It's October, Bivalve Time!! Keep your eyes down!!

[Roccus7]

I can't over emphasize the importance of keeping your eyes down while kayaking in shallow water.  I've discovered multiple striper spots, along with my favorite oyster bed.  I like to say that I "beach comb" while paddling.  The other day while kayaking over a "defunct" mussel bar in the middle of my river, I noticed that there were virtually no mussels left, thanks to those damned green crabs.  This mussel demise started about 7 years ago, long enough now that only a small percentage of empty shells are left on the bar.  This was an opportune event because I was able to see that the bar was composed of coarse sand, the very type that the local quahogs prefer.  To add to my excitement, I did notice some quahog shells on the bottom.  Hmmm, could this be a new clam bar to explore???

 

I tested that hypothesis this AM, the first day of the local Oct - April clam/oyster season.  I loaded up the kayak with my clam and bass gear.  After a few dozen fruitless casts, I noticed that the bar was exposed so I beached the kayak on it and started digging.  Took me about 15 minutes to find the clams preferred location and proceeded to rake up 41 beauties, along with a couple of dozen hen clams which I reburied, as I had no need for bait and IMO they pale in comparison to quahogs for dining.

 

Nice low full moon tides this month, perfect for collecting oysters!!!

 

 

 

Edited October 1, 2022 by Roccus7

[jerseystriper]

Nice- I do love clams- clam beds by me will open up November 1- sadly oysters are not available, surprising given there is literally a rock wall mostly submerged in Navisink river no oysters cling to it.  

[roux]

I enjoy going out and digging some clams now and then, mostly steamers.  One of the best eating clams I've had is the Atlantic razor clam, but my success rate with those is very low.  Dang those suckers are fast.  

 

A couple of evening ago I was out fishing off the rocks near a relatively deep near shore area.  I've had some success with bucktails there in the past, by trying to work the bottom.  After getting snagged, which I manage to do fairly often, I wrapped my braid around my fish grip and pulling it loose.  I retrieved the bucktail along with a mussel clamped around the hook.  In the moment it never dawned on me to take a picture of it.

 

 

 

[Roccus7]

1 hour ago, roux said:

I enjoy going out and digging some clams now and then, mostly steamers.  One of the best eating clams I've had is the Atlantic razor clam, but my success rate with those is very low.  Dang those suckers are fast.  

 

After getting snagged, which I manage to do fairly often, I wrapped my braid around my fish grip and pulling it loose.  I retrieved the bucktail along with a mussel clamped around the hook.  

 

Yes, razors are "sprinters".  SWMBO is not found of razors, so I'm absolved from chasing them...

 

I bounce diamond jigs off of submerged ledges for inshore cod.  Many times when I've "saved" my rig, I've pulled up mussels as big as my hand!!  Biggest blue mussels I've ever seen!!

[akon]

Razors are easiest. Find their keyhole, pour table salt in: out they come, no digging necessary.

[RAW]

When the storms come and fill beach with hen clams I will post asap

[Scott Charlton]

On 10/1/2022 at 9:46 AM, Roccus7 said:

I can't over emphasize the importance of keeping your eyes down while kayaking in shallow water.  I've discovered multiple striper spots, along with my favorite oyster bed.  I like to say that I "beach comb" while paddling.  The other day while kayaking over a "defunct" mussel bar in the middle of my river, I noticed that there were virtually no mussels left, thanks to those damned green crabs.  This mussel demise started about 7 years ago, long enough now that only a small percentage of empty shells are left on the bar.  This was an opportune event because I was able to see that the bar was composed of coarse sand, the very type that the local quahogs prefer.  To add to my excitement, I did notice some quahog shells on the bottom.  Hmmm, could this be a new clam bar to explore???

 

I tested that hypothesis this AM, the first day of the local Oct - April clam/oyster season.  I loaded up the kayak with my clam and bass gear.  After a few dozen fruitless casts, I noticed that the bar was exposed so I beached the kayak on it and started digging.  Took me about 15 minutes to find the clams preferred location and proceeded to rake up 41 beauties, along with a couple of dozen hen clams which I reburied, as I had no need for bait and IMO they pale in comparison to quahogs for dining.

 

Nice low full moon tides this month, perfect for collecting oysters!!!

 

 

 

Decent tide at 4 today….

[Skunkoff]

If we ever get a good population of tog up here, them damn green crabs would be put to damn good use.

[Roccus7]

4 hours ago, Scott Charlton said:

Decent tide at 4 today….

Got that right!!!

Edited October 8, 2022 by Roccus7

[Scott Charlton]

35 mins ago, Roccus7 said:

Got that right!!!

You are killing me.!,!

[Roccus7]

34 mins ago, Scott Charlton said:

You are killing me.!,!

You brought it up

 

I even saw a 3" unicorn, a winter flounder!!!

[Scott Charlton]

57 mins ago, Roccus7 said:

You brought it up

 

I even saw a 3" unicorn, a winter flounder!!!

That’s awesome!

[Roccus7]

Having a single malt to ease the aches of a successful, late afternoon on the clam & oyster flats. I found the largest live oyster I've ever seen, 2nd photo. After photographing it, I returned it to the water in hopes it will continue a fecund run of repopulating the water. Float in 3rd photo is 5" long and 3.5" wide for a point of reference on Oysterzilla!!