For steelhead fishing I prefer a good borax cure - sometimes adding a little salt and sugar, and/or shrimp anise scent; along with varing colorings.

But this Q is about salmon river fishing. What I've learned for chinook fishing is that there is a strong following for borax cured eggs in NW Washington; particularly on the Oly Pen rivers. Stew just told me today from reading Herzog's book that he prefers the borax cure, and he fishes a lot on the OP. As does Marty and others who use primarily borax egg cures for salmon fishing.

In Oregon it has been proven that the good chem cures outfish good borax eggs for chinook by a significant margin (both by many guides and other great fishermen). Could this be a regional thing in which the different fish strains have that much difference in cure preferences? What's your take on this? What do you guys in WA and OR prefer? Thanks much.

RT

Come on R.T.,
you have used uncle joe's eggs and you know were I fish and how productive they are, I like a combo of both along with the secret sauces.
Peace Superfly

I prefer a borax cure and a little salt.

I like to keep it as natural as possible, I have seen the effectiveness (on numerous occasions) of using eggs straight out of a hen that day with no cure, and like to keep it basic.

Mike K

RT,
You've posted a great question that will bring lots of different answers, based on what people have used in there pasts.

Personally, as you know eggs are my favorite thing to use for salmon/steelhead. There are several great commercial chem cures out there on the market that produce fish. But overall I'd say a quality chem cured egg will outfish any other egg out there, if I didn't beleive that I would put my eggs up in borax or other substitutes.

Now I can say that it isn't a regional thing or by state thing. I've fished all over washington including the oly pen and had great, great success using chem cures up there. There are certain chem cures that work better for certain fish though. Or basically what I'm saying is certain chemicals that specific species like. As for salmon they like a heavier chemed cure, whereas with steelhead they like a more base cure.

When I first started fishing, I used a wet brine which consisted of salt, sugar, borax and food coloring. Now, at that point in time I caught lots of steelhead but I can only wonder how many more I would have caught if I knew then what I know now. Once I switched to a proglow and procure for steelhead and learned the right ways to using chem cures my success rate shot through the roof. Now, as you know we've produced our own cure and it has it's own edges that make fish bite even better.

So to summerize everything, I don't prefer borax cures for salmon. I beleive your odds are better using a quality chem cure properly applied. But for those who use a borax type cure for steelhead will do just fine, but if you want to up your odds I'd suggest a quality base chem cure.
Keith

I haven't used boraxed eggs for salmon that much but I think boraxed cured eggs are close to chem cure for steelhead. Just an opinion though and I would rather use a powdered borax than the granular stuff. Color seems to be more important to salmon that it is to steelhead also.
We should have some serious tests this winter on this debate and see what the outcome is.

[ 11-15-2001: Message edited by: STEWY ]

Retired long time successful steelhead and salmon fishing guide Jim Erickson, who lives on the NF Nehalem River, swears by his egg cure of Solubor borax after a light Quick Cure brand chem curing. Says it outfishes all he's tried. It's a different borax used by the agriculture industry.

What do you guys think about blending a small amount of borax right into the powdered chem cures before the curing process?

RT

I agree that chem cured is definitely better for salmon. For steelhead I will only use a borax cure which I've managed to get all of my fishing buds addicted to as well. The point was hammered home one day fishing the Nestucca during low water conditions. My pal was fishing some chem cured eggs and I was fishing borax cured using identical tackle right down to the same color corky. He hooked one fish only cuz he got first cast since I was on the oars. After that it was 3-0 in my favor.

I've seen this time and again when fishing for steelhead. I know of a guide on the Rogue that simply puts straight borax on his eggs and seals them and tosses them in the freezer. They tend to cure as you fish. Beautiful eggs that don't stay on the hook a long time but generally don't need to as the fish gulp them with a great deal of vigor

RT,
I cure all my eggs chemically for about half the time as indicated then pat dry and pak in borax and freeze for the Steelies and Springers! I put a days supply in a gallon freezer bag and can get 2 of those in one of those new big zip loc containers. This insures no freezer burn.
Eggs are awesome when thawed even up to a year later. I wont add scents till I use them!

Bob D

Forgot too add! There isnt a Oly Penn fish that makes it past!

Bob D

I dont know what ammerman puts in his cure, but they kick ass, on the hump and satsop, and a few others, there much better than uncle joes, in my trials, and Ive been messing around with chems over the last few years, they work also.

I use pro-cure double red & borax for steelhead
and pro-cure wizard for salmon.These egg's look good and work great.Good luck,
STRIKE ZONE

If I could summarize for everyone...

The totality of what you are saying is the fish bite on whatever is the blue plate special of the day! Whatever the fish like for that place and time in that stream in that particular moment. It might be good to have borax and chem cure & maybe both with you. We all need more tackle to carry, right?(NOT!) But it would be interesting to make some eggs both ways and fish whatever works.

Think of fly fishing... the first thing a good fly guy does is scoop the water to see what bugs are available. What's biting at the moment. Anyway... after reading every message this is what everyone is saying in a nutshell.

Steve... :p

For coho and Chinook, I use chem cured eggs exclusively. I used to go with Wizard but have since switched to Amerman's. The stuff is fantastic. However, for steelhead, I use a borax/sugar/salt solution. It seems to work better than chem cured eggs. Not sure why.

But I'm willing to try the Ultimate Egg Cure for both salmon and steelhead, whenever it hits the market. Soon I hope. The egg season is just about over.....