A favorite salmon egg cure of mine

I already know that when you read this you are going to be asking yourself "is this guy crazy?" Why? Because I got the same response from people at the river a few years ago when I told them what I had cured my salmon eggs with, but the truth is they asked because I was outfishing them and they couldn't figure out why. I just told them the truth and they looked at me in amazement and laughed, but in the end they wanted to try my eggs and they too had success. Now this is not a "cure" so to speak but more of something to add color to the eggs; ok are you ready for what I like to use? I like to use raspberry jell-o in the powder form to color my eggs, this gives them a really nice red color (I am not sure if it gives them a scent or not) but when I did a test against a well known salmon egg consumers can buy online; my eggs outfished the eggs I purchased online.

After I "cured" them I let them dry a bit so they'd toughen up and then placed them in borax. I tried this because I was short on money and didn't have the money for a store bought cure; well...it worked like a charm. Last year on a local river I caught 10 slamon using jell-o.

I actually learned this trick from a friend of mine Mike Byeman who taught me how to fish the rivers for salmon and steelhead; when he told me he likes to use jell-o I just thought he did it because he is cheap and doesn't like to spend a lot of money. He is always making new lures from metal pieces and they work. He is also trying new things that when you look at it you say "that won't work" but the truth is they do work, he has even tried bubble gum and caught fish with it? Go figure.

Anyhow for a new trick and maybe amaze your friends try the raspberry jell-o and see how other fishermen around you look at you when you out fish them; at first don't let them in on your secret. Now I'am not saying you are gonna catch a ton of fish, but as usual it is all about presentation and where the fish are at and if they are on or off the bite. Good luck and happy fishing to all.

TAKE THE KIDS FISHING

I have always believed in teaching young kids how to fish. It doesn't matter if you teach boys or girls. I have two girls 9 and 3; and I have always taken my 9 year old fishing with me and will teach my 3 year old to fish when she's a little older. There is no reason why girls shouldn't fish.

I personally learned to fish when I was around 6 years of age and to this day I love to fish. It doesn't matter if it is in rivers or lakes, but I prefer the river during the salmon season.

Fighting a big salmon is so much fun if you have never tried it; the power they have is amazing. Not only are you fighting the fish, but you also have to know how to fight the current and turn the fish so it doesn't run to far on you and possibly go into any brush nearby. I must say, last year, I had so much fun fishing and had a hard time keeping the salmon off my line. I caught so many in one day that I was resting for a few minutes after I caught each fish because they fought so hard; my forearms and biceps were screaming at me to stop beacuse they were fatigued so bad after landing them. What a rush it was and every time I caught one, the anticipation was so great of landing a huge monster!

While fishing the river you also have to be smart and not go treading into the water if you have no idea what the bottom is like. I have heard of many fishermen drowning just to catch a fish and they lose their life over a darn fish. Well to me, no fish is that important. I just say to my fellow anglers; please take care when fishing the rivers and make sure safety comes first.

I have also heard of a case where a father took his son river fishing and the father decided to "chase" the fish because it started to run on him and his son watched his dad drown. That will be with that little boy for the rest of his life. Very sad. So the moral to this story is you must learn to read the water and you must remember that rivers slope down also just like a lake or the ocean. Safety is always first, so be sure you teach them right.

