It does work and I have used it in the past. I prefer not to use Borax or related products. Last winter for three trips I seperated my spawn bags borax treated and my own cure. I never had a single hit on borax treated bags but the other 2 lines were getting bites. So I put the borax treated spawn where I was getting bites and no bites. I seperate the eggs, rinse well in a collander. I put 1/4 cup of kosher salt and a teaspoon of sugar per two skeins. Mix it well in the collander and add 1 pkg of kool aid for color. Put your eggs in a glass jar add a touch of water keep refridgerated. Do not use salt with iodine it will rot your eggs.

 

this is a good video link below. any ways i have been using a sulfate / salt cures that only require about a 1-2 table spoons per skein. which skeins way about 1-2 pounds this is why you got to be care full you can burn your eggs with the cures i use. now borax will not burn your eggs or over dry your eggs. unlike that of sulfate / salt cures you can use as much as you really want to a 10 pound bag if needed. just keep in mind they do not freeze as well as the sulfate / salt cure type of cures they re-milk easier which wrecks the eggs easily if you freeze them with borax cause of the induction of condensation in to the eggs. i think if you got them in and out of the freeze tons of times threw out the two years they will keep for salt sulfate cures ware borax last a year.. maybe plus the salt sulfate cure eggs are and have a harder shell till they re milk or re hydrate. any ways i think for first couple tries try the borax then try a salt/sulfate cure if you feel like it. a lot of guy use these cure cause the eggs last longer i am using pro cure wizards cure and red hot double stuff .any ways just watch this video it should fill you in on a lot about borax try finding some video on the subject and get a feel for what people use steel versus salmon eggs etc....like i was saying try the salt sulfate cure but first time do not do a lot just Encase it is a mess up and as always read the labels.

 

I used Atlas Shake "N" Cure for years but switched to the BorX O Fire last year on salmon and steelhead eggs. However the eggs never seemed to get firm enough but perhaps I needed to add more of the cure. I started using the new Fire Brine at the end of the year and I did really like that for a few times. Although I just used it on a salmon skein and separated the eggs just like the video and last night when I went to tie some bags the eggs were mushy and popped easy. With the Atlas I would sometimes over cook the egg and I think the Fire Cure from Pautze is similar.

Who knew curing eggs would be such a debate. I really am unsure what I will use next but I'll keep you posted.

 

I used Atlas Shake "N" Cure for years but switched to the BorX O Fire last year on salmon and steelhead eggs. However the eggs never seemed to get firm enough but perhaps I needed to add more of the cure. I started using the new Fire Brine at the end of the year and I did really like that for a few times. Although I just used it on a salmon skein and separated the eggs just like the video and last night when I went to tie some bags the eggs were mushy and popped easy. With the Atlas I would sometimes over cook the egg and I think the Fire Cure from Pautze is similar.

Who knew curing eggs would be such a debate. I really am unsure what I will use next but I'll keep you posted.

so have i used the mike atlas shake and cure. i wanted to add color to mine that pro cure and fire cure offers they did not offer the colored mike atlas at gander ware i got mine.


any ways not to hijack the thread but which did you use the brine or the borax o fire on the mushy eggs ? i do not like the fire brine for eggs i like the borax. but like i said it does not last long in the freezer it will only last maybe a year depending on how dry they were when they got stuck in the freezer. so like steel eggs you use more often so the borax is a better cure for them because there softer and the fish like them more being softer. but salmon egg i cure with the fire brine or pro cure cause they will last a lot longer like 2 years. this is why i was saying get a feel for what there using and find out what others like check all the video on you tube etc... and see what there doing pro cure, atlas, and pautkze etc.... most are using pautkze cause they got more available and the color are better then altas etc... but pro cure is a good alternative to pautkze. any ways if it was fire brine you were using this maybe the reason i am not that familiar with it. but could be the reason i think it is for baits like corn ,wax worms,minnows etc.... but unsure here casue i did not get to play with it yet. best thing to do is google it or some thing simullar look up video on it etc....


btw i use 1-1.5 table spoon per fishes skien so if there is two skien's per fish that 1.5 max table spoons of the sulfate / salt cure this is for fire cure, pro cure, and atlas'es shake cures

if you want to re try it on the same eggs that were soft and mushy get a box of ten mule team borax and roll all the eggs around in it. this may dry out the shell a bit and harden them up. that may be all it needs is some clear laundy borax.

any ways best of luck...

 

so have i used the mike atlas shake and cure. i wanted to add color to mine that pro cure and fire cure offers they did not offer the colored mike atlas at gander ware i got mine.


any ways not to hijack the thread but which did you use the brine or the borax o fire on the mushy eggs ? i do not like the fire brine for eggs i like the borax. but like i said it does not last long in the freezer it will only last maybe a year depending on how dry they were when they got stuck in the freezer. so like steel eggs you use more often so the borax is a better cure for them because there softer and the fish like them more being softer. but salmon egg i cure with the fire brine or pro cure cause they will last a lot longer like 2 years. this is why i was saying get a feel for what there using and find out what others like check all the video on you tube etc... and see what there doing pro cure, atlas, and pautkze etc.... most are using pautkze cause they got more available and the color are better then altas etc... but pro cure is a good alternative to pautkze. any ways if it was fire brine you were using this maybe the reason i am not that familiar with it. but could be the reason i think it is for baits like corn ,wax worms,minnows etc.... but unsure here casue i did not get to play with it yet. best thing to do is google it or some thing simullar look up video on it etc....


btw i use 1-1.5 table spoon per fishes skien so if there is two skien's per fish that 1.5 max table spoons of the sulfate / salt cure this is for fire cure, pro cure, and atlas'es shake cures

if you want to re try it on the same eggs that were soft and mushy get a box of ten mule team borax and roll all the eggs around in it. this may dry out the shell a bit and harden them up. that may be all it needs is some clear laundy borax.

any ways best of luck...

