02-20-2025, 09:20 PM
I lived in Sacramento and fished most of the salmon and steelhead rivers clear up into Oregon and Washington. And I have tried a lot of the "roe cures". As might be expected, some work better than others. And some even include bright pink dyes.
The last few years I used roe I used my own system. First of all, I delayed the application of any foreign cure products until just before using. When I got some fresh roe, I wiped it as clean as possible from blood and guts. I did not wash it...to help preserve its natural state and odors. Then I vacuum sealed it or wrapped it in close-fitting plastic...or put it in thin plastic bags with just a few drops of water...and squeezed out all the air and excess water before freezing. Then I froze it and kept it separate from other items in the freezer to avoid damage to the bags.
The day before intended use I let the roe thaw at room temp until it was possible to cut it into bait pieces. Then, using a very sharp knife or good shears I cut the roe skeins into the size baits I planned to use. I laid the pieces out in a shallow bowl...side by side. Then I lightly sprinkled them with a thin coating of white powdered borax (an inexpensive laundry product). Sometimes I would also sprinkle on some finely ground sea salt. I then scooped up the doctored roe pieces and put them into whatever container I would be using on my fishing trip and kept them in the refrigerator overnight.
I have never liked using thread or mesh on my roe. But it does help to use something to help secure it to the hook. Otherwise it comes loose on the cast or from the first tentative munch by a fish. So, depending on the size of the bait and the firmness of the pieces (and it will vary...depending on maturity of the eggs, freshness, handling, etc.)...I will either make a few random wraps over the hooked roe piece with plain cotton thread. Or...I also like to tie my hooks on with an "egg loop" that allows you to put the bait through a loop and then pull it tight to secure it to the hook. There are lots of videos on YouTube that show how to do that.
![[Image: EGG-KNOT.jpg]](https://i.postimg.cc/4YC3pd3m/EGG-KNOT.jpg)
![[Image: FRESH-ROE.jpg]](https://i.postimg.cc/qN5H2DwQ/FRESH-ROE.jpg)
The last few years I used roe I used my own system. First of all, I delayed the application of any foreign cure products until just before using. When I got some fresh roe, I wiped it as clean as possible from blood and guts. I did not wash it...to help preserve its natural state and odors. Then I vacuum sealed it or wrapped it in close-fitting plastic...or put it in thin plastic bags with just a few drops of water...and squeezed out all the air and excess water before freezing. Then I froze it and kept it separate from other items in the freezer to avoid damage to the bags.
The day before intended use I let the roe thaw at room temp until it was possible to cut it into bait pieces. Then, using a very sharp knife or good shears I cut the roe skeins into the size baits I planned to use. I laid the pieces out in a shallow bowl...side by side. Then I lightly sprinkled them with a thin coating of white powdered borax (an inexpensive laundry product). Sometimes I would also sprinkle on some finely ground sea salt. I then scooped up the doctored roe pieces and put them into whatever container I would be using on my fishing trip and kept them in the refrigerator overnight.
I have never liked using thread or mesh on my roe. But it does help to use something to help secure it to the hook. Otherwise it comes loose on the cast or from the first tentative munch by a fish. So, depending on the size of the bait and the firmness of the pieces (and it will vary...depending on maturity of the eggs, freshness, handling, etc.)...I will either make a few random wraps over the hooked roe piece with plain cotton thread. Or...I also like to tie my hooks on with an "egg loop" that allows you to put the bait through a loop and then pull it tight to secure it to the hook. There are lots of videos on YouTube that show how to do that.