two men on a boat barely visible behind a gigantic salmon caught using fire brine.

Out With The Old, In With The New Fire Brine

For over 20 years, I’ve been fishing the waters of Lake Ontario for kings, steelhead, and brown trout, and during that time, I’ve always relied on the classic brine mix of salt and water for preparing my trolling bait. It was a method that worked, but after countless seasons, I’ve come to realize that sticking to the same routine wasn’t necessarily the best approach. It was effective, but time-consuming and a bit messy. That’s when I decided to change things up, and I couldn’t be more satisfied with the results. For the past three seasons, I’ve been using Pautzke Fire Brine exclusively, and it’s revolutionized the way I prepare and fish with bait.

Using Fire Brine Is A Big Improvement

More Durable Bait

In the past, when I brined my own baits, we’d lose the scales off the bait and it wouldn’t shine as much. Now, with the help of Pautzke Fire Brine, I get a wicked shine and can fish any color bait. Fire Brine is really easy, takes less time, and isn’t anywhere near as messy.

Sure, my old bait caught fish, at times, when it held up. On the other hand, the old bait wouldn’t work half as well when the scales came off as when the scales stayed on, like they do now. Fire Brine makes it so the baits I use maintain their scales and the shine. The fish are responding better than ever. I’m spending less time making bait and more time fishing.

More Color Choices Bring in More Fish

a rainbow of bait prepared with different colors of Pautzke fire brine
Fire brine comes in a rainbow of colors to match any fishing conditions you might encounter.

The biggest advantage I’ve experienced since switching to Fire Brine is the variety of color options I can use to match the conditions on the water. Fire Brine comes in a spectrum of colors, which gives me a broader range to experiment with and allows me to fine-tune my approach for different fishing scenarios. Some days, fish will only respond to a particular color, and having these options at my disposal has significantly increased my chances of success.

In the past, I never considered colored bait. For years, I stuck with natural tones because that’s what we used back when bait was limited to its basic hues. However, since switching to Fire Brine, I’ve found that certain colors, like chartreuse and green, are perfect for bright, sunny days. These colors seem to grab the attention of salmon, even in the clearest waters. On overcast days, however, purple and green combinations tend to outperform, which is a surprise to me. For example, I’ve caught salmon using purple-colored herring and alewife strips. It’s truly been eye-opening. I’ve even worked up a batch of blue to test next, and I’m eager to see how it performs. The flexibility of color choices has allowed me to adapt and meet the conditions, whether it’s bright and sunny or cloudy and still.

Trolling For Salmon, and Trout

Trolling bait on Lake Ontario has always been an essential part of my fishing routine, much like using flies or lures to target salmon and trout. For decades, we’ve always kept a wide variety of colored lures and flies ready to go, as certain colors tend to work better at different times. The same principle applies to bait fishing. I now keep several colors of brined bait on the boat at all times, so I’m ready to switch up and match the conditions when necessary.

What I love about trolling bait is the natural presentation. Salmon and trout are naturally eating bait every day in the lake, so when you present them with something that mimics their food source, you’re offering them a natural and familiar meal. The difference now is that with Fire Brine, you can offer them bait in any color, which adds another level of versatility to the approach. Just like when you switch out flies and spoons for different trolling conditions, being able to change the color of your bait gives you an edge when the fish are being picky.

Over the last few years, brining bait for trolling has exploded in popularity. It’s no longer a niche technique—every tackle shop carries Fire Brine, and it flies off the shelves during peak seasons, especially when the king salmon are running. It’s become a standard practice among most Lake Ontario trolling anglers. We all know that live bait is a top producer for large salmon, and now, with the added benefit of brining, we can keep our baits fresh and maintain that desirable shine, which ensures we’re consistently in the game.

Using Herring and Alewives with Fire Brine

On Lake Ontario, I primarily use herring and alewives for trolling steelhead, salmon, and brown trout. But what makes these baits even more effective is Pautzke Fire Brine, which works wonders on any type of cut bait. Whether you’re fishing in the ocean or in freshwater lakes, Fire Brine enhances the bait’s performance. In fact, I’ve recently seen ballyhoo being sold around here, and my good friend Troy Creasy of High Adventure SportFishing has been using this brine with great success on ballyhoo. It also works on sardines, minnows, and other types of cut bait, making it an all-encompassing solution for improving the quality of your bait.

Fire Brine does a lot of great things for all types of cut baits: it toughens them up, prolongs their life while fishing, gives them a brilliant shine, and keeps their scales intact longer. This not only increases the effectiveness of your bait but also saves you time and money because you can use the bait for longer periods. In the past, keeping baits fresh and maintaining their durability was a challenge, but with Fire Brine, that problem is solved.

Step-By-Step Instructions For Using Fire Brine

a close up of Pautzke fire brine
Pautzke Fire Brine brings in the big fish while trolling bait on Lake Ontario.


 

Using Fire Brine is easy, and the results are undeniable. Here’s a simple, step-by-step guide on how to brine your bait properly to ensure it performs at its best.

Materials Needed:

  • Store-bought herring or alewives
  • Pautzke Fire Brine
  • Tupperware container

Step 1:
Start by placing your alewives, herring, or any other cut bait into the Tupperware container. Pour enough Pautzke Fire Brine in to completely cover the bait. The brine will work its magic as it soaks into the cut baits.

Step 2:
Let the bait sit in the brine for 24 hours to allow the Fire Brine to properly toughen up the bait and lock in the shine. I recommend placing the container in the fridge during this process to keep the bait fresh.

Step 3:
After 24 hours, the alewives or herring are ready for use. You can either fish with them immediately or freeze them for later. I’ve found both methods to be highly effective—whether you freeze them with or without the liquid brine. If you choose not to freeze the bait, make sure to keep it refrigerated.

A Parting Tip

Before I send you off to make your own Fire Brine creations, here’s a final tip: working with alewives can sometimes be a bit tricky. When you buy store-bought alewives, they often come soft and lacking the durability needed for extended fishing. To combat this, after brining, I add distilled water and powdered milk to the mix and let them sit overnight. This trick helps toughen up the alewives, ensuring they hold up during the fishing process.

However, when using herring or other cut baits, this extra step isn’t necessary. The Fire Brine alone does the job, and the bait holds up beautifully on its own.

Original Article By Kevin Davis

About the Author

Captain Kevin Davis operated Catch The Drift out of Oswego, New York, and guided Lake Ontario during the summer months. He was a life-long angler who loved to share his knowledge and passion with all. He was a loving husband and father. Kevin passed away in 2018.