# Tying Spawn Sacks



## fishoak (Jan 18, 2005)

I'm new to tying sacks, and I've tried two methods with steelhead skein (tight skein, not mature loose eggs).

1) Rinsing skein, cutting into chunks, tying in sacks then...placing sacks in a container with mineral oil...store in the freezer. 

This seems to work ok, but is a little messy when using the sacks.

2) Rinsing skein, pat dry, allow to dry in fridge for a couple of hours, cut into chunks then...roll in borax before tying...placing sacks in a container with more borax (totally coated)...store in the freezer.

This seems to result in some fairly dry/hard sacks, even after they are thawed.

Seeing as how I'm not catching fish in either case...it's causing me to question my methods. 

Any suggestions?


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## gunrod (Jan 16, 2001)

I've done well with the mineral oil method. It's messy on the river but the eggs seem to retain their color longer in the cold water. 

You don't need tie up your tight skein if you don't want. Just do an egg loop to your hook and stick a chunk in there.


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## solasylum (Mar 29, 2000)

Fishoak.....I would make sure not to use tap water when rinsing egg's. There's impurities in the water. Either use distilled water, river water where fish was caught (excellent method), or lake water if you caught fish from pier. 

I use the mineral oil method for pier fishing. Mineral oil is unscented, keeps the eggs from freezer burn when stored in the freezer, and keeps eggs in a natural state. I'll also use these egg's for fishing in the lower-river when still fishing. For bottom-bouncing egg's I prefer something that has been cured but will use mineral oil eggs if I don't have anythig cured.

Sometimes I'll add some scent to entice them. I swear steelhead have a sweet tooth!!  

Scott


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## dinoday (Feb 22, 2004)

Now this is just my opinion and we've had several thread about this,but here's what I'd say you're doing wrong.
Don't put anything on your eggs but water!!!!!
I either cure them right in the river(in a bottle or bag) or just rinse them off at home and freeze them if I'm not going to use them right away.
Borax or mineral oil changes the smell drastically and is really not nessesary IMO.River cure is the best...followed by just a rinse in tap water.
Give it a try and I think you'll have better success


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## dinoday (Feb 22, 2004)

solasylum said:


> Sometimes I'll add some scent to entice them. I swear steelhead have a sweet tooth!!
> 
> Scott


  

I've used a scent before and found it worked GREAT!Smells like Twizzlers! :lol:


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## fishotter (Oct 25, 2004)

Well i cure mine with pro cure and i really like the way it cures the eggs.I experement with different colors that pro cure has and so far the orange seems to be the best for steelies you can also use sugar and salt cures but they seem to let the eggs turn white faster.I have even heard of people using jello for a cure.


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## tedshunter (Dec 27, 2004)

I also have had good success with Pro Cure.


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## fishotter (Oct 25, 2004)

My buddy who is a guide in alaska turned me on to pro cure years ago.It seems to make the eggs last longer in the freezer then anything else out there.And while i was in alaska it sure seemed to work there so i figured it should work here and it has'nt let me down yet.I also suggest that when you freeze skein that you double bag it.It definetly helps keep the freezer burn off from it.And when freezing loose eggs i like to put them in baby food jars and then bag them.Seems to help alot.And like some one mentioned in a earlyier post use a egg loop knot for skein.Bagging skein is a waste of time and your presentation is much better if you dont use bags.Here is a web site that shows you how to tie a egg loop knot. http://www.piscatorialpursuits.com/resourcecenter/bumperknot.htm


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## books (Jan 6, 2005)

where's a good place to get pro-cure i've heard that before. I usually river treat my spawn if it's loose. Works good for me but i kinda would like to try pro-cure.


