutting the eggs out of a fish streamside, I will and have called 1800-poacher.


Not trying to start somthing, and I'm not saying I would "zip a steelhead", but so long as it's legaly caught, and takan home at the end of the day*NOT LEFT TO THE ANIMALS STREAMSIDE*. what's the big beef? Is it really much different than bleeding a fish before tossing it in the cooler or field dressing a deer?

I'm really just curious, I'm still working on landing my first steelhead.


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## corndawg (Oct 24, 2007)

Crumdfargo
I too have found zipped steelhead ( gutted steelhead killed for eggs only then left on shore) while walking the rivers Not only is this unethical and immoral its also, as you stated, illegal. Normally I will C&R but if I do keep a hen I give the meat to my mother-in-law (good way to stay off her hit list). If youre going to kill the fish for the eggs and you dont want to eat it, clean it and give it away to family or friends. 

Reo 
Your right, bottled eggs from a department store are crap. The eggs that Craig sells are the best around and he has also stated that they are VHS free.


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## corndawg (Oct 24, 2007)

boss302 said:


> Not trying to start somthing, and I'm not saying I would "zip a steelhead", but so long as it's legaly caught, and takan home at the end of the day*NOT LEFT TO THE ANIMALS STREAMSIDE*. what's the big beef? Is it really much different than bleeding a fish before tossing it in the cooler or field dressing a deer?
> 
> I'm really just curious, I'm still working on landing my first steelhead.


 One of the first laws on your fishing regulation pamphlet states that It is against the law to clean a fish or possess fillets while on or near a body of water.


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## boss302 (Jun 24, 2005)

corndawg said:


> One of the first laws on your fishing regulation pamphlet states that It is against the law to clean a fish or possess fillets while on or near a body of water.


I looked it up and you are correct. However, without going to the library and looking up OAC 1501:31-13-08, l'm curious if gutting a fish that is otherwise left "in the round" is considered cleaning the fish.


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## corndawg (Oct 24, 2007)

I would play it safe and gut the fish away from the water. IMO gutting and cleaning a fish is the same thing plus a lot of the regulations give the rangers latitude for interpretation. I've looked up that code too but couldnt find anything concrete. From what I read I think it falls somewhere in the littering law.


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## Crumdfargo (Aug 25, 2005)

Gutting a fish IS cleaning it. zipping steelhead can be likened to killing a buck and just taking the antlers. After all, steelhead are the big game of the freshwater world. Its just wrong and illegal. Anyway, 

Store bought sacs can be decent. Kightlingers in conneaut has pretty good sacs. I think they are fresh salmon eggs, but not sure. They also have singles that have brought me luck too. There is a guy who has bait at the ford at bula that has some killer prices for sacs. You get like a bakers dozen for three bucks, and he has all different colors. That is a good deal when compared to other shops. The guy is on the south side of the ford a little down the road. Its in his garage. Really nice guy who could use the business.

I would stay away from the sacs in the little glass jars you can buy at retail stores. I have caught fish on them, but not many. There are several places online where you can buy fresh salmon eggs and skeins. Some people swear by curing them, some say fresh. I say fresh. The problem with cured eggs from a store is that usually they are cured way too much.


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## jojopro (Oct 9, 2007)

freyedknot said:


> never caught 1 on store baught sacs? anyone ever catch them w/ the store baught sacs?


Many times I have tried the store bought little jars of salmon eggs and sacs and I have never gotten one single hit on them. They are worthless in my opinion. What does work very well though is Sure Strike Salmon Spawn Sacs. You can find them at Gander Mountain in their bait fridge. I think they are around $3.50, and there are at least a dozen per tube. 


But of course natural is best! When fishing spawn sacs you really can't beat fresh steelhead spawn. Earlier this season I kept the first female I caught to harvest her eggs. I tied up about a dozen sacs with uncured eggs and then used Atlas Shake "N" Cure to preserve the rest. DO NOT OVERCURE!!! I only cure them for about 1/2 hour. I keep the cured sacs in the freezer and take out just what I'll need before hitting the river. I was able to tie about 90 small sacs from just the one fish. The steelhead spawn has by far been my most effective bait this season...fresh or cured. There is no need to take eggs from every hen you catch, (that's a huge waste it you're not eating the meat), just cure the eggs and they can last you all year kept in the freezer.


