Non-fishing report, sort of... - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

Aaron&Julie · 12-23-2011, 06:50 PM

...unless you call clamming with a pitchfork, fishing.
I've been itching to try some of these extreme minus low tides in the winter, and see how I'd do. Only the 2nd time ever clamming, the 1st was about 35 years ago off of Huntington beach, where I only got a few shorts. Much better results this time, limits in about an hour and a half, after developing a technique. All easily over the 4.5" minimum requirement, the 2 dinks, 5" each, the other 8 were just about 6" each, +/-.
Now, if anybody knows a good technique for cleaning and preparing them, I'm all ears, and would appreciate it.
One other clammer on the beach, an Aussie I believe, mentioned baking them (on the half shell) with all kinds of goodies inside, leaning towards a Mexican zest.

Here's the bathtub shot with a 12" ruler for gage:

T Bone · 12-23-2011, 07:50 PM

nice! are those referd to as pismo clams

Aaron&Julie · 12-23-2011, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by T Bone

nice! are those referd to as pismo clams

Yep, Pismos.

toby · 12-23-2011, 08:34 PM

A friend in my old neighbor hood used to soak them in cornmeal overnight. He said that the clams would expel the sand and take in the cornmeal. Maybe he would change the cornmeal a couple times. I can't remember exactly.

da22y · 12-23-2011, 08:56 PM

1. Flat tip screw driver , a few light taps of hammer to open it up just a little.
2. Insert a sharp fillet knife to cut off ligament.
3. Slice off all meat in a big bowl.
4. Pour some drinking water in the bowl
5. Wash and scoop out the meat, wait a few seconds and sand will settle to bottom.
6. Pour out and save the good juice, discard the dirty part.
7. Repeat step 4 to step 6 if you it really clean.

8. Cook and enjoy !

blitzburgh · 12-23-2011, 11:48 PM

Hypoxic1 · 12-24-2011, 06:22 AM

where did you do this?

eertkao · 12-24-2011, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hypoxic1

where did you do this?

x2

Aaron&Julie · 12-24-2011, 11:24 AM

Since "honey holes" aren't usually disclosed, i.e. I wouldn't expect "The Kid" to give out his awesome Sheephead location, or a bugger to give out his hot lobster spot, I'll just give you a big hint. I crossed the Coronado bridge, nuf said.

'Cuda · 12-24-2011, 11:11 PM

Wow.....great.....you gotta put them in a bucket of water for 24hrs so they can purge themselves of sand....then just cook 'em up...doesn't matter how...you can't mess up such delicious sea fare.

Aaron&Julie · 12-25-2011, 07:45 PM

Thanks, everyone, for the advice and links.
After research was done, my clams didn't want to open up in fresh water as suggested by some, and because of that didn't filter the cornmeal. Next time, I'll heed some other advice and take back a bucket of saltwater where I caught them from.
They were still fairly easy to clean, especially once I cut the abductor muscles.
Not to brag, but using a combination of chowder recipes, I made the best chowder I've ever had, including some pretty good chowders up in Monterey.
I also cooked up some fried clams too, that were very good, just not as good as I remember back in the 70's at the Redondo Wharf, at the fish market where I got them from. They called them Eastern Fried Clams, and came with cocktail sauce, they were AWESOME (better than cleaning up after an alpaca).

silverbullet · 12-27-2011, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aaron&Julie

Since "honey holes" aren't usually disclosed, i.e. I wouldn't expect "The Kid" to give out his awesome Sheephead location, or a bugger to give out his hot lobster spot, I'll just give you a big hint. I crossed the Coronado bridge, nuf said.

....and if he lived in Coronado that leaves it as..."somewhere in CA." LMAO....

nice Clams!

12-23-2011, 06:50 PM	#1
Aaron&Julie Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Spring Valley Posts: 1,400	Non-fishing report, sort of... ...unless you call clamming with a pitchfork, fishing. I've been itching to try some of these extreme minus low tides in the winter, and see how I'd do. Only the 2nd time ever clamming, the 1st was about 35 years ago off of Huntington beach, where I only got a few shorts. Much better results this time, limits in about an hour and a half, after developing a technique. All easily over the 4.5" minimum requirement, the 2 dinks, 5" each, the other 8 were just about 6" each, +/-. Now, if anybody knows a good technique for cleaning and preparing them, I'm all ears, and would appreciate it. One other clammer on the beach, an Aussie I believe, mentioned baking them (on the half shell) with all kinds of goodies inside, leaning towards a Mexican zest. Here's the bathtub shot with a 12" ruler for gage: __________________ "Never say die"

12-23-2011, 07:50 PM	#2
T Bone Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Redlands CA Posts: 871	nice! are those referd to as pismo clams __________________ Barachit Baralah,Elohim-In the beginning,God-Genesis 1:1 "Who among you,if your son asked for a fish would give them a serpent " Jesus Matt. 7:10

12-23-2011, 11:48 PM	#6
blitzburgh Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Menifee Posts: 2,509	__________________ ”The beauty of the Second Amendment is that it will not be needed until they try to take it.” ~Thomas Jefferson.........maybe

12-24-2011, 06:22 AM	#7
Hypoxic1 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Oceanside Posts: 215	Nice! where did you do this?

12-24-2011, 11:24 AM	#9
Aaron&Julie Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Spring Valley Posts: 1,400	Since "honey holes" aren't usually disclosed, i.e. I wouldn't expect "The Kid" to give out his awesome Sheephead location, or a bugger to give out his hot lobster spot, I'll just give you a big hint. I crossed the Coronado bridge, nuf said. __________________ "Never say die"

12-23-2011, 08:34 PM	#4
toby Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Escondido Posts: 154	A friend in my old neighbor hood used to soak them in cornmeal overnight. He said that the clams would expel the sand and take in the cornmeal. Maybe he would change the cornmeal a couple times. I can't remember exactly.

12-23-2011, 08:56 PM	#5
da22y Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 265	1. Flat tip screw driver , a few light taps of hammer to open it up just a little. 2. Insert a sharp fillet knife to cut off ligament. 3. Slice off all meat in a big bowl. 4. Pour some drinking water in the bowl 5. Wash and scoop out the meat, wait a few seconds and sand will settle to bottom. 6. Pour out and save the good juice, discard the dirty part. 7. Repeat step 4 to step 6 if you it really clean. 8. Cook and enjoy !

12-24-2011, 11:11 PM	#10
'Cuda Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 224	Wow.....great.....you gotta put them in a bucket of water for 24hrs so they can purge themselves of sand....then just cook 'em up...doesn't matter how...you can't mess up such delicious sea fare.

12-25-2011, 07:45 PM	#11
Aaron&Julie Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Spring Valley Posts: 1,400	Thanks, everyone, for the advice and links. After research was done, my clams didn't want to open up in fresh water as suggested by some, and because of that didn't filter the cornmeal. Next time, I'll heed some other advice and take back a bucket of saltwater where I caught them from. They were still fairly easy to clean, especially once I cut the abductor muscles. Not to brag, but using a combination of chowder recipes, I made the best chowder I've ever had, including some pretty good chowders up in Monterey. I also cooked up some fried clams too, that were very good, just not as good as I remember back in the 70's at the Redondo Wharf, at the fish market where I got them from. They called them Eastern Fried Clams, and came with cocktail sauce, they were AWESOME (better than cleaning up after an alpaca). __________________ "Never say die"