Curing and saving corn

[SandySteel]

OK I open a can of shoepeg corn and I cure it up with some of pro-cure's corn cure. I divide it up and put a little different stuff on different bags, you know, herring, anise, krill, squid etc. Change some colors with different batches.
Still it seems like I have much more corn than I can ever use in a season. I don't mind losing the corn its using up the cures and bait oils that I am thinking about here along with the time taken to get it cured and scented the way I want.
What is the expected shelf life of cured corn if refrigerated?

Can I freeze some once I cure it or will it go mushy?

[marshworm]

no matter what you do to it SandySteel the bottom line in my opinion is always fresh is best. I only jig for kokes. I open a new can each day and carry the different scents I use with me and scent the corn just before it goes into the water. Most days finds me with a little corn left so I pull a spoon out of the tackle box and have a snack for the trip home. I have never tried mixing the different scents but if I was going to I would have containers of some sort to mix as needed. Also a word on scents. I use the Smelly Jelly brand and each fall they get tossed and are replaced with fresh bottles in the spring. If you ever keep one over the winter and then give it a sniff along with a new one you will find the scent has gave way to a mineral oil smell which is the base material for these scents.

Bottom line always when fishing. If its catching fish don't mess with it!

[FallRiverGuy]

With the Pro-Cure Korn Magic I have kept mine in the refrigerator for a several months. They still catch fish it seems. I have not tried freezing the corn after curing with Korn Magic. In past I have tried to freeze the corn uncured and it seemed mushy to me so I don't do it anymore.

[moknots]

Fresh makes the most sense in a lot of ways, but I too have had good results with weeks old cured corn. I do freeze mine between trips. I do like Marshworms idea of taking a spoon along though:excited:

[jzell]

My key to fresh corn and I only use 1 (one) can per year.....

http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/DSC_0212.JPG
"Food Saver" vacuum sealer lids!


Also I use a small plastic condiment containers for my scented corn for the day.

Look closely at right side of this picture for plastic container....

http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/Koke_stuff_06.jpg

Once I open a can I spoon out what I'll use for the next day or so (into the small plastic containers and add scent).
Then I vacuum seal the can-o-corn and into the refrig until the next trip. Corn stays fresh, firm and blump all spring, summer, and fall.

Fifty seven days til FG,

jz

[Salmonslayer2]

What I use to store my sented corn is ziploc snack bags. They are small and I put one spoon of corn in the night befor I go with the sent. My top sent last year at green peter was vanalla.
Larry

[SCOOTA]

I go one step beyond that, I was getting very discouraged with the quality of the canned corn, so I started buying the white corn on the cob, trying to find the smallest kernels as I could. I would par boil them and cut them off the cob. " WOW" what a difference that made. They stay on the hook much better and will really soak up a scent. Been doing that for about 3 years, and I do catch my fair share of Kokanee.

Dale The Truck Guy

[Silver Bullets]

I make up 3 or 4 different batches and use a little corn magic in each to firm the corn up a little so that it will last for 2 consecutive weekends of fishing. Make it up on Wednesday for use on Saturday to give the scent plenty of time to soak in. I drain the unused corn and freeze it. Every 2 weeks I then make up a new batch. I use anise plus in every batch, and then add scent. My favorites are garlic, vanilla, kokanee special,carp spit,shrimp/prawn. Pautzke nectar seems to work also. While out on the water, I only have 1 batch out at a time, and keep the rest in the ice box . I always try to have at least 3 different colors to choose from. When home after fishing, I put the scented corn in the refer till the next weekend. The new uv scents and gels will be tested this year!

[Kokeeman]

I second JZELL however I can only afford one sealer so I use 1/2 pt.
mason jar's &seal the lid's on them. Work's fine for me.
Question for JZELL. What are the Wobbler's on the left? You can pm me
if youd prefer.
thanks

[SandySteel]

I second JZELL however I can only afford one sealer so I use 1/2 pt.
mason jar's &seal the lid's on them. Work's fine for me.
Question for JZELL. What are the Wobbler's on the left? You can pm me
if youd prefer.
thanks

You might try doing a google search for crystal basin tackle and looking for something wild.

Although if you ask me they look like well painted and now re-marketed badger spoons.

Whatever you do, don't, I repeat don't try the "hootchie thing" though.:whistle:

I really appreciate the help and advice everyone has provided on this board.