Curing Eggs

EVERYTIME I GO SALMON FISHING IN THE RIVERS I ALWAYS BRING WITH ME FRESH CURED SALMON EGGS I HAVE EITHER BOUGHT (WHICH I DON'T CARE FOR BECAUSE THEY AREN'T THE FRESHEST) OR I HAVE CURED FROM A FISH I HAVE CAUGHT FROM A PAST FISHING TRIP. NOW THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT WAYS TO CURE EGGS, FROM COMMERCIAL CURES TO CURES THAT YOU CAN MAKE YOURSELF; IF YOU DON'T HAVE A LOT OF MONEY YOU CAN JUST USE 20 MULE TEAM BORAX, OR YOU CAN BUY A COMMERCIAL CURE, OR IF YOU DO HAVE SOME MONEY TO SPEND YOU CAN ALWAYS PURCHASE A BOOK ABOUT EGG CURES; THE ONLY BOOK I HAVE FOUND ON EGG CURES IS A BOOK " EGG CURES PROVEN RECIPES AND TECHNIQUES"; WRITTEN BY SCOTT HAUGEN. THIS IS THE MOST COMPLETE BOOK WITH OVER 20 RECIPES! FROM VERY SIMPLE CURES TO MORE COMPLEX RECIPES. I HAVE TRIED ABOUT 10 RECIPES SO FAR AND I MUST SAY THEY HAVE ALL YEILDED MORE SUCCESS ON THE RIVER THAN I WOULD'VE EVER IMAGINED. DURING THE FISHING SEASON I ALWAYS KEEP THIS BOOK; WHERE I CAN FIND IT WHEN I CURE MY EGGS FROM A SUCCESSFUL FISHING TRIP FOR MY NEXT OUTING ON THE RIVER. I MUST SAY THAT THIS BOOK IS A MUST FOR ANY SERIOUS FISHERMAN. When curing eggs, I always be sure to let them sit on some kind of a rack to get some of the juices out so that they become a little tough so they will stay on the hook. Then when they are to my desired toughness I always put them in a jar with 20 Mule Team Borax and layer them; borax then eggs and repeat this until the jar is almost full.

A favorite salmon recipe of mine

THIS IS MY FAVORITE SALMON RECIPE TO FIX FOR ME AND MY FAMILY; I FOUND IT AT www.northwestoutdoors.org AND FIX IT ABOUT 3-4 TIMES A YEAR AND THEY ALL EAT IT UP WITH NO LEFTOVERS:

ROASTED CEDAR PLANK SALMON

2 LBS. SALMON FILLET
3 TBLSPN VEGETABLE OIL
1 1/2 TBLSPN SOY SAUCE
1 1/2 tsp. CHOPPED GARLIC
1/2 tspn. SALT
1/4 tsp. WHITE PEPPER
1/3 CUP RYE OR SCOTCH WHISKY
1 TBLSPN BROWN SUGAR

SERVES 4-6

PLACE SALMON FILLET IN A LONG SHALLOW DISH. MIX TOGETHER ALL THE INGREDIENTS AND POUR OVER THE SALMON FILLET. MARINATE FOR 1/2 HOUR.

PRE-HEAT OVEN OR GRILL TO 400 DEGREES. PLACE CEDAR PLANK DIRECTLY ON RACK AND BAKE FOR 8-10 MINUTES. THIS WILL LIGHTLY ROAST THE WOOD. REMOVE PLANK FROM THE OVEN OR GRILL AND RUB WITH A THIN COATING OF OLIVE OIL ON PLANK WHILE IT IS STILL HOT. PLACE SALMON DIRECTLY ON THE HOT PLANK AND ROAST ON PLANK FOR ABOUT 10-15 MINUTES AND BE SURE TO KEEP A SPRAY BOTTLE WITH WATER NEAR BY IF USING OUTDOOR GRILL TO COOK THE SALMON SO IF THE PLANK CATCHES FIRE YOU HAVE SOME WATER TO PUT OUT THE FLAME.

Anglers need to clean up their trash

I HAVE FISHED THE INFAMOUS SKOKOMISH RIVER IN WASHINGTON STATE SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE FAST FEW YEARS AND I MUST SAY THIS IS THE WORST RIVER I HAVE BEEN TO AS FAR AS ANGLERS NOT CLEANING UP THIER TRASH; BEER BOTTLES, PLASTIC BAGS, FISHING LINE, FISHING GEAR PACKAGES, JUST TO NAME A FEW THINGS. THIS IS SAD TO SEE, I CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHY SOME PEOPLE HAVE TO BE SUCH SLOBS? I GUESS THEY THINK THE WIND WILL BLOW IT AWAY OR SOMEONE ELSE WILL CLEAN IT UP OR DO THEY DO IT BECAUSE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE RIVER IS THE INDIAN RESERVATION AND THEY CAN FISH WITH TREBLE HOOKS AND SNAG THE FISH AND NOT BE SCOLDED OR GET IN TROUBLE FOR DOING THIS OR IS IT BECAUSE THE INDIANS SOMETIMES LIVE A VERY MESSY LIFE AND HAVE A JUNK YARD STARTED IN THEIR YARDS OR GARBAGE LAYING AROUND? I HAVE NO IDEA WHY ADULTS CANNOT BE RESPONSIBLE AND PICK UP AFTER THEMSELVES; I GUESS THEY TO DON'T CARE WHAT THEY LEAVE BEHIND AND DON'T TRULY CARE ABOUT THE GREAT OUTDOORS AND THEY HAVE NO VALUES WHAT SO EVER, THEY ARE SLOBS IN MY EYES AND NEED TO GROW UP!!

