Hook More Trout with Salmon Eggs – The Ultimate Guide

As an avid trout fisherman myself, I know how frustrating it can be when the fish just aren’t biting. You’ve tried every lure and bait in your tackle box with no luck. That’s when it’s time to break out the salmon eggs – one of the most effective baits for catching trout.

This complete guide will teach you everything you need to know about how to catch more trout with salmon eggs. You will learn where to find and prepare salmon eggs, the best ways to set up your gear, how to fish with eggs in lakes and streams, and a lot more. You’ll be able to catch trout quickly with the help of salmon eggs.

Why Use Salmon Eggs for Trout Fishing?

First, let’s discuss why salmon eggs make such excellent trout bait. There are a few key reasons:

• Trout feed on small eggs and roe in the wild – Salmon eggs closely mimic a natural food source trout are programmed to feed on. They won’t be able to resist!

• Bright color attracts trout – The bright orange/pink color of salmon eggs stands out in the water, drawing curious trout from a distance

• Scent appeals to trout – Salmon eggs release fish-attracting amino acids as they soak in the water Trout can detect this scent with their excellent sense of smell,

• While bait like powerbait tends to move around a lot, salmon eggs stay on the hook well during long casts and drifts. No more constantly re-baiting your hook!.

• Versatile in all water conditions – Eggs work well in clear to moderately stained water. They can even produce strikes when other baits fail.

Now that you understand why salmon eggs work so well, let’s look at how to find and prepare your eggs.

Finding and Preparing Your Salmon Eggs

You can buy pre-cured salmon eggs at bait shops and online, but the freshest and most affordable eggs come straight from the fish. If you can get your hands on some fresh salmon, follow these steps to harvest and prepare the eggs:

Harvesting the Eggs

• Carefully slit the belly of the female salmon and remove the egg sack. Rinse well.
• Pick away any membranes, blood spots and immature white eggs. Save only the nice, plump orange/pink colored eggs.
• Place the cleaned eggs in a colander and rinse again until the water runs clear.

Curing the Eggs

• Mix a batch of curing solution – 1 cup borax and 1 cup salt per 1 gallon of water.

• Soak the rinsed eggs in the solution for 5 minutes with gentle stirring. This firms up the eggs.

• Drain and rinse the eggs again – They’re now ready to use!

• For longer shelf life, lay the cured eggs out to dry on a paper towel. Once dry, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 6 months.

• Before fishing with the dried eggs, reconstitute in water for 5-10 minutes until plumped up.

Now let’s go over the best ways to rig up your salmon eggs.

Rigging Salmon Eggs for Trout

Salmon eggs can be fished a variety of ways, but here are two of the most effective rigging methods:

Salmon Egg Sack

This method encases eggs in a mesh sack clipped to the hook. The sack helps keep eggs secure during casting and drifting.

To make:

• Cut a 3-4 inch square piece of fine mesh material
• Place 2-3 eggs in the center
• Gather up the corners and tie end tightly with thread
• Tie sack to hook shank leaving hook point exposed

Pro Tip: Use fluorescent mesh and egg sack thread to make your bait even more visible.

Egg Loop

This exposes the eggs more naturally on the hook for added scent dispersion.

To make:

• Skewer one egg onto the hook point
• Loop tying thread through the egg and tie to the hook shank
• Repeat process to stack multiple eggs on the hook

Pro Tip: Coat the thread and hook shank in attractant gel for added fish-catching effectiveness.

Now that you’ve got your salmon eggs rigged up, let’s go over some tips for fishing them in streams and lakes.

Fishing Salmon Eggs in Streams

Streams and rivers are a top trout habitat. Here are some tips to catch more trout with eggs in flowing water:

• Add enough weight – Use split shot or a weighted egg sinker 1-2 feet above the bait to keep your offering down near the bottom where stream trout feed.

• Drift naturally – Allow the current to sweep the eggs along at a natural pace. Avoid jerky retrievals.

• Target logjams & undercut banks – These areas provide current breaks where trout wait to ambush food drifting by.

• Fish the seams – Target stream seams where fast current meets slow current. Seams funnel food to waiting trout.

• Dead drift – Keep the line still and float moving naturally with the current. No need to jig or twitch most times.

Fishing Salmon Eggs in Lakes

Lakes and ponds also hold plenty of trout. Adjust your tactics with these tips:

• Add buoyancy – Balance eggs with a foam egg float or small bobber to float eggs off bottom.

• Fish shallow drop-offs – Target transitions from shallow flats to deeper water where trout cruise looking for food.

• Slow steady retrieves – Slowly drag or troll eggs along drop-offs, points, and weed edges.

• Still fishing – Let eggs sit still on or near the bottom from shore or anchor. Twitch occasionally to attract attention.

• Watch your line! – Trout bites in lakes can be very light and subtle. Watch for any slight line movements.

Top Salmon Egg Fishing Tips

Here are a few final tips to ensure salmon egg fishing success:

• Check local regulations – In certain waters eggs are prohibited. Live bait bans require using synthetic eggs.

• Use fresh eggs – Freshest eggs release the most fish-attracting scent. Discard any mushy eggs.

• Try egg color variations – Natural pink, orange, and yellow eggs all work. Mix it up until you find the hot color.

• Always keep moving – Don’t get stuck in one spot. Experiment drifting through various prime holding spots.

• Pay attention to depth – Trout may feed higher or lower in the water depending on conditions. Watch your rig to see if depth changes get more strikes.

• Downsize tackle – Lighter line (2-6 lb. test) allows eggs to drift naturally. Use a small #8-14 trout hook.

• Consider scents/attractants – Adding scents to eggs or on your hands can give you an extra edge (use moderation).

• Stay patient – Some days the trout are more active than others. Stick with it and the eggs will eventually work their magic!

Ready to Catch More Trout on Eggs?

As you can see, salmon eggs can be an extremely effective trout bait when fished properly. They’re affordable, easy to find or make yourself, and catch fish in virtually any trout water conditions. Following the tips in this guide will have you hooking trout after trout in no time.

The next time you find yourself struggling to get bites from finicky trout, break out the salmon eggs! Properly rigged and fished, they’re one of the deadliest baits for trout around. Just make sure to check your local regulations so you’re fishing eggs legally and responsibly.

Tight lines!