Do You Salt Your Baits?

[INTREPID377]

Just sprinkle and throw in the fridge, or completely cover top and bottom in salt and let sit in fridge night before?

Only if you want to get divorced! Seriousily you don't want to put them in the fridge because they'll dry out. Here's what we do.

You need to have a bait tray (aluminum works best) that you set on top of ice in your ice chest. That keeps the baits out the water. If frozen, let the baits thaw naturally (we use Baitmasters). Place them belly up in the bait tray and then salt the underside from head to tail.

[Jerseyzuks]

Yes, yes, and yes! Been doing this for years.

Take a small bluefish or mackerel, fillet it thin (only want 1/8" of meat on the skin), cut it into strips and salt it. Makes a phenominal addition to a bucktail.

Buy salt in bulk at the grocery store or home improvement store (it is sold for water softeners). Use lots of salt when you are dehyrating the baits, then you can put fresh salt (and a lot less) when storing them.

I have salted everything from smelt to shrimp with great results

[Michael Repper]

It's a huge money saver when it comes to shrimp and cut baits. Once salted they don't go bad (well for a season at least). Don't freeze them after you salt them, there's no need. I mean, think about the convenience of just being able to take a small baggy of unrefrigerated bait for a quick trip. This process literally turns them into something like a natural and super inexpensive Gulp type bait.

Even if you prefer fresh unsalted baits, this allows you to take much less of the fresh stuff while still knowing you have a backup on hand. Less wasted bait = More money in your pocket. Simple and effective.

[Jerseyzuks]

It's a huge money saver when it comes to shrimp and cut baits. Once salted they don't go bad (well for a season at least). Don't freeze them after you salt them, there's no need. I mean, think about the convenience of just being able to take a small baggy of unrefrigerated bait for a quick trip. This process literally turns them into something like a natural and super inexpensive Gulp type bait.

Even if you prefer fresh unsalted baits, this allows you to take much less of the fresh stuff while still knowing you have a backup on hand. Less wasted bait = More money in your pocket. Simple and effective.

And since salted tends to be a lot tougher, you tend to lose less bait, and spend less time dangling empty hooks in the water. It's really a win/win

[JonathanBoston]

I salt all my clams that I use for pompano fishing, whiting, and red drum.. helps keep the clam fresher and stays on better

[Michael Repper]

I salt all my clams that I use for pompano fishing, whiting, and red drum.. helps keep the clam fresher and stays on better

Yeah I am going to give clams a try this year. A lot of people on the Atlantic coast from Georgia up through the Carolinas swear up and down that clams are the best Pompano bait around. It's high time I tested that theory here in the Gulf.

[fish_stix]

I use clams for pompano and I salt them. Doesn't seem to be any difference in fish preference. Tupperware container with Kosher salt and layer the clam strips. I refrigerate mine and they'll last the whole season. Shrimp works well too and fish don't seem to be picky about fresh versus salted. Remove the shells first. Sandfleas don't work very good salted but you can drop them in boiling water for 10 seconds (blanching) and then freeze them and they'll work but not as good as fresh. BTW, if you're going to try clams get them at a seafood dealer and get large chowder clams. 1/3 the price the bait shops charge for the same product. Get a bunch and salt them! You'll get 2 or 3 strips out of each of the large clams.

[NSByak]

Do you guys peel the shrimp you salt first? I've got some that I put in a ziplock with a bunch of kosher salt last night in the fridge (whole shrimp, unpeeled, that were live the day before). Today its just a damp sludge, not really drying out. More salt? Peel the shrimp? Give up?

I've moved them over to an aluminum pan with some (lots) of fresh kosher salt and left them out of the fridge. We'll see how that does.

[Thump]

You can add Baking Soda to the mix to help as well. I think this is what Baitmasters and Bionic Brine are made with...

[Michael Repper]

Do you guys peel the shrimp you salt first? I've got some that I put in a ziplock with a bunch of kosher salt last night in the fridge (whole shrimp, unpeeled, that were live the day before). Today its just a damp sludge, not really drying out. More salt? Peel the shrimp? Give up?

I've moved them over to an aluminum pan with some (lots) of fresh kosher salt and left them out of the fridge. We'll see how that does.

You can do it with shells on but they dry out better with no shells. Also, you should cut them into small chunks first. (Unless you use them on your hook whole) A little bigger than you want them to be because they shrink a little. They should be buried in salt. There should be too much salt for it to get very mushy. More like the consistency of slightly damp sand.