Can You Use Salmon Eggs for Trout? 4 Ways to Do It Right
During the spawning season, nearly any fish swimming in a river where salmon live is drawn to salmon eggs, and trout is no exception. Anglers took advantage of this habit and began using salmon eggs to catch trout when nothing else worked.
The question is, can you also use salmon eggs for trout?
You can use salmon eggs for trout. Using salmon eggs is one of the most effective natural trout bait. They float downstream during the spawning season, and their smell and color of them attract trout to this easy meal after the spawn.
Keep reading to know more about using salmon eggs to get trout on the hook.
Table of Contents
Why Do Trout Eat Salmon Eggs?
Some trout species, like rainbow trout, are predators that feed on anything they come across. They will consume any small fish they can catch, including theirs. So it’s not unnatural of them to attack other fish’s eggs to feed on.
Salmon eggs have a distinct appearance, texture, and scent, making them attractive to trout as they swim downstream during spawning. They are a quick and simple meal for trout to enjoy at any time of year.
Learn more about when and why trout eat fish eggs here.
How To Fish Salmon Eggs For Trout
Fishing salmon eggs are irresistible to trout and knowing how to use them properly optimizes your chances of getting plenty of trout.
Cast them into the end of fast run-in water, where it begins to slow down, and the trout will strike almost instantly. You can also drift one around large rocks or snags or cast it upstream and left to drift into the pools.
Casting upstream against the far bank is a guaranteed technique in smaller rivers. If you’re fishing in a water body that has lots of weed beds 2 or 3 feet (around 0.5-to-1 meter) off the surface, make sure to attach the leader line and extend the length on it, and put the sinker a little further away, so it sets on a good angle.
If you had no luck after multiple casts, don’t hesitate to add another salmon egg to enhance the experience. You can also try adding them to trolled lures to entice more strikes from trout.
You can also watch this helpful video for more tips:
How To Rig Salmon Eggs For Trout?
Rigging salmon eggs is pretty easy. The first thing to remember when rigging salmon eggs is that those eggs float, so you need to imitate that, or else you’ll lose strikes. Here’s a simple guide for you to successfully rig them in a way that ensures a good presentation:
Gear:
- A 5 or 6-weight rod with medium-to-fast action
- A light-duty spinning reel that matches the rod weight
- A 2-4lb leader
- A single egg hook.
- A bobber set
- A couple of split shots
- A rubber net
The Drasry Fishing Hooks from amazon are a great choice for the hooks.
How to rig it:
- Attach the egg to the single hook.
- Add a couple of split shots about 12-to-18 inches (about 30-to-45.7 cm) up the line.
- Add a bobber set to your swim depth.
- Use a Uni to Uni knot to make this bond rock solid.
For the best chances possible at catching trout, you should definitely check out my recommended trout fishing rods here. These are the ones I’ve used extensively over the years and which I think will be just as good an addition to your gear as they have been to mine.
How Long Do Salmon Eggs Bait Last?
Salmon eggs can last in the refrigerator for a month. It can also be frozen for a year or so. You need to prepare and store it properly to extend its lasting time. Make sure to cure the salmon eggs within 24 hours of catching them so you can store them. Here are some simple steps on how you can adequately store them:
- Rinse the eggs with river water or distilled water to remove any trace of blood; blood will ruin it in less than an hour.
- Drain all fluid from the eggs.
- Sprinkle any salmon egg cure and gently stir it using a plastic spoon.
- Keep the eggs in a clean plastic container and let them rest for half an hour.
- After this, you’ll notice how all the fluids are now extracted from the eggs.
- Drain them again using a paint strainer while gently stirring with a plastic spoon.
- Gently pour the drained cured salmon eggs on paper towels to drain any more fluids left.
- After air-drying them for about 10 minutes, spoon them into plastic bags.
You can safely store them in your refrigerator for the next trout fishing trip.
Salmon Eggs vs. Powerbait
Which is more effective in catching trout: powerbait or salmon eggs? This debate has been going on for ages.
Some anglers say that it’s absurd to use an imitation of something when you can use the natural thing, while others argue that powerbait enables you to go over the top.
