# Favorite skein cure



## JungleGeorge (Apr 18, 2013)

what types of cure do you guys prefer on skein ? Do you prefer king skein ? Coho? Steelhead? I've used a wide variety from the sit in the sun and grizzly cure to fresh right out of a hen still breathing . Borax seems to be most consistent and durable , but I got a little experiment going on now , can't wait to try it !


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## redneckman (Dec 7, 2005)

For eggs (skein) I am going to use for salmon just straight borax. For steelhead I only water harden eggs in cold river water and tie into bags.


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## FishKilla419 (Feb 22, 2008)

Pro cure has been killing it..


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## SteelieArm14 (Jan 6, 2012)

I really like the pautzki stuff. I have experimented with it quite a bit over the last couple years and have come up with a couple combinations that have put some pretty good numbers up. For kings I always use king skein unless I accidentally catch a coho. Coho has better color imo.


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## eye-sore (Jan 7, 2012)

Are you guys guys dying it? I did borax and it turned white once wet


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## SteelieArm14 (Jan 6, 2012)

No I don't let it dry. Just butterfly the skein, apply cure, put it in a 1 gallon ziplock, leave in fridge for 2 days (rotate frequently), cut it in chunks, freeze or fish.


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## nichola8 (Oct 7, 2013)

SteelieArm14 said:


> No I don't let it dry. Just butterfly the skein, apply cure, put it in a 1 gallon ziplock, leave in fridge for 2 days (rotate frequently), cut it in chunks, freeze or fish.


Like Steelie said, don't over read the directions when using cures, just keep dumping powder on the skeins until you get what you want. I've caught em on gooey messy stuff, but prefer to get mine right to the point where they are not wet and sticking together.


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## eye-sore (Jan 7, 2012)

I got my texture right, but it's white as soon as it touches river water. Maybe food coloring now


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## Robert Holmes (Oct 13, 2008)

Trying something different this year....I am just going to freeze chunks of skein and use it as needed. I have enough to get through November already. By then I will have fresh steelhead skein to get me through the winter. I use artificial stuff in the spring so I really don't care about spring.


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## Robert Holmes (Oct 13, 2008)

Tropical punch kool aid will get them colored nice


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## SteelieArm14 (Jan 6, 2012)

Try adding some colored cure, like borax-o-fire to your borax soap. Pink or red work well. You can get borax-o-fire at pretty much any bait shop or meijer. Meijer has limited supply and colors though.


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## flyrodder46 (Dec 31, 2011)

I have been using the old way of just river curing for about 1 hour in the current. Has worked well for me for several years. The color stays about where I like it and there is no mess. Have tried a couple of different commercial cures and still prefer this. Works great for kings, coho, and on one hen steelhead that had its gill cut. Have never tried it for Browns, mainly because I have never killed a brown for the eggs.

D


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## Jayvelaz1130 (Oct 11, 2012)

Robert Holmes said:


> Tropical punch kool aid will get them colored nice


Mr. Holmes I did borax kosher salt sugar and black cherry koolaid. Firm eggs but still can be crushed by them kangzzzz!


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## Yak-a-Lucius (Sep 26, 2011)

Raw is my favorite. No cure, definitely no "river water cure", just portion into a weeks worth chunks, individually bag, freeze, thaw when needed, outfish everyone around you. The biggest step I see people missing, is bleeding your fish out before gutting. Yes, eggs will go white eventually, but they will still catch fish.


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## eye-sore (Jan 7, 2012)

Gonna try some color next time, thanks all


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## Robert Holmes (Oct 13, 2008)

Jayvelaz1130 said:


> Mr. Holmes I did borax kosher salt sugar and black cherry koolaid. Firm eggs but still can be crushed by them kangzzzz!


I tested borax eggs vs no borax in fall and winter steelhead fishing. I used them 4 days fall fishing no hits on the borax eggs and 4 days ice fishing produced no hits on the borax eggs. I don't use borax on the eggs. I had numerous hits on the eggs that I did not use borax on.


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## Jayvelaz1130 (Oct 11, 2012)

Robert Holmes said:


> I tested borax eggs vs no borax in fall and winter steelhead fishing. I used them 4 days fall fishing no hits on the borax eggs and 4 days ice fishing produced no hits on the borax eggs. I don't use borax on the eggs. I had numerous hits on the eggs that I did not use borax on.


I only cure eggs for salmon fishing, normally use fresh eggs frozen in mineral oil for steelhead.


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## Mr Burgundy (Nov 19, 2009)

Kool aid ftw!


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## cmueller302 (Jan 30, 2007)

Borax and a little orange putz. For kings. nothing for steel. I used to not cure my king eggs but 3 years of side by side testing with treated I did not see a difference. So now I cure to make them last a little longer and keep my hands a little cleaner.


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## kingfisher2 (Mar 22, 2001)

Wash skeins in river they are caught in, lay on a paper towel with membrane side down, spread portions and let dry. Wrap in paper towel and place a days portion in zip lock. Key is to make sure skein is dry and you remove all the air from the zip lock. Keep in mind, presentation is everything.

Brown skein is my favorite for all fish, with my second choice being coho.

Marc


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## JungleGeorge (Apr 18, 2013)

piscatorial warrior said:


> All of the pictures I see of Kings that have swallowed a gob of spawn are males. I mean EVERY ONE. Do you ever catch Hens on spawn? I want more eggs not a bunch of males. Maybe I should stick to Thundersticks even though they make my arm sore!


 catch just as many hens . Seems like more female than make but it's prolly about equal


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## AdamBradley (Mar 13, 2008)

Honestly the egg bite to me seems 50/50 males/females. I haven't really found an ethical way to target a higher hen percentage.


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## Mr Burgundy (Nov 19, 2009)

AdamBradley said:


> Honestly the egg bite to me seems 50/50 males/females. I haven't really found an ethical way to target a higher hen percentage.


Treble hooks seem to catch the same % 50/50 lol


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## kellyman (Feb 26, 2014)

I just use salt. If I want color I use bags. If i want skein, I go natural. Its not that hard!!! Work good!!


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## SteelieArm14 (Jan 6, 2012)

Yes hens eat skein too.


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## FishKilla419 (Feb 22, 2008)

This was the chromest fish we caught out of allot. Hen. Took it deep. Imagine that. We've been catching hens first then bucks. Kind of weird.


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## piscatorial warrior (Sep 14, 2011)

Thank You Everyone for the replies. I am looking forward to tying up last years loose eggs into sacks and catching some fresh skein filled hens for this years fishing. Can't wait till my first ' Bobber Down '!!


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