Salting down bait...how to guide !!!!

[Lucky_Phill]

Preparing your Mullet bait for storage.

Fishing can be expensive and any way to help to save money is always welcome. This is my tip. During certain times of the year, Mullet are thick as thieves, so this is prime time to get as much as you may need for the year, depending on your freezer space.

Once sourced you have to take care of the Mullet to make it last. Salting is a great start and Cryovac packing is the ultimate.

This is my method of Salting. Not using Cryovac.

Purchase your fresh mullet fillet and this will usually come in broccoli boxes for convenience. Find yourself a nice shady place that has a ground surface capable of washing off, or utilize the grass / yard.

You will need and large esky, salt ( Flossy Salt ), freezer bags, cutting board, sharp knife and steel, disposable latex gloves, carrying tray, drain tray and time…. Allow about 40 minutes for every 10 kilos of Fillet.

Unpack fillets from Broccoli box, saving the ice. Place skin down in esky ( with bung open ) to form a layer and then sprinkle ( not toss, throw or chuck…. sprinkle !! ) the salt fairly evenly over the fillets. ( pic attached ). Then add another layer and salt, etc etc until all fillets are depleted. The ice in plastic bags can now be placed on top of fillets and lid closed on esky.

Go make a cuppa, have a pie or whatever……

Get your freezer bags ready. Knife has to be sharp. You do not have to cut off the belly flap as I do, but I feel this little piece always gets left on the baitboard on the boat, so why not remove it here. All the cut offs can be stored for use as berley. I size the fillet for a single use bait. 2 sizes are utilized, small for single hook or gang hook for average fish. I then have the large bait which consists of a whole fillet. Big bait….big fish. Drag out enough to pack about 6 – 8 bags. I pack 6 fillets to a bag, flesh together. I also try to remove as much air as possible to spare the freezer burn.

At this stage you will probably notice the fillets are ‘ tougher ‘ than when fresh, yes, they have firmed up already. Once you start packing into the freezer you may find yourself stacking the bags on top of each other. This may result in the fillets in the middle not getting frozen for some time, best to rotate the fillets each day until you know for sure they are all frozen. You may wish to stack the bags of fillets into special plastic boxes or similar inside the freezer for ease of removal. Simply grab the container and throw it in the boat and go fishing.

Salting of pillies can be done in the same way. Once the pillies are removed from box ( IQF I hope ), sprinkle them with salt and repack them into manageable bag sizes. The pilles have to be a little bit thawed for this process though, unless of course, you can get fresh pillies.

The photos below are self explanatory.


Cheers Phill.
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cheers......Phill.
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[Lucky_Phill]

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cheers Phill
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[tailorboi99]

Very nice Phill, thank you for taking your time to help many Ausfish member keep their bait both organised and fairly fresh. Once again, excellent effort and very interesting

Thanks Tom

[trueblue]

hey Phil

where do you purchase your mullet fillets?

cheers

Mick

[Lucky_Phill]

Mick,

Friend of a friend. It's complicated. Basically when they hit the market floor, they have to be picked up and paid for ' immediately'.

Phill
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[geeb]

Thank you very much for that guide to salting bait. You went to a great deal of trouble and the information was excellent. I like to learn something new each day so you have supplied the answer to that resolve. Andbig fresh mullet is very well priced at the moment so I am going to salt it down in readiness for my Six day September sojourn.........regards.........Geeb

[Reel Nauti]

That is excellent Phill, thanks muchly for all of that info. Can you please tell me where I can get Flossy salt? I've used pool salt before, but I've been told it's not the best because of a sunscreen added (this has been debated before but still it's debateable!) I'd like to get it right, so I'm keen to try the Flossy's.

Thanks for a great thread

Dave

[-spiro-]

Phill top job for all the newbie mullet salters....

But i got lost on the 2nd picture

There was a item stairing me in the face and i caren't concerntrate now!

It looks like a KICK ARES BUNDY BAR . Now all im thinking about it making a Bundy Bar.

I'll come back after i've had a few and that way i won't be disstracted....

[Lucky_Phill]

Just for you Chris......





as for the Flossy Salt. I bought it from a wholesaler out Bulimba way , think they are Roberts & Sons ??? it was a while ago. I'll check and try to get info.



Cheers Phill

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[Lucky_Phill]

and the bar in action,,,, chris.......





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[hooknose]

Go Phil, love the bar scenario mate, keep up the good work !!!

[danny412]

will "normal salt" from the supermarket work? or is there something special about what you use? I suppose it all comes from the sea so it cant be too different.

[-spiro-]

Phill thats sweet the way all good drinking sessons should go....Man those slushy machines are kick arse did you buy them?

[outsiderskip]

phil
i do it the same way
how long do u salt them for
i usually salt them down place 6 fillets in a bag facing flesh to flesh
then freeze straight away

pete

[Lucky_Phill]

Chris....... no. Mate owns a business that hire's them out...... Funny thing was, Dieter was at the party and thought they were just for adding to drinks... so he was pouring a rum and a half in glass and topping up with rasberry slushi.... each slushi tub had 2 bottles of vodka in it... No wonder he was ' wobbley '


Pete.

Well as per pics, once the esky is full of salted fillets, I go and have a beer, hot chocolate or pee and then return to start bagging. They can be left for a few hours if need be. Flesh to flesh is the go.


danny412

No. I personally believe flossy salt is much better, you will find Table Salt is much more refined. Some salts will discolour the flesh on the mullet fillet. Not that fish can see the difference,...

You may notice on some charter boats that provide salted fillet, it appears yellow.....mmmmmmm


Phill
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