Salting bait fish

We caught more live bait (pinfish, croakers, etc.) than we could use this
weekend so we kept them to use for cut/dead bait next time. We have heard
that some of these small baitfish get very mushy if frozen and that salting
is better. Is this a simple mater of packing the fish in salt? Do you then
freeze them?

Thanks

--
Peter Aitken

"Harry Krause" wrote in message
...
Peter Aitken wrote:
We caught more live bait (pinfish, croakers, etc.) than we could use this
weekend so we kept them to use for cut/dead bait next time. We have heard
that some of these small baitfish get very mushy if frozen and that
salting is better. Is this a simple mater of packing the fish in salt? Do
you then freeze them?

Thanks



It's not too complicated. I used to salt pogies when I lived in Florida.
I did the "processing" in an old boat cooler. You can use a wood box.
Either way, you need a way for the water the salt leeches out of the
baitfish to seep out of the container.

You need non-iodized salt, a lot of it.

Lay the baitfish you want to preserve in the bottom of the cooler or box
you plan to use. Cover that layer of fish with salt. The fish should be
completely covered with salt. Then lay down more fish, more layers of
salt, et cetera.

The process should be allowed to "percolate" for 24 hours without
refrigeration. No ice, either.

Next, rinse off the fish and let it drain dry. Store the bait in plastic
bags and put them in your freezer.

When you do this the right way. you'll be able to pull almost-frozen fish
out of the bag individually, and not as a lump of many fish.



Thanks, Harry. What's a good source of salt? Buying at the supermarket seems
expensive!


--
Peter Aitken