[SandySteel]

I make up 3 or 4 different batches and use a little corn magic in each to firm the corn up a little so that it will last for 2 consecutive weekends of fishing. Make it up on Wednesday for use on Saturday to give the scent plenty of time to soak in. I drain the unused corn and freeze it. Every 2 weeks I then make up a new batch. I use anise plus in every batch, and then add scent. My favorites are garlic, vanilla, kokanee special,carp spit,shrimp/prawn. Pautzke nectar seems to work also. While out on the water, I only have 1 batch out at a time, and keep the rest in the ice box . I always try to have at least 3 different colors to choose from. When home after fishing, I put the scented corn in the refer till the next weekend. The new uv scents and gels will be tested this year!

Wow! Great advice.

[FallRiverGuy]

I make up 3 or 4 different batches and use a little corn magic in each to firm the corn up a little so that it will last for 2 consecutive weekends of fishing. Make it up on Wednesday for use on Saturday to give the scent plenty of time to soak in. I drain the unused corn and freeze it. Every 2 weeks I then make up a new batch. I use anise plus in every batch, and then add scent. My favorites are garlic, vanilla, kokanee special,carp spit,shrimp/prawn. Pautzke nectar seems to work also. While out on the water, I only have 1 batch out at a time, and keep the rest in the ice box . I always try to have at least 3 different colors to choose from. When home after fishing, I put the scented corn in the refer till the next weekend. The new uv scents and gels will be tested this year!

:yeahthat:

That is pretty much my routine. I have not tried carp spit but will this year and have only played around a little with krill.

[FallRiverGuy]

I go one step beyond that, I was getting very discouraged with the quality of the canned corn, so I started buying the white corn on the cob, trying to find the smallest kernels as I could. I would par boil them and cut them off the cob. " WOW" what a difference that made. They stay on the hook much better and will really soak up a scent. Been doing that for about 3 years, and I do catch my fair share of Kokanee.

Dale The Truck Guy


Wow, I have not heard any doing their own corn before. So how long do you par boil the ears? Something new to try this year for sure.

[boatman]

Try micowaveing it for a few minutes to toughen it up. doesn't hurt it's ability to take sent.:twocents:

[moknots]

Now THATS fresh bait.

[Snapset]

My secret to avoid wasting corn is to forget my lunch. By mid afternoon I have eaten all the uncured corn and the shrimp flavored corn is starting to smell pretty tasty.

[jzell]

Kokeeman,

Crystal Basin Tackle's "Wild Thing"....work great with a hoochie at shallow depths

fifty six days

[Kokeeman]

Kokeeman,

Crystal Basin Tackle's "Wild Thing"....work great with a hoochie at shallow depths

fifty six days

JZELL
Look's very similar to a Luhr Jensen "Manistee". How would you rate it
size ,weight ,action?

[Silver Bullets]

My secret to avoid wasting corn is to forget my lunch. By mid afternoon I have eaten all the uncured corn and the shrimp flavored corn is starting to smell pretty tasty.
I talked to a old timer up at Paulina Lake a couple years ago from Washington state that said he scents his corn in vodka, said after fishing he then has something to snack on! I then read a article in STS on kokanee last year, and it mentioned a fella that used vodka to keep the corn from freezing while fishing up in Washington early in the season... sounds like the same guy? I don't drink, but after seeing the fish he caught, I might start!:cheers:

[jzell]

Kokeeman,

Haven't compared CMT Wild thing vs luhr jensen. Yes it is a similar or the same shape. Wild thing is built by a Koke fisherman/guide in California. Painted in popular koke color combos. Not sure if luhr jensen manistee comes as nicely painted......

john

[Salmonslayer2]

I used a maniatee. It worked good.
Larry

[Kokeeman]

John & Larry:
Thanks for the info. I'll give it a try at Merwin next time out and report back.

[twisted lines]

I only use 1 (one) can per year.....Fifty seven days til FG, jz
So do you use the guides corn or have you opened your 1 can already?

[eharris]

Those little condiment containers sound kind of handy. Where would a guy get some of those other than being heavy handed at the local Baja Fresh.

Evan

[SandySteel]

I talked to a old timer up at Paulina Lake a couple years ago from Washington state that said he scents his corn in vodka, said after fishing he then has something to snack on! I then read a article in STS on kokanee last year, and it mentioned a fella that used vodka to keep the corn from freezing while fishing up in Washington early in the season... sounds like the same guy? I don't drink, but after seeing the fish he caught, I might start!:cheers:

I would bet that rather than adding flavor the alcohol acts as a solvent releasing more corn scent and flavor into the water. Sounds like a good way to go.

I read Bill Herzog's kokanee articles last year and the year previous. Putting aside the ego he comes up with some pretty solid advice for catching kokes.

Moknots article in the last STS was top notch as well.