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[Fisherama]

I bought a batch of old water-hardened eggs today, that had been sitting in brine for over a year.  The eggs look great, but when I opened the package, the smell was very unappealing.  Not like the smell of roe, but more of a rotten smell that lingered around for a while  .  Is this normal? Do you think it would significantly reduce their effectiveness?

Thanks.

[Geff_t]

No this is not normal. I always open the container before I buy it just to check the quality of the eggs.

[Fisherama]

Darn it!  Thanks for the reply, I'll be sure to check next time 

[tnt]

wash them through fresh cold filtered water.... multiple times... make a salt water brine and see what happens....I have had skunky eggs work fine after a good washing....

[Fisherama]

Thanks for the tips TNT, I started washing them with cold water and preparing a brine mix but it didn't matter how much I washed them, the stench REMAINED!!  This batch was just too far gone so they went in the trash...  Now my kitchen reeks of rotten eggs and I'm awaiting death by girlfriend  .  Does RFT still carry water hardened eggs?

[Rodney]

Soy sauce takes away any stench, that's why Chinese food is so good.

I've always bought my water hardened eggs from Berry's Bait and they have always been excellent.

[Easywater]

I am curious as to which eggs would be better for Steelhead - Spring or Coho?

At first I thought Spring would good - bigger = better.

But now I think that there could be some Coho still spawning in the rivers and Coho could be better?

[Geff_t]

I use chum eggs for my singles.

[Tadpole]

I do  water cure chum eggs by myself. It is a long, involving process demanding perfect timing to do it right, so I do it every couple of years. It happens that I have good native friend setting his stationary small net in late October-early November to catch chum for smoking. If I'm lucky to be on the Res on Fraser in a ripe fish time, I squeeze bunch of eggs from females in to clean plastic  bucket and fertilize them right away with males milt. I let it sit for 15 min and then start to wash the eggs in Fraser water for at least 2 hours. When I come home I pack them in saturated solution of natural see salt. Deep frozen, they last for years. They don't really freeze, just turn in to thick brine. Fertilizing make them develop  tough skin and visible orange yolk inside. It is very hard to break them. They look great and are free of tap water and other contaminants. Fraser water and see salt only. I share them with friends and we have a good steely results.  I could post a picture of them but I don't know how.

[Gooey]

Any singles placed in river water will harden, they dont need to fertilized. 

After they are water hardened you can then stain them with your favorite cure.  I roll/store them in borax in the freezer.  that way you can pick a bunch out of the frozen container when you need them.  They often will be a little "deflated" but after a few casts the plump right back up.

[Fisherama]

Any singles placed in river water will harden, they dont need to fertilized. 

After they are water hardened you can then stain them with your favorite cure.  I roll/store them in borax in the freezer.  that way you can pick a bunch out of the frozen container when you need them.  They often will be a little "deflated" but after a few casts the plump right back up.

Would you say that egg sacks formed from singles are "better" than procured roe chunks? Obviously, they're cleaner and more convenient, but I would expect procured roe to be more effective since they bleed, adding more scent.  I must say that I've had more success with roe chunks but just curious how others have done...