What's up with FireBrine

[kurtmiller]

I bought blue and chartruese FB and 2 dozen live herring from Buds on Thursday so they'd be well firm and colored by derby day. Mixed them together and brined em in fridge for 2 days. They were a beautiful color of green but damn they were so soft I could hardly filet them. What's up with that? Do I have to add salt, I thought it was a brine to firm & color but all it did was color. Had tried it last week with frozen herring with same results... soft and pretty but blamed it on frozen. Is that sh** a brine or what. Not very pleased with results. Any comment Duane or Nelly?

[Medium D]

Hey Kurt,

It is a brine and should firm up the herring. If you left your baits in the brine for 2 days, that is one day too long. Maximum brine time is 20 to 24 hrs. After that, they begin to soften again.
I usually will do, 4 to 6 hrs. at room temp to allow the brine to absorb into the pores of the meat. Then, the remainder of time in the fridge, not to exceed 24 hrs. Once they are cooled in the fridge, I try to keep them cool on the boat, as we fish.
You can do it the early afternoon the day before, so they will be ready to fish the next day. If you do it the evening before, you can add some salt, to make the brine a bit hotter to cure faster. I wouldn't go more then a 1/8th to 1/4 cup per bottle of Fire Brine.
Try a one day soak and see how it goes.
If you do it two days prior to getting out, after a 20 to 24 hr. soak, take them out of the brine and lay them in a container with a bit of rock salt in the bottom. This will help keep them firm and fresh.
Let me know how it goes.

[Smalma]

If you want to brine the bait ahead of time you might try rolling the individual baits in borax after they are brined and then keep them refrigerated or if to be held for more than a few days freeze.

I have had good success with this method using "old school" brine methods. I like to take freshly caught or live bought herring, cut plug, brine (usually for 6 to 8 hours in cold water), remove and let drain for a few minutes before rolling in borax in a large zip lock baggie. If I'm going to freeze the baits I do so in dozen bait lots. In side by side comparison the frozen borax cut plugs baits have fished equally well (fish for fish) with freshly jigged baits. Have kept the frozen baits for a month or so with good success

If you are brining the baits for herring strips once the baits are dyed rolling the strips in rock salt will produce the toughest bait possible. Even a hour in the salt will toughen the bait considerably and over night is more than adequate. I typically will take a bag of salt in the boat and if I want tough strips from bait on hand I just put them the salt.

Curt

[kurtmiller]

The directions said "at least 24 hours" and "for deeper colors or firmer baits soak in FB for longer periods". Maybe they should take that part out or at least revise it. Kurt

[Dash One]

Kurt,

I was skeptical about Fire Brine at first, but found it to be an excellent product ... and was impressed how well Fire Brine sets the scale on my bait. I only use the non-colored, clear brine, so cannot speak about the effectiveness of the dye-containing versions, nor how long a brine it takes to achieve the desired color(s).

I have found (for me) that putting whole, good quality, frozen Herring in the brine the afternoon/evening before I go fishing gives the bait sufficient time to firm up. I put it my bait cooler, cover it with Fire Brine, and just throw it in the fridge overnight. Bait left too long in the brine tends to wrinkle up a bit; so keep your bait cool, and pull it out of the brine the next day when you feel its had enough time in the pool.

One thing this brine will not do: is make crappy bait into really good bait (nor will any other brine). Keep experimenting a bit, and I'm sure you'll get a system down that'll compliment your program.

Jay