Hey thanks for the help regarding curing eggs. I did use the Fire Brine on my last batch and that made them mushy. I may have already messed them up because last night I tried to recure them in some of the orange shake "n" cure, I'll let you know if they firm up. I think I will use a borax based cure on steel eggs and a sulfite on the salmon eggs. I want to check out that Pro Cure as well.

Thanks again

 

Do not screw up your perfectly good steelhead eggs with this stuff. Yea Pautzke works, but so does EVERY other cure on the market when done correctly. If you ask me there is no one cure that is best for every situation. Cure your spawn different ways. Even the Pautzke guys said this in their own promotional video. The reason you screw up your eggs is all those chemicals in commercial products that you wouldn't use in a homemade cure.

I have still yet to hear anyone confirm (that's not a Pautzke prostaffer or groupie) that they are catching MORE fish since using Pautzke... Its just convenient with less steps to screw up compared to other brands...

People always hate on plain borax but it washes right off in the water. It does not "cure" the spawn only coats it and protects its freshness. When combined with other ingredients like sugar, salt, jello (hint), it then permeates the egg to cure it from the inside.

 

I only cure eggs I use for kings. Regular untreated eggs seem to always work better for me on trout. I'm going on an egg trip soon. Going to try some mild natural cures on some loosies..

Dude wheres your float?

 

I went and bought some borX o fire. I don't really care for it. It is great for getting color into the eggs and is easy to use. However it did not out produce natural skein. I still prefer the borax laundry detergent method with jello. The borx o fire didn't make the eggs durable like the borax method. Now I will keep trying it in different ways but for now I will save some money and use the tried and true methods or if at all possible use natural spawn. Next time I will use it in spawn bags and see if that changes anything.

 

I went and bought some borX o fire. I don't really care for it. It is great for getting color into the eggs and is easy to use. However it did not out produce natural skein. I still prefer the borax laundry detergent method with jello. The borx o fire didn't make the eggs durable like the borax method. Now I will keep trying it in different ways but for now I will save some money and use the tried and true methods or if at all possible use natural spawn. Next time I will use it in spawn bags and see if that changes anything.

you too natrual uncured spawn is always best . but if you have to freeze them to save them then borax second and sulfate/salt comercial cures first.was not sure if your were planing to use or store them. any ways this is how i always loved to do it. i will always use what i can on the river that trip then head home and cure it. the cured eggs mite help you get another batch the next time up who knows. any ways at least you tried it now you know.

 

I love borax o fire, its great stuff. I cured some eggs about a month and a half ago and used them on wed. Went 3-5 fishing a river close to me. One of the fish was a VERY nice steelhead. So it WORKS well for me. I wont go back to the other cures i used to use. Just my 2cents worth

Burgundy

 

I love borax o fire, its great stuff. I cured some eggs about a month and a half ago and used them on wed. Went 3-5 fishing a river close to me. One of the fish was a VERY nice steelhead. So it WORKS well for me. I wont go back to the other cures i used to use. Just my 2cents worth

Burgundy

were you using loose or skein?

 

I love borax o fire, its great stuff. I cured some eggs about a month and a half ago and used them on wed. Went 3-5 fishing a river close to me. One of the fish was a VERY nice steelhead. So it WORKS well for me. I wont go back to the other cures i used to use. Just my 2cents worth

Burgundy

Awesome! Thanks, I really wanna hear how successful people are with this stuff and not that they're just falling for the marketing hype.


I have caught steelhead and a few kings on it, nothing spectacular. Seems to work best in stained water for me.

For me, I will stick to homemade cures only. I will say I take a lot of time to do some of my homemade cures, definitely not as easy as using Pautzke that's for sure.

 

I was using skein. I cured it a little dry, i also put a crap load of sugar in it as well. I personally dont think there is any hype to the product. I used it up north when the fishing was tough for everyone else and still did well. I luv the product and wont be switching back. Again just my opnion

 

I just bought a pautzke fire cure, can i use this on loose eggs or is this strictly for skeins?

 

I just bought a pautzke fire cure, can i use this on loose eggs or is this strictly for skeins?

You can use it on loose eggs.

 

Yes just don't use a lot of it, its real powerful stuff. Its better to use less than too much. Also follow the directions carefully, its best to use jars and turn them every day and night. Leave them at room temp for the first hour so the egg juices can really start flowing.

I started using it before all the youtube videos and other stuff and used a little too much and it completely dissolved the skein on my spawn. SO I ended up tying bags with it for steel and I did well. I have used firecure and borax ofire, the stuff does work but doesn't work as well for me as my homemade cures. My homemade cures take a more time but its worth it to me.

Every year I try new cures to see what works best for me since results vary person to person as well as what they have confidence in. That's the fun part of this game, there is always something new to learn.

It seems everyone has different experiences with it and everyone fishes different waters so you never know...

I like kinda dry, and easy to handle spawn that doesn't stain my hands and I also like the skein to be left in tact.

 

I'm planning on tying up some loose eggs into bags for steelhead. When should i start tying, when the juice in in the bag or should i jet them dry?

 

With the firecure, it sucks the juice out of the egg and then the egg reabsorbs the juice. Have to let the cure do its work and wait until most of the juice is reabsorbed back into the egg. If you don't give the juice a chance to get back into the egg they will be hard and dry and won't milk well. Hope this helps...

 

ok thanks