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## parmaangler (May 20, 2007)

Guys, before a big argument ensues, look back in the lake erie forums. This same discussion came up recently about steelhead being taken in the lake. And whether to bleed them or gut them. Taking the eggs, and gutting the fish IS legal and is considered field dressing the fish. Only removing the fillets and leaving the carcass without the fillets is Illegal. Taking the fillets and leaving the carcass behind is what they consider "cleaning" a fish according to those posts. A few of the Lake Erie guys stopped by different ODNR offices to talk to an officer to find out for sure. And that is what they posted. Hope this helps.


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## jojopro (Oct 9, 2007)

parmaangler said:


> Taking the eggs, and gutting the fish IS legal and is considered field dressing the fish. Only removing the fillets and leaving the carcass without the fillets is Illegal. Taking the fillets and leaving the carcass behind is what they consider "cleaning" a fish according to those posts. QUOTE]
> 
> I don't believe that is entirely accurate. Here is what it says in the ODNR fishing regulations;
> *"It is unlawful to clean fish or possess fillets while on or at a body of water. For more information, see OAC 1501:31-13-08 J"*
> ...


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## corndawg (Oct 24, 2007)

Here is the emailed I received from the ODNR.

Thank you for the question. Here is the OAC section that you are looking for which is 150131-13-08-J:
(J) It shall be unlawful for any person to possess a fish in any form or condition other than in the round while on or when unloading the fish from a boat, or while fishing from shore on any waters in this state where a fishing license is required. Provided further, it shall be lawful to possess fish in the whole or as a fillet with the skin attached *while returning from the Lake Erie Islands on a commercial ferry boat.*

The definition of fish in the round is:
(LL) Round when used in describing fish means with head and tail intact.

You can gut or bleed the fish as long as the guts are not disposed in the water.

Wildinfo-law


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## boss302 (Jun 24, 2005)

Corndog,

Thanks for following up with that. I have no intentions of field dressing a steelhead, or harvesting eggs streamside, but it's good to know is and isn't legal.

As a follow up egg question, how long are the bait shop purchased "fresh" sacks good for? I have a pack that I used in late October sitting in my car. They look good, but wasn't sure if they should just be tossed.


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## corndawg (Oct 24, 2007)

Going by what Ive experienced, if kept cold and depending on the cure, theyre good for a few months. Kept frozen, a couple of years. Of course others may disagree on the shelf life but I think a big part of it is how they were cured and the temp they were stored at. If they were in the passenger part of the car and it got hot theyre probable shot. If they were left in the trunk they may of survived. Check to see if they have a funky smell or have mold growing on them. If so, you now have catfish bait.


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## duckman (Sep 18, 2004)

boss302 said:


> Corndog,
> 
> As a follow up egg question, how long are the bait shop purchased "fresh" sacks good for? I have a pack that I used in late October sitting in my car. They look good, but wasn't sure if they should just be tossed.


Dude! I have quarter pounder remains generating live bait for the next trip in my truck! Don't use good eggs for that! 

I honestly do have maggots and eggs hidden in the frig.... put em a zip lock wrapped in an onion sack (camoflage) in the crisper ... and then I clean the frig "for my wife"

Hope she doesn't read this post ... lol


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## Crumdfargo (Aug 25, 2005)

catching a fish, gutting it for the eggs and leaving it to rot is poaching. end of story. I have seen the ODNR bust people for doing that. 

Now, if you have the fish on a stringer with its guts removed and its eggs in a bag, who cares? If you take the fish with you its no big deal. 

The thing about zipped steelhead is that there is no way to account for the daily bag limit of one fisherman. If you (not directed at anyone) zipped five steelhead in a day, that three more than you are allowed to kill in one day, that is poaching. 

But, since there is no way to tell how many you left on the river, the paoching charge sticks, whether you did it once or a dozen times.

Bleeding a fish is absolutely legal


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