How to Cure Eggs for Salmon Fishing

Article and photos by Jeff Goodwin
Every salmon season, new and experienced anglers alike flock to the rivers along the banks or in boats in pursuit of the mighty king salmon. There are a number of different methods used to catch these elusive fish, but fishing with fresh cured salmon roe is surely among the top choices for many anglers. Every year, lots of salmon heavily laden with eggs are caught by anglers who have little, if any, experience in curing salmon eggs. Often times, the eggs from harvested salmon are given away to fellow anglers or even thrown away. I happen to catch the majority of my salmon every year on roe that I have harvested and cured myself. There are many techniques for curing salmon eggs, and everyone who does, has a favorite method of their own. I'm going to explain a simple method for curing salmon eggs that is very easy, and requires very little experience to produce a very good batch of salmon roe which you can use to catch your own salmon. Curing your own roe and catching salmon with it is actually quite rewarding.

The first step in the curing process begins with immediately bleeding your fish after catching it. Severe both sides of the gills and keep the salmon submerged in water until it’s no longer bleeding. This will reduce the amount of blood that will remain in the egg skeins before you remove them. Always wear latex gloves and remove the eggs from your fish before you fillet them so you don't damage the membrane that surrounds the eggs. I cut up the belly of the fish and pull the eggs loose from near the head of the fish where the egg membrane attaches. Once you break the membrane free inside the belly cavity, the skeins will come out easily. Make sure you have a clean Ziploc® bag to put your eggs in immediately after removing them from the salmon. I like to place a few sheets of paper towels in the bag to soak up any little bit of blood or moisture they may still have on them. Do not wash off the eggs before placing them in the Ziploc. Keep the eggs cool after removing them from the fish and until you get home. Once at home place them in the fridge until you can get around to curing them, usually within 24 hours.

Now that you are ready to take some time to cure your eggs, make sure you have a good place to cure them. I wouldn't recommend curing eggs inside your home, or near anything that you don't want to be contaminated by red dye. Permanent damage can result if you’re not careful! After slipping on your latex gloves remove the eggs from the Ziploc and place them on the surface you intend to use to cure your eggs. Make sure they are free from blood or excess moisture. If there is any blood left in the veins of the skein, use a dull butter knife to push the blood out of the veins using a paper towel to wick up any blood that is removed. Just make sure you don't damage the membrane while removing the blood. Next, take the same butter knife and cut down through the center of the opening in the membrane of the skein. Using a butter knife will keep the berry intact and won't pop them. This opens up the skein and exposes all of the eggs. Once the skein is butterflied open, you may want to cut the skein in half so it is easier to deal with. Sacramento River kings can have very large skeins in them.

Now, here comes the tricky part. What kind of egg cure do I use on my eggs? Well, there are a lot of different kinds of cures out there, and like I said, everyone has their favorite. I would recommend using a commercial cure. It contains all the necessary ingredients to cure your eggs and they require very little knowledge to use. Because most egg cures for salmon contain sulfites, you only have to be careful about how much cure you put on the skeins. Using too much will burn the eggs, causing them to get hard and to shrivel up. A cure that I know to be very forgiving and also produces a very good cured egg is Pautzke Fire Cure. The chemicals in the Fire Cure are mild and you really have to go overboard to burn your eggs. So now that you have your fire cure, sprinkle the cure over the open skein with just enough powder to cover all the eggs. Turn your skein over and sprinkle the Fire Cure over the membrane side covering it completely. Flip the skein over again and gently massage the cure into the open egg side of the skein, making sure the cure gets down into the crevices. This is all you need to do before placing the skeins in a gallon Ziploc baggie. Once the skeins are in the Ziploc, gently roll the skeins around in the bag ensuring you get the cure to cover all of the surfaces of the skein. As you do this, you will notice the eggs will begin to juice up indicating that the curing process has begun. Place the Ziploc in the refrigerator. On the first day, I will turn the eggs in the juice every couple of hours and once before bed. First thing in the morning, I will roll them around again.

You will find that after the eggs get really juicy, they will slowly begin to reabsorb the juice back into the egg berry's causing them to look nice and plump again. The amount of time that it takes for the eggs to reabsorb the juices will most often depend on the temperature in your fridge. Keep an eye on them. Once the juice has reabsorbed back into the eggs, I will push the air out of the Ziploc and reseal. I will let the eggs sit for about 3-5 days before removing them. These eggs will fish best after 5-7 days of curing. If you intend on fishing them within a few weeks, remove them from the Ziploc and wrap each skein in an unscented paper towel. Place the wrapped skein in a Ziploc bag and label it with the type of cure, and the date you cured them.

If you plan to save them for later or even next year, the best way to keep them is to freeze them. Plastic or glass jars are my first choice. You can place them in the freezer wrapped in a paper towel inside a Ziploc as well. If you plan to store them long term in the wrap, after they are frozen vacuum seal them. They will last a year or more vacuum sealed. Best of luck to all of you who are new to curing eggs, and please, if you have any questions feel free to give me a call. I'd be happy to help in any way that I can. Tight lines everyone!

Jeff Goodwin specializes in guiding and fishing for salmon, trout and steelhead in Northern California and Southern Oregon rivers. He also has many associates who work with him and/or guide on other waters in this region. To learn more please visit jeffgoodwinfishing.com or contact him at or at (707) 616-1905.