Shoepeg Corn vs Sweet Corn for Kokanee Salmon Fishing

Comparing and contrasting shoepeg corn vs sweet corn and the pros and cons of each for kokanee salmon fishing.

When it comes to fishing for Kokanee salmon, corn is the most popular bait. The reason for this is that corn holds scent and keeps the fish coming back for more. Corn is a great bait for kokanee because it holds scent well and will attract them from far away if you have an area where there are many feeding fish around.

Corn is also great bait because it’s easy and cheap to use. You can find corn in bulk at any grocery store or convenience store. You don’t have to buy expensive lures or other fancy equipment to catch these fish with corn. You just need some patience and persistence to get started

When it comes to Kokanee salmon fishing, there are two main types of corn most people use- shoepeg corn and sweet corn.

What’s the difference between shoepeg corn and regular whole kernel Sweet Corn?

The easiest way to differentiate between the two types of corn is by the size of the kernel. Shoepeg corn has a smaller, rounder shape than sweet corn, which is usually larger in diameter and square-shaped. Shoepeg corn is also a more firm corn. These are main differences:

• Size
• Firmness
• Starch content
• Flavor

Sweet Corn

Sweet corns are hybrids of field corns and have been bred for their ease of cultivation and taste. Sweet corns can be harvested more quickly than shoepeg corns, and they tend to be larger than shoepeg corns as well.

Shoepeg Corn

Shoepeg corn is an heirloom variety of field corn that’s popular with many kokanee salmon anglers. The name shoepeg comes from the fact that this variety of corn is shaped like a peg or pin. It’s also sometimes called “shoepeg white sweet corn” or “kohler white sweet corn” because it has a creamy white color when ripe.

The difference between shoepeg corn and sweet corn is that shoepeg corn has a higher starch content than sweet corn and is used as animal feed as well as human consumption. Sweet corn has a lower starch content and is used almost exclusively for human consumption- either fresh or canned.

Which type of corn holds fishing scents better?

We have run some side by side tests and have determined that in terms of catching fish, shoepeg corn performs exactly the same as regular sweet corn. There is no difference in our experience as long as the corn stays on the hook. Some cans of sweet corn are more flimsy than others, and the corn can just fall right off.

Some people might claim that the starch in shoepeg corn might hold scent better, and they could be right. The thing is– it doesn’t really matter. Sweet corn holds up long enough to bring in fish. If you’re leaving your bait out so long that its running out of scent without getting bit by a kokanee salmon or other fish, the corn isn’t your biggest problem at that point. Either there’s a bigger problem with your presentation or you’re just in the wrong spot.

So Which Corn is Better for Fishing Bait

If you are a larger person with big hands, sweet corn doesn’t require you to be as dainty. I know several guys that won’t use shoepeg corn because they’ve suck themselves with hooks trying to thread the smaller kernels on the hooks. There are also guys that like the extra firmness of the shoepeg corn and think that helps them get it on the hook better. A lot of this is a matter of preference.

What is certainly a fact is that the smaller the kernel of corn, the less it will interfere with the action of a kokanee lure in the water. One or two of the smaller shoepeg kernels will have less effect than the larger sweet corn. That’s not to say that sweet corn will definitely mess up your presentation, but its bigger and therefore more likely to affect it.

The single biggest factor in determining which is better comes down to scent. How its scented. As I’ve mentioned before, both hold scent well enough to be indistinguishable in a side by side test in terms of effectiveness. So it all comes down to your kokanee corn recipe. I personally am a fan of the fire corn, which is both a dyed and scented corn, made specifically for fishermen. You can store it in your bait box like you would any type of dough bait, salmon eggs, or artificial maggot baits. If you do make your own scented corn, avoid the gel type scents. These can be more sticky and can gum up and mess up the action of your kokanee lures. You might think that sounds silly, but I’ve seen it happen. Trust me.

How does it compare to fake corn baits?

Fake corn baits aren’t as tested in the kokanee world as real corn baits. That said, the fake maggot, specifically the Berkley Gulp! maggot took the kokanee world by storm, and quickly became more popular than its natural counterparts, or even nightcrawlers. We haven’t done enough testing to confidently claim that they’re a good option we would recommend, but we plan to update this section after more testing.