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## wildlife chaser (Mar 4, 2005)

i'm hearing alot of you taking about river curing your spawn. how is that done? as for the jello cure a buddy of mine does that and he said all he does is take and mixes a box of jello with loose spawn and some water in a pot on low heat .he says to check them take an egg out and test it under pressure if it holds up to your likings then take the rest off the heat and let cool. after they cool try and put a hook thru one and see how they hold up. if it does your done, if not reheat some more. he says its ok to reheat a couple of time to get it right with out over cooking them..that is all i have heard about jello treating your spawn.. i have never treated eggs like that so good luck if you try it


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## fishoak (Jan 18, 2005)

Thanks for the comments. I've not tried Pro-Cure, but I have seen it for sale at serveral places next to bag tying materials...including Meijer and GM.

Looks like I should have spent my time learning to tie the egg loop instead of bagging. 

More ideas to try now...thanks.


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## toto (Feb 16, 2000)

I have found that the best method is to get your eggs and rinse them, but not in tap water as said before. Pat them dry, lay out as many eggs as you think would work for one days fishing on wax paper. Roll them in the wax paper, then roll that in aluminum foil. Put into Zip Loc baggie, squeeze all the air out and seal it. Put into freezer. When you are going to go fishing take them out of the freezer and put into fridge to thaw there. That way they don't thaw so quickly and they won't be all mushy. They keep their color very well that way, and work great. No scented stuff for me, its too messy, and this works better in my opinion.


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## wildlife chaser (Mar 4, 2005)

has anyone tryed to vaccum packing spawn? people take about getting all the air out of their zip loc baggies so why not vaccum pack. We do deerand all other wild game so iwas just wondering if anyone has try it.


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## Rat Fink (Feb 20, 2001)

I vac seal mine and it is in great shape even after 2 years in the freezer. I try to always fish fresh unfrozen if I can get it but If I cant or it is a bad time of year for it I use my vac sealed stuff. Works great.


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## uniborn (Aug 30, 2002)

I have vacume sealed my spawn for freezing . I also vacume seal in the canisters while awaiting me to tie up fresh.(cant seem to tie it up fast enough!). I rinse my skeins off under tap water while I remove the eggs from the skein, works great for me but would not work well with someone with city water ,hard water, or softened water. I just have a real deep water and its the best water I could imagine having. Anyway as Im rinsing my spawn off I make sure its the coldest water possible, this seems to firm up the egg slightly. 
I ,myself, wont use them egg cures, I perfer my eggs to juice up as much as possible. If this means changing bags once an hour, so be it. With the method I use my real fresh spawn keeps color and stays good for up to 2 hours. Not bad in my opinion.
Keep it simple, and tie big bags.
uniborn


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## tommy-n (Jan 9, 2004)

Changing bags one a hour, god, I take 60 with me everytime I go. As for the procure it will make your eggs slowly milk out while fishing leaving a good scent trail in the water. I have many times seen eggs treated with procure out fish fresh eggs with no cure.


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## fishin'magician' (Mar 2, 2005)

The best spawn is fresh spawn. 3 to 5 days old will rock the fish silly. After that I do the mineral oil thing. The key to making this work is scaping the eggs from the skain. Do not be afraid to add a little bit of anise oil and/or food coloring to the mineral oil, remember a LITTLE bit. Your eggs will freeze for as long as you want and catch fish with great success both these ways.

Don't give up you'll get it


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## Erik (Jan 17, 2000)

Like magician, I also scrape the eggs from the skien sometimes. One thing I've noticed though, you have to do it when the skiens are fresh. If you put it in the fridge and wait, or worse yet the freezer the eggs will squish when you try to scrape them from the skien. I also use a plastic spoon when I do this. 
Not into scents or washing my eggs though. I believe it removes the naturel scent of the female. Just my opinion. Lots of people have their own unique methods. If it works for you go for it.


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## gunrod (Jan 16, 2001)

Erik said:


> Lots of people have their own unique methods. If it works for you go for it.


That's the key statement. Everyone has a different way of doing things. Find something that works for you and stick with it. You'll drive yourself nuts trying a million different things.


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