Learn The Easiest Bait Brine for Buoy 10

By: Duane Inglin

With the tools available to brine herring on the market today the process couldn’t be more simple, which means you have no excuse not to have good herring when down at Buoy 10. Having good herring spells the difference between success and failure.

When you brine bait you create bait that’s durable and will hold up in the warm water that tends to be around during the Buoy 10 season. Fresh herring fishes well, plug cut fishes ok, but when it comes down to it there’s no better bait than a well-brined herring or anchovy.

Keep in mind you’re trolling at speeds of up to 3.5 mph. You don’t want to have bait that you can’t rely on. You want to have confidence that you’re bait is going to last in the warm water, heavy current and while being trolled. If you don’t brine the bait there’s a strong chance it will fail prematurely.

 

The Too Simple Buoy 10 Brine

Step 1: Get Contents

Ziploc, plastic container or something to place herring (or anchovy) and brine into

Green Label Herring

Fire Brine (I use chartreuse, blue, natural and green)

Various Scents (I use Fire Power, garlic, anise)

Non Iodized Sea Salt (If you want an extra firm bait)

Step 2: Fill

Fill the container with desired color of Fire Brine. I always do batches of three to four colors at a time. It’s important to have options. Different colors are best in varying conditions.

Step 3: Add Herring or Anchovies

I normally do 10-12 herring or an entire tray.

Step 4: Step Back & Relax

At this point the brine is working. Let it do its thing.

Big D’s Brining Tips:

*You can leave the brine in the refrigerator overnight to be fished in the morning or in a cooler in the boat. The brine works best with a 12-hour soak. However, 24 hours is best.

*If kept chilled the brined bait will continue to fish for three days.

*Using the non-iodized salt isn’t imperative. However, it will tighten up baits even more. In heavy current like we experience at Buoy 10 I like to add the salt.

*If you want to put a zap to your bait, match the color of Fire Dye to the Fire Brine you used. By adding a half to a tablespoon of dye into the brine you’ll see a tremendous amount of color infused into the bait instantly. It’s vivid.

*Having options is critical at Buoy 10. Different scents can be a game changer. Don’t be afraid to try anise, garlic or Fire Power. I add the scent right after I add the Fire Brine.

Choosing What Color to Use

*Natural always seems to preform well.

*Chartreuse is best when turbidity is high.

*When the sun is out blue and green tend to be best.

Editor’s Note: Duane Inglin is the host of Seattle’s Northwest Wild Country radio. To reach him please contact him through his Facebook https://www.facebook.com/duane.inglin.