So, you caught some hatchery hens this season and cured the eggs up for future salmon and steelhead fishing missions…But do you know how to make sure your bait is ready to go this winter or next fall? 

It’s actually one of the questions I get asked most often — what’s the best way to freeze egg baits? 

Well, there are a lot of ways you can go here and the short answer is: I vaccuum seal my wet cure eggs in Mason Jars. For dryer eggs I’m going to use for drifting, I’ll go with the burrito method. 

Here’s how I do it:

First, you’ll need some paper towels, plastic wrap and vaccuum sealer bags…

Start by laying out some paper “tortillas” and then put the skein — or portion thereof — in the middle…

Next, wrap the eggs up just like you would a burrito…

Then, stretch out a length of plastic wrap and place the burrito on it…

Wrap the plastic around the burrito tightly, trying to squeeze as much of the air out as possible. Just be careful to not smash the eggs…

Next, get a vac bag ready. Be sure to label it with a Sharpie so you know what’s in there when you pull it out weeks or months down the road…

Now, fill the bag with as many burritos you think you’ll need in a session. I use the Oliso brand because they have a zipper end that allows you to take stuff out and then reseal the bag up to 10 times…

The next step is to place the bag in the freezer (unsealed). When the baits are frozen solid, put your vac packer on the “moist” setting if it has one and suck the air and then seal the bag shut. If you vacuum the eggs before they are frozen, they will turn to mush. 

On a similar note, be sure to either open (or cut a hole) in the sealer bags when you take the burritos out to thaw. If left in the sealed bag, the eggs will expand upon thawing and you’ll end up with mushy goo (not good). 

Follow these easy steps and you’ll have good eggs ready to fish when you need ‘em. 

For more Steelhead fishing tips and techniques, check out my massive eBook: The Ultimate Guide to Steelhead Bank Fishing