Hey, anybody out there have the recipe for Blue Herring? I thought it used Mrs. Stewart's Laundry Bluing, salt, and water in some combination, but I tried that this weekend and it didn't make things very blue except my hands and the boat when I dripped some on it - the herring looked just the same. Thanks in advance

Tried some of the recipes found on the boards last September and had much the same experience you did.

Have the herring shown up at Westport again?

Try ProCure bait brite, it's a baitfish dye. I use 4-5 drops in a quart of water and it works great. The reason for adding blueing to your baits is to add shine and flash. It doesn't physically turn your bait blue,and it will stain anything it contacts, it is after all a dye.

Blue food coloring?Hearring are pretty oily fish could be tough.You might try hard brining for a couple of hours to suck some of the moisture out before dyng.The hearring will freshen in the dye?

This is my solution for green.. (blue should work as well- though I never have tried it)

Definitely go for the hard brine. Add powered milk to the brine which will help set the scales. Then add food coloring. Keep the bait in the brine and cool for a couple weeks. As long you keep the bait cold, they will last a long time...

Downriggin'

The way I have always done it is to grab a little rock salt,food coloring (green) and water. Not to much salt and enough food coloring to color the water pretty good. Throw the bait in the night before and ready to go in the am. You can also add scent to this

KingofBableon was out there(Westport) saterday and caught a few herring and talked to some one that filled half a bucket on friday.

this is the herring cure i got from a fellow board member who was nice enough to share his formula.i used it last year and had great success with it: 1/2 Lb. rock salt, One Lg bottle blue food coloring, one gallon water, and one bottle anise oil.... Not anise scented, or imitation anise oil.... It has to be the real thing. Mix everything up together, put a bunch of herring into the mix, and let it sit in the refrigerator for about 24 hrs. before you use it. It turns the herring a bright blue color, and everything on the boat will reak like licorice, but I promise that if you give it a try, you'll catch springers. Good Luck.scott