I just skinned a few leftovers. What do i do with em now? Never tried skins before but i have a couple plugs that are ready to be dressed up real sexy.

I think you have to soak them in kosher salt water to toughen them up before you dress the plugs in their new finery. Zeno's new book has step by step instructions with pics.

If you have skin plugs, tie on the skins around the groove with dental floss (I find this works best) or something light that ties tight and is fairly strong. If using a swimmer that's not a skin plug tie off around where the lip is attached or if it's a needle just above where the eyes would be. Anyway you do it, tie it off ahead of the front trebles. As to length, when you know where you are going to tie it off figure you want from 3-5 inches of skin extending from the rear of the plug. 3-4 inches is what I'll usually have. I use a front treble only and tie a piece of 30# mono that has been doubled about 3 inches long off the rear loop (I do this by threading the mono through and tying 2-3 overhand knots, take the doubled mono, hold together and tie two overhand knots about 3 inches up and snip it behind the knot) . This allows a nice swimming action of the skin and helps keep it from foul hooking on the treble.

The brine or damp kosher salt is to store the skins or your plugs with the skins on them. I use a 5½ x 10 x 2 tupperware container for skins and skin plugs. I put about ½ inch to ¾ inch of kosher salt in the bottom and lightly mist or drizzle water so the salt is damp. The consistency should be that you can push your finger in and the sides should hold and be damp and no water pooling in the depression. Dampen the salt as needed which is not very often at all. Lay your skins on this bed of salt and push your plugs in lightly with the swivels up so they are not in the bed of salt. If you have lots of skins use a larger tupperware or layer them between layers of salt. To make a brine disolve the salt in luke warm water till the salt no longer disolves. I keep my eel bobs in a brine solution. Whichever way you make it make sure to use kosher salt.

Hope this helps you out Rob.

thanks guys. hopefully it will pay off come saturday.

Rob,
The tail of the eel skin should not extend more than half the size of the plug - example: 8 inch plug - 4 inch tail.

DZ