Transcription
[Music] You hear that sound right there? That's a clam. We're back here in a back harbor, and it's the winter time. And while fishing kind of slows down in some places, you can also have the option of always going clamming. Uh, hard clams, also known as the northern Quahog, is a, it's a bounty, actually. It's delicious whether you eat them raw, steam them, I'll put them in spaghetti, you know, baked clams. It's something you can go out and catch yourself. And look for back bay areas like we are in right now. It's a back harbor, uh, back bays, estuaries, sandy bottom, muddy bottom. This usually clams are. We're gonna go get some. And the only a couple things to do it with before we start climbing. The one thing I do want to go into is safety. When you are clamming, be sure to wear the proper gear. Warm weather clothes. It is the winter time and the water is colder than you think it is. Uh, there's some muddy areas, so with your clam rake, you want to use it as a walking stick. That actually helps you fill out areas that you may sink in, so you don't sink down and get stuck. Have your cell phone with you in case of emergencies. It's also good to climb with a buddy too, in case you do get stuck and they can help you pull out. And last but not least, watch your tides. We're on the North Shore here where the tides can be anywhere from six to eight feet different, so you don't want to get stuck out there. And you definitely want to watch your ties when you are climbing. Go on to dropping tide and the low tides.
One of the beautiful things about actually going climbing is the minimal equipment that you need. And you can pick up all this equipment at your local tackle shop. They sell this stuff. It's, it's really easy to come by. I have a hard clam rake like this, stainless steel so it doesn't rust, with the wood handle. I like to use a pair of gloves in case it gets cold and you know, you don't mess your hands up or anything like that. Got my neoprene waders for the winter time. They keep me nice and warm in the colder water. And of course, last but not least, I have a clam bucket with a float tube around it so it floats as I dig my clams. Real simple. So basically, what I'm doing is I'm wanting the teeth do the work for me. First, I start by putting the rake in the ground to get those teeth dug in a little bit, and I'm just dragging it along like this. And what happens is you're gonna feel like you're scratching on something when there's a clam there. Uh, we're gonna keep moving. I thought we could have been more right there. You know, one of the other benefits clamming is it's definitely a great upper body exercise. It's a beautiful day out today and well, you know why not get exercise on the water while doing some clamming and getting yourself a meal for the night? Oh, you can feel them on the tip of the uh, the tines on your rake right there. That's definitely a clam right there. Let's take them up. Lo and behold, the clam.
[Applause] So this is where my floating basket comes in handy. It follows me. I actually tied this rope to my waders. I'm gonna put them in there. Another very important piece of equipment to have when you are climbing is a size gauge for clamming. It's one inch from one side of the shell to the other in this area. Look at your local regulations for your regulations on sizes. So one really cool thing about climbing during the winter months is actually all the boats for the most part get pulled out of the harbors and the bays, and the water is a higher quality than it is in the summer, which means you're gonna get a fresher product, a better product, a more healthy product when you're claiming during the winter months. Also, aside from that, some areas aren't allowed to be clamped during the summer months. So check your local town and your local conservation website to see what areas are open and what areas are closed during the year and for your local regulations. And sometimes different townships do require permits, so be sure to refer to your Township website that says well to make sure that you have the proper permits to go clamming.
So while the hard climbing wasn't too good, we came up a little light for a meal for myself. I did notice all the holes in the ground, and they happen to be steamer clam holes. Went back to the truck, grabbed my steamer clam rake, and we're gonna get a full meal tonight. So the first thing you want to look for is a hole like this. This is one of the ones I was talking about right here. This is where they breathe out of. You want to dig behind this and get that clam at it. We're gonna go for it right now. Right.
[Applause] Notice how deep we're digging here. These clams are a lot deeper than your regular clams. Close to where that hole actually was. You want to be careful not to mess your clam up because they do have very soft shells. There we go. Right here.
[Applause] There's one. See, there's another.
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[Applause] Right here too. This one just shot out of me. Almost hit me in the face.
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[Applause] That's a nice one.
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[Music] Hey, if you're going to kill some time this winter and stay busy, try clamming out. Definitely a good workout. You're getting a sustainable seafood, a fresh seafood. They're delicious. Visit your local tackle shop, get some clamming gear, get out there. Check your regulations, abide by the laws, but have some fun.