A few years ago, I bought some uncured eggs from the tribes (only films I've done that) and cured them up with my go to cure. The eggs ended up having a very different distinct smell to them. Just didn't smell fishy like king or coho eggs that I had cured before. So I ended up not fishing them. My assumption, at the time, was that the eggs weren't bled correctly and that "spoilage" is what was causing the smell.

Fast forward...

Today, while looking for coho, I caught a pretty fresh looking chum hen and decided to keep it. I was curious if the eggs would have the same smell.

Last night, when I put the cure on them, they had a pretty plain smell. This morning though, they have that kinda nasty smell I noticed on the previous chum eggs. This time though, the fish I kept was immediately bled and kept on ice all day. Then cured that night.

Compared side by side with coho eggs cured the same way, they smell dissricly different.

My question... Anyone else notice this?

They all work, some better than others. All the factors do count too like preperation, egg maturation, cure type and then what species are you targeting with what eggs. Personally, my favorite has always been tight coho eggs. Nice color, size and fish seem to like the inherent smell. Folks get crazy about eggs though and steelhead arent as picky as others. Chinook can be darn right stuck up.

Chum make excellent bait eggs (and even better caviar!) but my preference (as a chinook junky) in rank order for bait eggs...

1) king
2) chum
3) silver
4) pink
5) sockeye

If I was fishing strictly steelhead, which tend to be more visual than olfactory in their preferences, chum eggs would be my top choice.

Their clear bright color makes a beautiful egg when cured "natural" with just salt. At the same time, their clarity lends itself to taking on ANY color of dye you prefer.... orange, pink, red.... just beautiful.

NOTHIN' but salt....

Thanks Doc...my mouth is watering all over my keyboard!

I always struggle...bait or plate!

Hey Doc....where is the best sushi place from our neck of the woods? I would imagine Oly or Lacey. Thanks in advance. Dying for some fresh water eel and flying fish eggs.

Samurai in Aberdeen

https://www.facebook.com/samuraisushiandgrill/

This is my "Go To" place in the Harbor. I've been there half a dozen times with my girlfriend and it's consistently great.

Sweet ! Thanks, I'll try and go this week.

Chum eggs don't work, I'll take em off your hands for disposal.