# Finally a nice morning for some clamming



## Defiant (Apr 28, 2013)

My boat is in the lake for trout season so we grabbed my buddies boat, a 1968 Lightning named "Native Dancer" and hit the grounds for some good eats. Water was very clear, last photo shows the bottom in 2' of water. Tonights treat, raw on the 1/2 shell and oven fried cod & clams.


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## ScotO (Apr 28, 2013)

Looks like a good time. Your last picture isn't showing up though, Defiant........

Dammit that's the one that I wanna see, too!

Maybe a pic of the 'eats', eh?


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## Defiant (Apr 28, 2013)

Scotty I see it, there are only 3 photos, I will try to post the eats later.


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## fishingpol (Apr 28, 2013)

Great way to spend a morning. My friend went to the Cape this morning for oysters as he mentioned the season is closing soon.


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## Defiant (Apr 28, 2013)

fishingpol said:


> mentioned the season is closing soon.


Our area closes April 30, gonna make another run tomorrow


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## GAMMA RAY (Apr 28, 2013)

It does look like a good time. I love being out on the water..and I love fishing, my new hobby. Who would a thunk it? Lol


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## Scols (Apr 28, 2013)

Looks like you got a couple of oysters too.Does anything taste better than something you harvested with your own two hands? I dont think so.Tonight im gonna fry up some flounder from yesterdays fishing trip. By the way,a friend had a couple of bluefin in his monkfish nets in 60 fathoms south of block island .They were both around 150lbs so get your gear ready theres alot of sand eels inshore and alot of herring south of the 700 line. Its shaping up to be a good bluewater season !


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## Defiant (Apr 28, 2013)

Things are warming up. Heard about some fisherman reports, we are waiting for the temps at the Vineyard to go up a little and load up on fresh squid.


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## Scols (Apr 28, 2013)

Defiant said:


> Things are warming up. Heard about some fisherman reports, we are waiting for the temps at the Vineyard to go up a little and load up on fresh squid.


 My skipper spoke to a draggeman friend from Pt Judith who went to Nantucket a couple of days ago to try for squid. LOL, they caught just enough to cover the bottom of a bucket after making 3 or 4 tows. Like your temp chart shows water is still pretty nippy. There is still alot of fluke and scup in 40 to 50 fathoms and our monks are hanging back as well. We seem to be about 10 days behind this year.Once the water warms up squidding should be good. The offshore dragger fleet sucked wind this winter because the dogfish stopped the squid from bunching up to where they could be easily caught,so maybe that will mean easier pickins inshore this spring and summer.


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## Defiant (Apr 28, 2013)

Scotty Overkill said:


> Maybe a pic of the 'eats', eh?


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## fossil (Apr 28, 2013)

Dang, does that ever look absolutely* d-e-e-e-e-licious*.


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## Defiant (Apr 29, 2013)

Went out again this morning for another limit, going tomorrow for another, last day open for our spot. Next on the agenda will be fluke and then when the temp/weather are there tuna


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## Jags (Apr 29, 2013)

Defiant said:


> Went out again this morning for another limit, going tomorrow for another, last day open for our spot. Next on the agenda will be fluke and then when the temp/weather are there tuna


 
I hate you. (but in a good way)


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## Defiant (Apr 29, 2013)

Jags said:


> I hate you. (but in a good way)


They are so good, stocking the freezer for future stuffies/chowder Maybe tomorrow I will take some pics


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## nsfd95 (Apr 29, 2013)

Weakfish in the traps and first keeper striped bass taken the other day down here.


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## certified106 (Apr 30, 2013)

Defiant said:


> View attachment 100812


That is some mighty fine looking grub! I would scarf it down in a heartbeat!


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## Defiant (Apr 30, 2013)

Well hit the grounds for the last day, they will reopen in November, the coffers are filled


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## Jags (Apr 30, 2013)

Man - you are making me jealous.

If you eat those right now, you could go back and get more.


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## Defiant (Apr 30, 2013)

Jags said:


> If you eat those right now, you could go back and get more.


Done that a couple of times


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## fishingpol (May 1, 2013)

I have to ask. I've had only softshell "steamers". Are the ones you have hardshell, and do you call them quahogs?

Fine eats there by the way.


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## stoveguy2esw (May 1, 2013)

GAWD! i love some clams  jealous!  looks to be quite the bounty, enjoy my friend


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## h2ochild (May 3, 2013)

I'm often amazed when folks enjoy as recreation,what I do for a living. Lucky, I am. 'course nowadays, I farm those animals and have no time to go off "wild" harvesting, and I truly miss my younger days working the bays. Nice haul, Defiant, looks like they have already started growing. Do you usually have that much Ulva(the green sea weed) at this time of year?


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## Defiant (May 3, 2013)

h2ochild said:


> Do you usually have that much Ulva(the green sea weed) at this time of year?


Not through the winter months, once the waters start warming up in early spring, they come alive with weed, horseshoe crabs, spider & green crabs along with sandworms. The area we go is flat surrounded by channels which involves a boat to get there hence it is never crowded out there during the winter.



fishingpol said:


> Are the ones you have hardshell, and do you call them quahogs?