Here’s a simple, quick comparison that can help you to make up your mind on which one to use:
| Salmon Eggs | Power Bait |
|---|---|
| It works best in deep waters. They tend to fall into crannies and through cracks on the bottom when tossed out with a heavyweight. | It works best if you’re targeting trout in the shallows. |
| Naturally tiny | Various sizes |
| They range in color from pale yellowish-orange to dark reddish-orange. | Various colors like yellow, white, chartreuse, pink, green, and different color combinations. |
| Natural smell and texture | Artificial texture and smell that should be recharged every once in a while. |
| Seem to be working more efficiently with brown trout | Seems to be working more efficiently with rainbow trout |
| May need enhancements i.e. olive oil | Doesn’t need additional enhancements |
| Limited time access | Can be accessed at any time |
The good news is that you don’t have to stick with just one. Trout fishing requires lots of retrieve change and mixing these two in a single day will be effective. If the trout is reluctant to bite on one of them, it probably won’t resist the other.
If you want to try out using powerbait, check out my recommendations for the best Powerbaits for trout. You can also check my other article on whether powebait works.
4 Recommended Salmon Eggs for Trout Worth Trying
Pautzke Bait Balls O’Fire Salmon Eggs
Pautzke Bait Balls O’Fire Salmon Eggs are perfect as a natural bait for trout. They can be a little lighter than other plastic eggs due to their natural origins, but they are deadly on trout. A couple of these on a hook will get trout to bite violently. Note that they do not float so fish them on a bobber rig to keep them up in the swim
Berkley PowerBait Fishing Soft Bait
Berkley PowerBait Fishing Soft Bait comes in its captivating fluorescent orange color and can get trout to strike in no time. It works best in still or deep waters so if you have a lake full of stockers, finding their depth and then targeting them with these will be more than enough.
Berkley PowerBait Natural Glitter Trout Dough
Powerbait Salmon Eggs Flavor has a natural salmon egg scent with some added glitter to help draw in the trout to your bait. Place a little piece of this doughy paste onto your hooks and wait for the trout to rip it out of the water. It’s incredible how long a single jar of this thing would last with you.
Mike’s Fishing Trout Bait Salmon Eggs
Mike’s Fishing Trout Bait Salmon Eggs works best in trout fishing as their bright color helps them stand out in the water and trout can see and smell them from a mile away. It’s also dipped in garlic-scented oil that will maximize the number of caught trout in your net.
Related Questions
What Fish Will Eat Salmon Eggs?
A variety of fish species will eat salmon eggs when presented with the opportunity, such as trout, bluegill, steelhead, bass, catfish, suckerfish, and even salmon. Almost no fish swim in a river where salmon exist and will resist eating salmon eggs during the spawning season.
What Is The Best Size Hook For Trout?
Hooks that are sizes 8 to 14 are best for trout. Use barbless hooks for trout unless you intend to eat what you catch. Smaller hooks are often used for trout, as bigger hooks can be seen if the water is clear enough.
Outdoorskilled’s Favorite Picks for Trout Fishing
Trout can be tricky, but with the right gear, it can be a lot simpler and a lot easier. After testing dozens of rods, reels, lines, baits, and lures, here are our all-time, tried-and-tested picks for exceptional results with Trout.
The Okuma Celilo rod deserves to sweep my top spot for its 8’6″ model. If you like having extended casting (who doesn’t?), and lightweight rods with high-quality materials, this is the one that will provide your best trout fishing experience ever!
Moreover, it’s also affordable, so even if finances are tight, there’ll be no worries about being able to get yourself some new gear right away – just buy another couple of these babies before they run out!”
As for reels, the Pflueger President spinning reel is a great choice for anyone looking to get the most out of their fishing trip. With an affordable price and impressive features like graphite gears, this reel is the go-to option for all pro Trout Anglers.
As for lines, there’s no better option than the Berkley Vanish for Trout fishing. It’s strong, affordable, and invisible for Trout.
For bait, Scented baits do a much better job of attracting trout, and while you can make your own Scented baits, I believe everyone should at least try Powerbait’s scented baits to see how much of a difference they can make. I recommend testing out the Garlic Power Bait for Trout for yourself first.
Level Up your Trout Fishing
- Gear up with the best Trout Fishing Rods here
- Check out the best Trout Fishing Reels here
- Find the best fishing lines for Trout here
- Get larger trouts faster with these trout baits that NEVER fail
- Learn about hook sizing for trout here, and the best baits for rainbow trout here.
- You can’t go wrong with these powerbaits for trout.
- Get larger steelheads with these baits
- These Steelhead Lures are the experts’ picks for the year, and it’s easy to see why
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