Learn to Mix Colors to Get a Perfect Egg

By: Kyle Buschelman

Late fall salmon need to be approached differently than springers and late summer/early fall fish. Anyone who cases them daily agrees they have a different appetite. I use different baits for each season and have a set of rules to follow for late fall salmon. The rules are governed by three main concepts: a base cure, scent and protein pairings.

Why does this matter? And does it? It does to the fish. This I can assure you from decades on the water with clients year-round. We are going to start by explaining the three basic rules.

Base Cure:

Success in the Northwest for fall salmon begins with a quality, trusted base cure. For me, that’s Fire Cure.

I always start with red during the fall and most of the time alter it by blending pink. Depending on your water clarity, flows and weather conditions, you’ll want to start with red and add lots of pink, or just some.

Red drives success on the coast. If you visit a tackle shop you can buy pink, natural or red cured eggs. Meanwhile, I prefer to have something different on the menu for salmon. When I mix Red & Pink Fire Cure it gives me an edge and a confidence boost. Most anglers are using just red or a dark purple, but if I can change the color of my bait, just a little, I increase our chances of getting bit.

When we are on a busy system there’s a ton of boats in each hole. Most likely, they will be using a red bait. If I can show them something different, oftentimes we get that bite. I like mixing Red & Pink Fire Cure and in the fall I’ll mix Red & Orange Fire Cure. The Red/Pink mix makes it not as dark of a red. Red/orange gives you a crimson color.

It’s important to remember that different presentations serve better in varying water conditions. The dirtier the water, the darker the bait I want. The clearer the water the lighter the bait. Pay attention to what bait you are using and what bait gets bit. Track what colors are working and what aren’t, and apply that to what conditions you face each day.

Scent:

Scent is mandatory in the PNW. Everyone uses it and believes in their own favorite band. I trust in Atlas Mike’s and use their Lunker Oil and Lunker Lotion daily. Meanwhile, I urge anglers to add scent after the curing process has been completed. It gives you more flexibility.

I don’t add scent during the curing process. I only do so when I’m ready to fish because I don’t want to designate the entire Ziploc of eggs to one scent. If you do, you are stuck with it. Even if the fish turn off that flavor the Ziploc is going to smell like whatever scent you added. I add scent as I cut the skein into pieces. Many of us meal prep. I do the same thing with pieces of skein. I’ll cut my baits, set them into different chambers of Tupperware and add different scents.

The scent I use most often are Atlas Mike’s Lunker Oil & Lunker Lotion in shrimp, sardine and tuna. I trust in these three because they are fishy scents and we know salmon like them. I apply scent two ways. I’ll either squeeze Lunker Lotion on the bait before casting or add Lunker Oil into the containers the morning off and let it marinade. Remember, I’m doing this in small batches to ensure we aren’t wasting bait if the fish aren’t keying in on that scent. We are likely doctors practicing medicine. Always learning and applying our findings.

Pairing Proteins:

Especially on the coast, but often inland, too, anglers can increase success by pairing protein with their cured eggs. Proteins can be pieces of shrimp, fish, etc. Salmon like the addition to the bait and it gives me extra confidence having the protein on my hook.

I always use a protein of some sort. You can use tuna belly, sardine, herring or an anchovy, but generally speaking I’m using eggs and a sand shrimp. Sand shrimp are from the coast and always produce. The have scent, and all the stuff we think the fish like. I have more confidence in the fresh sand shrimp than a piece of meat. With that said other guides are more confident in meat baits. Use what you are confident in or try different things and let the salmon decide.

Editor’s Note: Kyle Buschelman operates Willamette Valley Outfitters. To book a trip please visit: https://willamettevalleyoutfittersllc.com