Krill Paste Diversion – Making Krill Paste for your Hardware and Soft Plastics

By Duane Inglin | 02/21/2012
Traveling the Pacific Northwest sportsman show circuit and performing my bait curing seminars at The Pautzke Bait Lab I’m asked time and time again; why don’t you guys have the Pautzke’s Gel Krill anymore? I miss it, too. Nevertheless, we don’t make it anymore and unless someone can convince owner Casey Kelley to bring it back – it’s gone like my high school days.

Fortunately, though, I’ve racked up a recipe that rivals Gel Krill and might even be a tad better. And, while I’m as much of a bait junkie as anyone, I appreciate a good lure, too. And, I definitely know a good scent when I smell one, which Gel Krill was. Whether it was meant to add an extra punch to a presentation or to merely mask our own scent, it doesn’t matter. The bottom line is us anglers want scent. And, with the number of anglers that asked me about it over the last two months it’s obvious we still want it in a krill paste. Lucky for the non-bait fishing enthusiast I am going to teach you how to make your own.

In line with leaving Gel Krill behind, I call this the “Krill Paste Diversion.” Be forewarned: do this in your house and your may end up sleeping in your bait lab the next few nights.

Time to make a mess.

Pautzke’s Fire Power (pure krill powder) is a potent fish attractant and bite stimulant. It’s 100% dehydrated krill. For what it’s worth, everything in the ocean, everything sport fishermen target in salt and fresh water eats krill. Making a krill paste that you can wipe onto any piece of hardware or soft plastic makes “scents.”

Fella’s, now for the diversion. I’ve been married for 22 years to my wonderful wife who tolerates my bait curing addiction. I come as advertised and do have a complete Bait Lab set up in my extra garage. It gets as much use as my fridge. Not so surprising, the Bait Lab is a mere few feet from own bedroom, so to say my wife Sheri “tolerates” my bait mixology is an understatement. However, there are times I hear about it and strive to keep those to a minimum. Creating krill paste, though, would not be one of those times.

The problem is a stove is necessary. We need heat to create paste. Truth be told when the Fire Power blends into the heated mix it gives off an aroma, one the spouse might not like. Let’s get down to business and make this stuff.

Ingredients:

1 tube or small container of petroleum jelly
1 pint or quart jar for mixing
1 teaspoon
A small funnel
A stir spoon
1 container of Pautzke’s Fire Power (krill powder)
1 box of battered shrimp, butterfly shrimp or even fish sticks

Now pay attention; this could be the most important step in the process. For you youngsters and those dudes who have been married five years or less, take notes. Before you even think about beginning this process in her kitchen, place the call. The phone call that is, “Honey about what time do you think you will be home?”

The stage is set. If you have 30 to 60 minutes you can get this done. Make sure you squeeze into the conversation that your just hanging out and getting kind of hungry so you thought you would cook up some battered shrimp or those fish-sticks I mentioned. I know, I know, pure genius; you guys can thank me later. Remember “diversion”…

Now that you have the green light get your shrimp cooking. The house will smell like a fish fry. Perfect, that’s exactly what you need. While the shrimp are cooking begin to heat your water that your glass jar is in. Make sure you place the jar in the water and bring the temperature of the jar up with the water. If you set a cold jar in hot water, it will crack, trust me on that one.

As the water begins to warm, take your tube of petroleum jelly and squeeze all of it into the jar.

It will slowly begin to melt. As the water comes to a boil turn the heat down to medium. That should be warm enough to continue to melt the petroleum jelly.

Next I add two heaping tablespoons of the Pautzke’s Fire Power.

I add two tablespoons and stir it into the liquid to ensure the krill scent is over powering and you can’t detect the odor of petroleum jelly. If I choose to, at this time I will also add approximately ten drops of 100% pure anise oil. I make sure I use the oil, as it will mix with the petroleum jelly much better when it’s in a liquid state.

This gives me options as well; I can create just simply Krill Paste or Krill/Anise Paste. I know which one I use more than any other. If you attended any of my bait curing seminars you know it’s always the krill/anise combo.

Now that I have everything mixed into liquid form it’s time for the final step: getting this creation back into the tube. Here is where the small funnel comes in. You may need to use an extension piece, such as a small straw insert to get something small enough to fit in the top of the petroleum tube.

Once I have all the contents poured back into the tube I place it in a glass so it stands up-right and put it in the refrigerator. This speeds up the process of the petroleum jelly getting back to its natural state.

And that’s it, you’re done.

I prefer to use the tubes, but you can also elect to use the small travel size containers with the snap on lids, which I also find useful in the boat.

If you do this right, by the time the wife gets home you’ll have it all cleaned up, a fresh tube of Krill/Anise Paste to use on your soft plastics, jig heads, plugs, dodgers, flashers, hoochies…etc, and be sitting down, watching the game enjoying a cold beer and a nice plate of fried shrimp or fish-sticks.

“Sorry about the smell babe, I couldn’t find the spray and I didn’t realize these shrimp could smell up the house this much”… Like I said, genius…

Bon Appetit and good fishing,

DI