# Steelhead eggs



## Dmrman21 (Nov 18, 2013)

Just wondering what most guys do with their eggs if they harvest them. I have been useing store bought uncured salmon eggs from a bait shop and have had success with them. I have been thinking about trying to harvest some myself I was just wondering some of the suggestions I would get on here cured or uncured?


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## GrandRiverBassman (Mar 26, 2016)

Uncured is better, can't get any more real. Downside is they're messy and fragile. I used Atlas mikes this year and i was happier with the balls o fire cure I used the year before.


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## ker4799 (Aug 21, 2011)

I cure all with a mixture of borax, salt and sugar. There are many mixtures you can find online. Early season I cut skein into small pieces and coat with the brine in a ziploc bag. Let them sit for a day and they are good to go. Later season once the eggs are more mature, you can scrape them loose from the skein. You will get much larger and durable eggs if this done and they are cured. Here's a batch from yesterday.


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## steelhead sniper 860 (Nov 6, 2013)

I personally dont think uncured is any better than cured, I use 20 mule team borax.


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## Dmrman21 (Nov 18, 2013)

Thanks! I have seen a lot of the different mixes with borax sugar ext. that people say to use but I have also heard not cureing them at all and useing them straight out of the fish is the way to go. I guessing they don't last as long that way is that why most cure them? Should i clean them? I have heard to clean them with the river water? Thanks again I just don't want to waste eggs.


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## steelhead sniper 860 (Nov 6, 2013)

if you cure them they will last a couple years


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## ker4799 (Aug 21, 2011)

Dmrman21 said:


> Thanks! I have seen a lot of the different mixes with borax sugar ext. that people say to use but I have also heard not cureing them at all and useing them straight out of the fish is the way to go. I guessing they don't last as long that way is that why most cure them? Should i clean them? I have heard to clean them with the river water? Thanks again I just don't want to waste eggs.


Curing will make them last much longer so you can use them throughout the rest of the season. They do become much more durable. The picture I posted of mature loose eggs just came out of a brine mix and were rinsed off. They start to feel like little rubber balls and don't pop nearly as easy. They also swell in size and will make many more egg sacks than uncured eggs.


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## laynhardwood (Dec 27, 2009)

I like to cure a skein and leave a skein uncured. It's nice to have both because if the fish stop biting on one you can usually get a couple more on the other. I personally think uncured works better but they don't last long so it's nice to have some cured.


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## Flathead76 (May 2, 2010)

I always used uncured eggs if I had them. Also had good luck just using whole roe sacks from crappies caught in very early spring. Just cut them out when cleaning them and fish them whole. Beats tying spawn sacs.


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## SelfTaught (Mar 27, 2014)

If you decide to harvest a female. I would recommend bleeding her out on the bank. It gets all the blood out of the meat and gets all the blood out of the eggs. If you don't bleed it them out, the blood In the eggs can get annoying.


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## BrownTrout222 (Feb 8, 2017)

Cure with borax


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## flyphisherman (Jul 7, 2009)

Lightly cure them (thats my preference). It will extend the shelf life. Uncured eggs spoil too quickly....hence too much waste for my taste. If I have a slow day on the river where I don't use many roe bags, I can bring them home and put them back in the fridge and save them for next time.


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## laynhardwood (Dec 27, 2009)

I vacuum seal my uncured eggs and they stay fresh although frozen for a very long time. I was using thawed out frozen fresh spawn Monday after work and it was drift after drift. You just need to tie the bags a little bigger and sometimes respin and tie some after the thaw but it works really good.


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## flyphisherman (Jul 7, 2009)

Plus one on the vacuum sealing.....eggs can last for years.


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## fishchris (Jan 15, 2013)

I use pro cure first soak then for an hour,.make sure you cut them to the size you want to tie,.after drying off with paper towels ,.i use a little of the balls of fire .,the eggs will last up to 6 monhts in the frig. and a year or so in the frez. they will look just as they did when u froze them


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