I WAS TAUGHT TO CLEAN UP AFTER MYSELF AND RESPECT NATURE AND I ALWAYS TELL MY OWN CHILDREN TO CLEAN UP AFTER THEMSELVES AND IF MY DAUGHTER GOES FISHING WITH ME AND THROWS SOMETHING ON THE GROUND I ALWAYS MAKE HER PICK IT UP AND PACK IT OUT WHEN WE LEAVE; I ALWAYS TRY TO TAKE A PLASTIC BAGE WITH MY FROM THE STORE TO PUT MY GARBAGE IN WHEN WE LEAVE AND I HAVE ALWAYS TAUGHT HER THAT NATURE IS VERY FRAGILE AND IF PEOPLE KEEP LIVING LIKE SLOBS AND NOT PICKING UP THEIR OWN MESS THEN IT WILL NOT ONLY HARM NATURE BUT ALSO HARM THE FISH AND IT MAKES HER LOOK BAD LIKE SHE DOESN'T CARE. I AM A PERFECTIONIST AND DO THINGS IN MY LIFE THE RIGHT WAY THE FIRST TIME SO I DON'T HAVE TO GO BACK AND DO IT OVER AGAIN AND I AM TRYING TO INSTILL THIS SAME VALUE ON MY CHILDREN. I HAVE A FEW WORDS FOR THE ANGLERS THAT CANNOT SEEM TO CLEAN UP THIER MESS...TAKE A FEW SECONDS AND CLEAN UP AFTER YOURSELF AND QUIT BEING SO LAZY!!

Good book about fishing places around Washington

I recieved an awesome book about all the places in Washington state to go fishing; the book is written by Terry Rudnick and is from Foghorn Outdoors and it is called Washington Fishing: The Complete Guide to Fishing Lakes, Rivers, Streams, and the Ocean. This book is a must for anyone who loves to fish in Washington; it has tips where to find and catch top Washington sport fish such as rainbow trout, steelhead, chinook, and halibut, a list of top Fishing Spots such as lakes and where to take the kids fishing, where to camp, driving directions to each fishing site and details on where to park. It's "an angler's bible" according to the Seattle Times.

I enjoyed this book so much I had to let my neighbor read it and I started planning trips to many places and even highlighted the places I want to fish some day. In my words...a must for all anglers!! So if you know someone who is just getting into fishing this book would help a lot and even gives the best times of year to go to each fishing spot and what species runs in the rivers around Washington state.

Another great book that I highly recommend is called Washington River Maps & Fishing Guide from Frank Amato Publications. It contains detailed fishing maps and tactic/success charts just to name a couple of great benefits. I found this book very helpful.

My fishing blog

I have decided to start this blog because I absolutely love to fish; especially fishing for salmon here in the Pacific Northwest in the rivers around Washington state. I began fishing when I was just a little kid, going with my Grandpa and my step dad (that was 32 years ago) and til this day I continue my love for fishing. Not only is fishing part luck but it is also part skill; knowing how to read the water is a major part of fishing, especially river fishing for salmon and steelhead and what days may be better and what days might not be so good. When growing up we had a boat that we would go out into the Puget Sound for the weekend and I always loved to fish if given the opportunity, then when my mom divorced my stepdad I never fished for salmon again...that was until I met my wife Brenda; she had a friend she went to High School with and he fished the rivers for salmon and steelhead and he has taught me and that was 12 years ago and it is still my favorite fishing of all. I just love the anticipation of possibly catching a huge king and the awesome strength salmon have. I will continue to blog on here and give tips and advice on many different things about fishing, egg curing, recipes for smoked salmon and more.