They are all the same clam, the name changes depending on the size, depending on where you are from, some call the small ones littlenecks next size up would be cherrystones with the large chowder clams call quahogs.
I found this sizing for an area, hope you get the idea
*SMALL CLAMS*
-Pasta clam: 22 per pound
-Littleneck: At least 7/8 inch thick, measured across the hinge; 16 per pound
-Middleneck: At least 1 inch thick, measured across the hinge; 10 per pound
-Greatneck: At least 11/4 inches thick, measured across the hinge; 6 per pound
*LARGE CLAMS*
-Topneck: 4 per pound; 21/2 inches wide
-Cherrystone: 3 per pound; 3 inches wide
-Chowder: 2 per pound; 4 inches wide


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## fishingpol (May 3, 2013)

Thank you, very good info.


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## Lousyweather (May 6, 2013)

Defiant said:


> Not through the winter months, once the waters start warming up in early spring, they come alive with weed, horseshoe crabs, spider & green crabs along with sandworms. The area we go is flat surrounded by channels which involves a boat to get there hence it is never crowded out there during the winter.
> 
> 
> They are all the same clam, the name changes depending on the size, depending on where you are from, some call the small ones littlenecks next size up would be cherrystones with the large chowder clams call quahogs.
> ...


 
but steamers are different critters altogether! steamers are more rare, often "secret" or owned beds......I know of one out near Plum Island, but otherwise, its usually littlenecks, quahogs, etc round these parts. Steamers are darn near worth their weight in gold........yum!


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## fishingpol (May 6, 2013)

Steamers are very common up here.  Every fish market, supermarket and seafood restaurant has them regulary and not that expensive.  I don't know of any owned beds.  I've read of leased beds where a few people get permission from a town to lease a few acres and seed the clams.  Ipswich clams are about the best ones I have had.  Steamers can come from MA, ME, NH, and Nova Scotia.


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## Defiant (May 6, 2013)

We have areas where we dig them, it is a lot of work which makes them taste better. The going rate to buy is $5.99 lb.


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## Morgan (May 7, 2013)

Now you need to get one of these, bottling makes the clams so tender.  This pressure canner will process 17 pint jars at a time!  I need to go out once the good tides start and get 20 - 30 bottles put away for the winter.


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## Defiant (May 7, 2013)

Please send me a link on the process


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## Morgan (May 7, 2013)

Defiant said:


> Please send me a link on the process


 
I bought a copy of the "The USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning" off Amazon, however you can find an online version at this site;

http://www.foodsaving.com/canning_guide/

The pressure cooker I bought was expensive, it was over $300CAD, the brand name is "All-American" and I read many excellent reviews on it. With some minor care this is something your great grandkids will be using  I have so far done Chicken, Ham, Beef, Pork, Clams and Quahogs, all with excellent results.

* I should add, I follow the instructions to a tee!  Botulism poisoning is nothing you want to experience from what I read!  If you wonder about the Citric Acid part of the instructions, this is what I use as it adds no taste, if you substitute lemon juice (which the instructions allow) I I found a bit of a lemon taste came through.  Citric acid can be found in most grocery stores or wine making stores.


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## Lousyweather (May 9, 2013)

Morgan said:


> I bought a copy of the "The USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning" off Amazon, however you can find an online version at this site;
> 
> http://www.foodsaving.com/canning_guide/
> 
> ...


 
sadly these days, buying a pressure canner/cooker now get you put on the same list as guys who buy large amounts of ammo, guns, ammonium nitrate, etc.....don't let the Ash Can guys see this..........


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## USMC80 (May 9, 2013)

no better way to eat littlenecks then raw or on the grill IMO


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## Scols (May 9, 2013)

Hey Defiant, time to put your boat back in the salt. The fluke fishing in Montauk is fantastic right now. The commercial rod and reelers are catching their 140lbs in 3 or 4 hours.


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## Defiant (May 9, 2013)

Scols said:


> Hey Defiant, time to put your boat back in the salt. The fluke fishing in Montauk is fantastic right now. The commercial rod and reelers are catching their 140lbs in 3 or 4 hours.


CT does not open till the 15th, I'll be ready



USMC80 said:


> no better way to eat littlenecks then raw or on the grill IMO


Found a great way to spice them up raw when wife and I were at the Cape last year. A pickled ginger strip, dab of wasabi and soy sauce, roasting some tonight.


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## USMC80 (May 9, 2013)

try a drop of sriracha on the raw clams


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## Defiant (May 9, 2013)

The roast, fresh garlic/melted butter, and hot sauce the sriracha was gone


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## fishingpol (May 10, 2013)

I really need to try that sometime.  It looks amazing.


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## Morgan (May 10, 2013)

Those look more like what we call Quahogs around here, we are not allowed to take a bar clam unless it is 4" or longer across its widest point, average size is around 6" I would guess, we are allowed 100 per day per person (same rules for quahogs).  Quahogs are very tasty and tender just grilled up, boiled up, or whatever you like and like say a mussel, you can eat guts and all, but they are all the smaller side and the areas to dig them are limited around here.  However there is something to be said about the bar clam which is found everywhere around here, it is tough to eat if you just want to boil or grill them, and they need to have the guts cleaned out so you are just eating the tongue and "scallop" parts.  If you bottle them and then make your deep fried clams, or chowders or what have you they are melt in your mouth tender and absolutely delicious!! If you're ever in PEI give me a shout I know some prime clamming areas!!


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## Defiant (May 10, 2013)

Morgan said:


> Those look more like what we call Quahogs around here, we are not allowed to take a bar clam unless it is 4" or longer across its widest point,


Here it is 2" and a peck for a limit. I called these tasty cherrystones


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