Curing shrimp for Bait

[Alaskan Fly Guy]

I'm thinking about taking the grandkids out ice fishing this weekend and being the fly fisher I am, I haven't used bait in years. So the question of the day is... How do you cure your shrimp for use as bait for ice fishing? I heard that regular ole store bought cocktail shrimp is about the best bait for ice fishing the local lakes. My feeble memory can't remember the brine recipe (or whatever it's called) to help make the shrimp a little sturdier to keep it on the hook better. Is there something better to use then shrimp? I'm open to all ideas as I would really like to get the kids on some little stocker's.

[growden1]

I'm thinking about taking the grandkids out ice fishing this weekend and being the fly fisher I am, I haven't used bait in years. So the question of the day is... How do you cure your shrimp for use as bait for ice fishing? I heard that regular ole store bought cocktail shrimp is about the best bait for ice fishing the local lakes. My feeble memory can't remember the brine recipe (or whatever it's called) to help make the shrimp a little sturdier to keep it on the hook better. Is there something better to use then shrimp? I'm open to all ideas as I would really like to get the kids on some little stocker's.

All we use is the store bought cocktail shrimp as is. We tip the top of the hook near the eye with a single salmon egg (nitro eggs), they place the shrimp as is after that. Works pretty well for us, we use bigger shrimp to keep the little guys from swallowing it. Probably could hook a ton of little ones if we used smaller bait. You can see the size of the bait on my buddies video., and some of the fish we caught using that size shrimp.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8GS4...09F06C&index=4

Fish On!

[OATS]

Very cool video, really enjoyed the morning preparation routine......I certainly recognize that. Nice setup, nice fish, and you are right those are big shrimp.

[Skookumchuck]

I used to just pop a pack of cocktail shrimp in the microwave for a minute to firm them up. Hold much better on the hook.

[garnede]

I usualy use the shrimp raw. But I have had better success with wax worms and night crawlers than shrimp. Wax worms for the little guys and night crawlers for the big ones.

[WaterWolf]

I wouldn't cuyre them at all just use them. I buy the slightly larger shrimp from the super market and not the colored/dyed stuff from the bait folks. It seems to work a LOT better, and with the bigger stuff...............you avoid the lil guys.