[Captain Rich]

Most bait preparation down here involves just salting the bait and keeping it cold while the salt draws out the excess fluids, not brining. I know the commercial houses brine while the bait is still alive, but on the docks we just salt. The easiest way is put the bait in a foil roasting pan, salt it and put it in your fridge for a day, pouring off the fluid as it accumulates. I don't know if this is for expedience or just lazy but that's the way it's done. I even salt squid to toughen it up. If I catch ballyhoo and want to freeze them for trolling I'll brine them, if I'm using them for bottom bait then we use them natural.