Try using seawater vs. tap water in any of your herring brines. This has made a big difference in the quality of the bait after a brining. I think the chlorine in tap water is not a good idea to have in your brine.

I usually just do a mix of 1/2 - 3/4 cup rock salt to 1/2 gallon seawater brine for my herring.

I hope this helps.

"Keep your hooks sharp!"

Bobber Down
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Bobber Down

"It makes no sense to regulate salmon habitat on land while allowing thousands of yards of gill nets to be stretched across salmon habitat in the water"

John Carlson, Gubernatorial Contender, Sept. 2000 speech at the Ballard Locks