By Travis Wendt of Reel Time Fishing
I’ve been curing shrimp for steelhead for decades. I’ve tried plenty of different cures, brines, scents and additives over the years, and I’m always looking for something that can give my bait another edge.
This season, I added something new to the process.
Pautzke Fire Bite
Fire Bite is a bite stimulant designed to add another layer of attraction to bait. I’ve been using it on my shrimp while targeting summer-run steelhead on the Clearwater and Snake rivers, and it has quickly become part of my bait-preparation routine.
The best part is how simple it is.
I can take shrimp I’ve already cured in Pautzke Shrimp & Prawn Cure, add Fire Bite the night before I fish and have them ready to go the next morning.
Here’s how I’m doing it.
Start With Good Shrimp
As with any bait—eggs, herring, sardines or shrimp—you need to start with quality bait.
For steelhead, I prefer pink shrimp. They’re smaller than coon shrimp and are a good size for the way I fish.
I buy uncured shrimp whenever possible. I get mine directly from fishermen on the coast, but most anglers don’t have that option. North 40 in Lewiston, Idaho, sells uncured shrimp, and smaller mom-and-pop shops often carry them as well.
If you can’t find them, call around.
The key is finding quality shrimp. Avoid anything that’s freezer burned or has been thawed and refrozen. You want a natural pink color, good meat, intact eyes and whiskers. If the shrimp are white and crusted from freezer burn, keep looking.
Pink Shrimp vs. Coon Shrimp
One thing I want to clarify is the terminology. Bait companies often label these as coon shrimp, but they’re actually pink shrimp.
In my opinion, coon shrimp are too large for the way I fish for steelhead.
That said, this process works with coon shrimp, prawns and even grocery-store shrimp. You can use the type of shrimp that works best for your fishery.
First, Cure Your Shrimp
I’ve spent years making my own dry and liquid cures. They worked, but the process could be time-consuming.
Pautzke Shrimp & Prawn Cure simplified that part of the process.
Place the shrimp in a sealable Tupperware-style container. I prefer this over a Ziploc because the sharp points on shrimp can puncture the plastic.
Fill the container with shrimp and pour Shrimp & Prawn Cure over them until they’re covered.
The cure is available in red, orange and pink.
I prefer red because it gives my shrimp a more vibrant, dark-pink color. The orange produces a more natural color, while pink can be a good option when fishing clear water or when I want a less vibrant presentation.
Once the shrimp are submerged, I’ll hand-mix them once a day to make sure they’re all getting covered in the cure.
The first batch I made sat for about a week. The shrimp were firm enough to fish after about three days, but I wanted to give them more time to absorb the color.
Once the shrimp are cured, you can fish them as they are—or take the next step.
Add Fire Bite
This is where I’ve changed my process. The night before I go fishing, I take the shrimp I’ve already brined in Shrimp & Prawn Cure and drain off the liquid. Then I add Fire Bite. I generously coat the shrimp by sprinkling Fire Bite over the top layer. I toss the container around to distribute it, sprinkle more, toss again and repeat until all of the shrimp are coated. That’s it.
I put the container in the refrigerator and let the shrimp sit overnight.
By morning, the shrimp have had time to absorb the Fire Bite.
It’s a simple extra step, but it has become one I don’t want to skip.
You Can Also Add Fire Bite During the Cure
You don’t have to wait until your shrimp are completely cured to use Fire Bite.
If you’re starting a fresh batch, you can add Fire Bite directly to the shrimp while they’re curing.
For a quart of shrimp, I use about two tablespoons of Fire Bite.
Add it to the shrimp and make sure it mixes well into the brine. Then let the shrimp sit and cure.
That gives you another way to incorporate the bite stimulant into your bait preparation.
Why Add a Bite Stimulant?
Bite stimulants are another tool I use when preparing bait, especially when conditions are tough. The idea behind a bite stimulant is to combine multiple ingredients designed to add attraction to your bait. Instead of trying to find and add individual ingredients separately, Fire Bite puts them together in one product. Depending on the formulation, bite stimulants can contain ingredients such as different salts, sugars, dehydrated bait components and other attractants.
For me, the biggest advantage is simplicity.
I don’t want to have to track down several different ingredients and figure out how much of each one to add. Fire Bite gives me a simple way to incorporate an additional stimulant into my bait.
I use it because I’m always looking for ways to make my bait more effective, particularly on those days when steelhead are difficult to get to bite.
Add Scent, Too
Fire Bite isn’t the only additive I use.
After years of curing shrimp, I’ve developed my own preferences for scent as well. Sometimes I’ll add Pautzke Nectar. I also use Atlas Mike’s Shrimp & Anise Lunker Oil, and sometimes I combine the two.
I typically add scent the night before fishing so it has time to absorb into the shrimp.
The key is experimenting and figuring out what works best in your river and under the conditions you’re fishing.
Keep Your Shrimp Cold
Once the shrimp are cured and treated, I keep them refrigerated.
Properly stored, cured shrimp can last a long time. I’ve kept cured shrimp in the refrigerator for extended periods and had them remain in good shape.
If you’re storing them, keep them in a sealed container and refrigerated.
My New Shrimp Routine
After decades of curing shrimp, I’ve found that keeping the process simple is important.
My current routine is straightforward:
- Start with quality, uncured shrimp.
- Cure them with Pautzke Shrimp & Prawn Cure.
- Let them firm up and absorb the color.
- Drain the brine when I’m ready to add Fire Bite.
- Coat the shrimp with Fire Bite the night before fishing.
- Add scent if I want it.
- Refrigerate overnight and go fishing.
It doesn’t take much time, and I can prepare different batches with different colors, scents and levels of attraction depending on where I’m fishing.
For summer-run steelhead on the Clearwater and Snake rivers, Fire Bite has become another tool in my bait-preparation arsenal.
Sometimes it’s the little things you do before you ever hit the river that make the difference.
Where to Find Pautzke Shrimp & Prawn Cure and Fire Bite
Both products are available through Pautzke and select retailers, with availability continuing to expand. For now, the new Fire Bite is available at North 40, Sportco, Fisherman’s Marine, Tillamook Sports, Mazama Sporting Goods, Gorge Outfitters, Daybreak Fishing & Phil’s Propeller (Northern Cal).