Pro-cure

I picked up a jar of Pro-Cures Borax egg and bait cure at a garage sale and was wondering if it would be good to use for storing my leftover shiners or goldies ? I know some out there use borax on their remaining bait for the next trip. There are no directions on the jug except for curing baits. Any suggestions?

Gene

Try it what the heck:)

Just as I thought also. The only directions are for eggs and a brine mixture for the eggs.

Thankx Gene

Have been making a brine of 1# canning salt and 1/4 cup borax in 1 gallon of water. Soak shinners for appox. 1-2 hrs. then I shake shinners in a light mixture of same ingredients, place in vacuum bags and seal. Place in freezer. They work great for perch and walleye.

Sorry about the late reply, if you are using a brine first would the minnow need to be alive first? This Pro-Cure is extra fine and the brine mix on the jar says to mix with sugar for eggs that's about all. I have not had enough Goldies left over to bring home to experiment.

If I have enough bait that I feel like saving it, my method is pretty simple.

Line the bottom of a bucket with newspaper.

Dump the minnows in.

Sprinkle them liberally with salt.

Let them gasp and die and dry in the sun until the newspaper is dry.

Put in a bag and freeze.

They are slightly leathery when you put them on a hook. They don't stay on the hook as well as fresh ones, but pretty well.

It's a cheap simple solution. If the perch are hungry they bite on them just fine.

Thankx Jonk, Put up 1 bag with the Pro-Cure, 1 bag with table salt and 1 with Kosher Salt. Probably little over a dozen each. Lets
see what happens.

Gene

Well today I tried the Pro-Cure prepared Goldies along with some in Kosher and table salts. The salt prepared ones seemed ok but
when totally thawed did not hold up well but ok. Those that were prepared with the Pro-Cure remained quite well the outer layers of skin seemed to be stronger and lasted thru attacks from the perch. I guess i'll stay with the Pro-Cure until its gone and start using the old 20 Mule Train Borax from here on. The Pro-Cure is really fine and may have used a tad to much. Oh ! I was the only
one of 3 on the boat used them. I can safely say i'll use it now on. Fished west of K can about a quarter of a mile away from the small pack there, slow with great quality fish 9 to 11 in.

We used this method on live Shiners back when they were available, (don't know how it would work with Goldie's). Drain the water and bag a few dozen covered liberally with regular salt. Freeze. They stay hooked for 2 or 3 catches quite well, almost seemed to be mummified. Once they thaw don't try to refrozen.

Thanks Mark, the Emerald shiners at the time and table salt did not give me the mummified effect that you got so that's why I never tried again. That Borax gave me that effect on the Goldies. I doubt that I will not be able to try that for Emeralds for this
the remainder of the year. I foresee Emeralds not being available until hard water season starts, sounds like a winter project for sure.

Gene