Eel Skin Brine

[steelhead]

Had several dozen dead eels given to me this weekend. Skinned about a dozen or so . Rest went into the freezer for future use (Wife's thrilled...). I have the skins in a jar with a heavy liquid brine solution (sea salt). Somewhere I remember reading that it needs to be more of a paste. Can anyone refresh my memory a bit? How long are the skins good for? Do you take the skin off the plug after use and put it back in the brine, etc.?

[NIB]

For the skins I just make a paste stick em in a freezer bag an put em in the crisper.Makes Yummy lettuce.
On the plugs I try to use split rings If I am gonna store em for some time I take off the hooks a put the plug in the same bag.If for a short time I take a rag an damp'n it sprinkle salt all over the plug an roll it up bag it an in the crisper drawer.
They will stay like that for a good few months if u want em longer just tro the whole shebang in the freezer.
I need skins......

[NIB]

For a real strong brine boil water an add salt till saturation. Let cool an jar it.This will pickle ur skin.

[steelhead]

Another question. A few of the eels were just beginning to smell "fishy". Guess they had been in the sun a bit... At what point is they not worth skinning and the eel should just be tossed to the crabs.

Also, saved the skinned bodies. Good for chum or bait?

[NIB]

Tro the skins in the brine they should be fine.
I don't have any idead what do do wit the bodies.
Put em in a crabtrap.