Who cures their own coon shrimp, Where do you get them?

[gaddy]

After last seasons fiasco with bought cured shrimp for Steel head, I am thinking of curing my own. Thinking about going with the Pautzke's recipe. Other recommendations, or care to share yours? I talked to a several people that were having the same problems with bought shrimp, others that used to cure their own but were having trouble finding quality blanch boiled and frozen shrimp around the Tri-Cities. I really don't want to go buy another jar of shrimp and have them falling apart as as you put them on the hook, on the first cast or after the first drift. Gets very expensive and ruins the day. Any suggestions where to get them??

[Blacklab]

I don’t cure my own. Sometimes if you add rock salt to your jar. It will tighten the shrimp up. 

[Stein]

There are plenty on the bottom of Puget Sound.   

It isn't hard to catch a years supply of them for fishing if you know someone with a boat.

[Smossy]

Honestly, go to port angelas city pier right now, throw a shrimp pot with some solid smelly bait, I guarantee you will limit in a day, without a boat. 👍 Ive done it.

[gaddy]

I am in Kennewick so fishing them myself wont work. The crap I got last year were junk, from 3 different companies. The story that I got was that since the season before had been basically shut down, producers were putting out the last years hold overs. I tried the salt stuff etc.. but it was all mostly junk to start with. If you open a new jar after getting to your fishing spot and find shrimp falling apart in the jar, It's not going to be a good day. Hoping to up my game this year.

[HntnFsh]

Have you tried Looney Coonies? I have never gotten a bad jar and those suckers fish!

Oh, and they don't stain near as bad as most others!

[gaddy]

Tried the Loonies, Loved them the year before, Last year sucked, they fell apart. Don't know If it was a stocking issue from retailers or what?? Every bottle of bought shrimp last year sucked. Just tired of spending the money, Driving, Time, Etc.. and get there to open your new bottle of bait to find that it is junk, rotting in the jar and falling apart.

[huntmando]

Ice cream salt works wonders on soft shrimp.

[Smossy]

Salt and cherry koolaid for shrimp 👍

[doyourtime89]

I am not sure where to get some good coon shrimp on the east side.  If you are ever over here on the west side Sportco in Fife has them.  I have bought them there a few times to cure my own.

[Smossy]

I am not sure where to get some good coon shrimp on the east side.  If you are ever over here on the west side Sportco in Fife has them.  I have bought them there a few times to cure my own.

Some gas stations surprisingly along big rivers will carry a variety of bait. I see orange/red shrimp alot.

[huntnnw]

I do. I buy the frozen 1 lb bags from columbia basin bait co. They are sold all over spokane. I use 1 quart canning jars, bad azz bait dye in fire red, 1/4 cup salt and 1/4 cup sugar turn once a day for 3-4 days. Drain and put in a plastic conatainer with salt to toughen them up. I catch lots of springers on this recipe. you can mess with it and add anise,krill powder, garlic and slam-ola.

[2MANY]

I do. I buy the frozen 1 lb bags from columbia basin bait co. They are sold all over spokane. I use 1 quart canning jars, bad azz bait dye in fire red, 1/4 cup salt and 1/4 cup sugar turn once a day for 3-4 days. Drain and put in a plastic conatainer with salt to toughen them up. I catch lots of springers on this recipe. you can mess with it and add anise,krill powder, garlic and slam-ola.

I 2nd huntnnw's approach.
The one thing he forgot to mention is to fill the jar with pure, non chlorinated water.
I forget how many 50lb boxes of shrimp I have cured.
Kinda glad I'm not so obsessed since summer run/springer numbers have decreased.
Good luck.

[huntnnw]

I forgot to add that . Or if your on a well what I use.

[NWBrute]

Do a search on IFish in the discussion boards, I have seen this same convo there a couple of times. There is usually good info there.

[huntnnw]

I’ve also tossed them in pautzke fire cure in a bag for a few days then remove  and put in salt in container .