How to Tell if Fish Eggs Are Good or Bad

Fish eggs are useful for human consumption or making bait to catch other fish. Regardless of whether your intention is to eat the eggs or use them as lures, it is important to be able to determine if they are good or bad. Eating bad fish eggs can result in a stomach virus or food poisoning. Follow several critical tips to help you assess if your batch of eggs are fit for use.

Instructions

    • 1

      Observe the color of the eggs. Fish eggs are often various shades of yellow and amber, reflecting the yolk of the undeveloped larvae. Throw eggs away if they are discolored in any way - if eggs have brown or black spots, for example.

    • 2

      Smell the eggs. Expect an oily scent, as fish eggs are naturally covered in oil. Discard any eggs that give off a disagreeable aroma.

    • 3

      Notice the adhesive quality of the eggs. Feel the eggs for their texture. Soft or medium-soft generally stick together and indicate young and fresh eggs. Hard eggs that do not stick together indicate aged eggs. Use soft or medium-soft eggs for preparing caviar and/or bait, and discard hard eggs with little to no capacity to adhere.