I want to cure eggs this year.

[Mr56Jeep]

I have never done it before. Since this is a Pink year, I want to give it a shot. Anyone have the run down?  What do I need to know?  What do I need to make sure I don't do?

Thank you in advance.

[doyourtime89]

I have only done it a couple times but here are some places to start:

http://www.pro-cure.com/eggcure.html

http://www.steelheaduniversity.com/egg_cure.html

http://www.pro-cure.com/eggcuring.html

http://www.pautzke.com/products_firecure.php

[Button Nubbs]

I have never done it before. Since this is a Pink year, I want to give it a shot. Anyone have the run down?  What do I need to know?  What do I need to make sure I don't do?

Thank you in advance.

Loaded question. I reccomed Scott haugen egg cures book. Just remember when curing you can't make bad eggs good. Bleed the fish immediately, take eggs out, the sooner the better, NEVER get them wet or rinse them. NEVER freeze before curing. When curing don't put the eggs on newspaper or paper towels that will bleed ink. Lots of good curing vids on YouTube.

[Mfowl]

I've used Bor X o' Fire from Pautzke's with good results in the past. Simple and easy to use cure! As stated don't rinse your eggs, try to get them cleanly out of the fish (no blood.) You can use "Bad Azz" bait dye while curing as well, just sprinkle it on while you applying your cure. I've used the blue and red with good results. Good luck out there! I'll be curing some pink eggs this summer as well.

[270Flat]

Good advice for care above.

Always had my best success with straight borax when using roe. My dad and I used to cure all our eggs growing up. My brother actually mistook them once for aplets and cotlets once. His reaction was priceless!!

We had wire racks to cure out. Then layered them into a water proof container. Was always wet on the Penninsula.

They looked great in the water!!

Good luck!

[huntnnw]

depends on what your eggs are being used for..salmon dye them fire red

[Button Nubbs]

fire red is the go to color for salmon eggs but it never hurts to play a little with colors/types of cures. i cant tell you how many times i have been at a hole and had the bite shut off, then i switch to a different color or cure or even add shrimp or something else to my bait and the bite goes back on for me. last year i was fishing a busy river in a hole chalked full of kings with about 5 other boats, we were all catching fish, then it shut down. i took a type of "salt" that is readily available at supermarkets and sprinkled it on my eggs. first cast fish on. salmon can be very temperamental and i wont go out with at least two different cures and a couple different types of bait for these situations.

[steeleywhopper]

Borax O Fire is bullet proof for steelhead. Open up the skeins, toss em in a ziplock with Borax o fire.. fish em or freeze them
Pautzke's fire cure is my new cure of choice for salmon, open up the skein add cure and stick in fridge...Fish em or freeze them

My number one cure for steelhead is still the good old basic Salt, Borax, sugar cure. Google it and you will find a ton of variations.

[huntnnw]

I use plain ole borax for steelhead or  fresh eggs when available.

Pautzke will not get my money ever after the BS i watched on the Ronde...gutting hens for eggs and tossing their fish in the river

[Smossy]

Borax O Fire is bullet proof for steelhead. Open up the skeins, toss em in a ziplock with Borax o fire.. fish em or freeze them
Pautzke's fire cure is my new cure of choice for salmon, open up the skein add cure and stick in fridge...Fish em or freeze them

My number one cure for steelhead is still the good old basic Salt, Borax, sugar cure. Google it and you will find a ton of variations.

Exactly what I do to the T. I still have some left over from last year, Wonder if they're still any good.
Both products work for exactly what he said.

[Smossy]

fire red is the go to color for salmon eggs but it never hurts to play a little with colors/types of cures. i cant tell you how many times i have been at a hole and had the bite shut off, then i switch to a different color or cure or even add shrimp or something else to my bait and the bite goes back on for me. last year i was fishing a busy river in a hole chalked full of kings with about 5 other boats, we were all catching fish, then it shut down. i took a type of "salt" that is readily available at supermarkets and sprinkled it on my eggs. first cast fish on. salmon can be very temperamental and i wont go out with at least two different cures and a couple different types of bait for these situations.

Mixing the red with the pink turns out great results. Not exactly sure why but Its something some old timer told me about, worked like a charm. Seems like the red turns out alittle light red orange-ish and the pink is alittle too dark after application, Mixing the two seem to give a real nice red color.

[PolarBear]

I did 28 skeins of beautiful coho eggs last fall.  Half were Borax O Fire and the other half in Fire Cure (red and pink mixed).  I have almost all of them left.  I caught every single one of my winter steelhead on my home made artificial salmon eggs and yarnies.   They out fished shrimp, prawns and real eggs every time. I think that I am done messing with eggs.

[Smossy]

I did 28 skeins of beautiful coho eggs last fall.  Half were Borax O Fire and the other half in Fire Cure (red and pink mixed).  I have almost all of them left.  I caught every single one of my winter steelhead on my home made artificial salmon eggs and yarnies.   I think that I am done messing with eggs.

Do they hold out good over a year being frozen?

[PolarBear]

They seem to.  I vaccuum pack them right after curing.

[Smossy]

They seem to.  I vaccuum pack them right after curing.

Mine are just rolled up in some ziplock freezer bags, Hopefully they'll still be good. Ive even got 2 packs that have been sitting in the fridge since last november I think to. woops.
I cure/color them then just fill a container with borax and drop them in there, make sure they're nice and covered.