i know there is probally alot of threads about this, but the search button aint workin for me.

so anyway i have a couple dozen herring that i want to use tomarrow. but they fall apart really quick. and would like to find a way to keep them intact a little long.

thanks,

For a quick fix you should try rock salt. Cover them completely in the salt and that should pull away a lot of the moisture and toughen them up. If you don't have rock salt you can try kosher salt or sea salt - I wouldn't use iodized table salt though. Longer term you could try a commercial bait brine maybe with some color and "bit enticer" but for the short term try rock salt. Good luck.

thank you kind sir.

How to Brine Herring

(Guides' Secret herring cure formula) by Tom Pollack

Water: 2-1/2 gallons of non-chlorinated water. Leave tap water sitting out overnight and the chlorine will evaporate.

Brightness: 3 tablespoons Mrs. Stuart's liquid bluing. Makes scales and skin brighter and more reflective.

Salt: 4 cups non-iodized salt, canning salt, rock salt, kosher salt, or road salt.

Powdered milk: 1 cup powdered milk. This makes your meat firm without burning herring. This is especially good for herring that has been frozen too slow at the processor, or bait that is too soft.

Scents: Garlic oil from a jar of minced garlic or one of the prepared garlic scents.

Also try adding 2 tablespoons of pure anise oil.

This recipe will cure 4 to 6 dozen herring overnight. Once the herring have firmed up, go ahead and plug cut them. This solution will keep the herring firm for weeks if refrigerated.

Inject any number of scents to change the scent trail.

Tom Pollack - Puget Sound Anglers / Salmon University

I use a modified version of that brine. Less bueling and I add a cup of borax. Add your favorite scent, mine's anchoie. Careful though, add a tiny bit to be sure the scent your using mixes. If it's a 'sauce' it may coagulate and float on top making a mess. Leave the herring in overnight then remove. It's good for 3 or 4 days at lower temps. No more falling apart bait, it works extremely well.

Good luck fishing!

I've tried and tried to cure them, but they always die anyway.

I just use about 1/4 pound of rock salt with a half a bag of ice in a small cooler. Keeps 'em froze solid. It's so cold that it hurts when you stick your hand in the water to get one out.

Just for fun, we caught a small greenling the other day. Thought we might use him for ling cod bait, so I stuck him in that brine and he froze solid in about 3 seconds.