frozen herring turns to mush when thawed

[dkwalker]

Twice recently, I have purchased frozen herring for bait, only to find they turn soft-<br /> almost like they've been cooked- when they thaw.<br />I'm guessing they're not very fresh by the time they were frozen. Has anyone<br /> else run into this? They sure don't last very well on the hook. If it weren't for the fact<br />I'm wrapping them with thread, they wouldn't survive the cast!!<br /><br />By comparison, I have purchased frozen smelt and they don't do that. When thawed,<br />they still have substance and hold up reasonably well.<br /><br />Remarks?

 

[roscoe]

Re: frozen herring turns to mush when thawed

I used to freeze smelt for later use. If I kept them in the freezer too long, they would get mushy too. Best method was to freeze them in a container of water.

 

[Ross J]

Re: frozen herring turns to mush when thawed

The, "frozen ones that turn to mush", is usually a sign that they have been frozen and thawed once. The meat has crystalised and the mush is that thawing. <br />The only remedy is to put then into a container and pour sea salt over them. Place in a fridge and shake them once in a while. After a week of that they'll not only be tough but will still entice fish and there'll be no small nor reason to freeze it.<br />Ross

 

[mellowyellow]

Re: frozen herring turns to mush when thawed

excellent advice!<br />I only buy salted, never go bad, no refridgeration<br />required and fish seem to like the salty taste.

 

[NOSLEEP]

Re: frozen herring turns to mush when thawed

yes ,salting them is the answer.<br />Even the fresh spottails I collect from the cannals<br />around here, I rinse them and salt them with<br />course salt and freeze them,for the following<br />season.

 

[mellowyellow]

Re: frozen herring turns to mush when thawed

I dip for minnows in the summer and I dry pack<br />them in rock salt alive in newspaper. works great!<br />always have a few dozen onboard in case live bait<br />runs out... think same would hold true for S/W<br />bait like Herring/smelt.

 

[ratherbefishin]

Re: frozen herring turns to mush when thawed

there's something they ad to the water when they freeze them, too, don't know what is but it firms them up- all I know is frozen bait is labelled''not for human consumption''due to whatever it is.Also- the guide I fish with thaws his frozen bait in milk-makes the scales bright and shiny.