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Clams question

3K views 9 replies 9 participants last post by  Togue 
#1 ·
First off, just want to say hi to everyone. Moved out here about 4 years ago from SF Bay Area and just started fishing for the stripers out here last season. Mostly north shore so far, but I plan to explore a little more this year. Used to go every so often at the Delta back home, but its nothing like out here. Having a blast. :)

Been reading these forums for awhile, and I've looked for the answer to this but never really found anything specific - my apologies if it's been covered and I did not look hard enough.

I'm just wondering what the proper way to hook a clam is? I use them all the time, and I catch some fish, but I end up trying different hook placements and stuff because the skin is so soft they get stolen or flat out just come off a lot. Is there a "correct" way to do it, or one that works best? Some people I see leave the clam mostly hanging with the hook near the "front" of the bait. Others I see kinda ball the clam up all on the hook.. You guys have any opinions on this? I'm good on the rigs and such used, just curious about actual placement on the hook.

Thanks in advance for any tips.
 
#2 ·
Hey there,
This question has a lot of answers, but here are the 2 ways I do it, depending on my mood......both ways require you to cut the whole clam out of the shell, intact as much as you can. I start cutting in the center of the clam, I cut the "lips" free all the way down into the crotch of the clam, top and bottom, spin the clam around and do the other side the same way. On either end of the clam shell are the 2 muscles that the clam uses to close it's shell, I cut them off as close to the shell as I can. This might be a good time to warn you not to stick your finger into any clam that has these muscles intact.....you've been warned. Anyway, after all the cutting you should have most of the meat seperate from the shell, open the shell wide and remove the meat, some trimming might be required. With a little practice you will be left with 2 pieces of shell that have virtually no clam meat left in them. Toss 'em in the water. Now, as I see it, the clam has 4 distinct areas, the "tongue", the "guts", the "lips", and the 2 muscles for closing the shell, which are attached to the lips.
Method #1 for hooking a clam, for me, goes like this:
Stick the point of the hook thru the guts, till the point sticks out the other side. Take the lip from that side, wrap it around the point once or twice, and then spin the hook 180 degrees and stick it back thru the clam, somewhere in the middle.....your hook has now passed thru the clam twice. Take the lip from the side the point is on, wrap it around the hook, twist the hook 180 degrees, and stick it thru the "tongue", which on a fresh clam should be the firmest piece of meat on the clam.....if it's a large clam, you may have room to spin the hook one more time and pass it thru the tongue again. The picture below shows how the clam is "threaded" onto the hook......the actual clam will look like a big wad of meat at this point.
Method #2 for hooking a clam is exactly the same as #1, but when your done hooking you take some elastic thread and wrap it round and round and round the clam then tie it off, this helps to keep the clam on the hook and will even allow you to occasionally catch more than one fish with a clam. Try to make sure the point of the hook is exposed when doing this.
There, in the time it took for me to explain that, I could have shucked a dozen clams.....Good Luck, and Good Fishing!

Ed
 
#4 ·
Thanks Ed, just what I was looking for. That elastic thread is definitely an idea.

I tried herring three times, last year. For some reason I've only ever caught striper on clams. I'll see about some the next time I go out and give it another shot.

I'd like to try some artificials, too. :) Seems like it would be a fun way to catch fish.
 
#6 ·
We usually freeze ours so that when it thaws a bit you just break them open with ease.As for keeping them on I usually hook through the guts and the thread the tounge on bit.The guts are very soft and it'll usually fall off quickly with a cast or small strike.We use piss clams and bar clams(cohogs).The piss clams are hardest to keep on and the bar clams stay on alot better with more tough meat to hook into.When using piss clams we make sure we have a good bucket full because there is alot of rebaiting going on.Take lots and you'll be fine.
 
#7 ·
welcome.gif Hi 978 welcome to the board
The guys covered it all.
They sell clam string in some of the shops for wrapping .
It was mentioned that if you slice the two muscles in the rear the clam opens right up.
I like to get them in the shell and then I soak em in a salt bucket like JB mentioned. It definately toughens em up. (Toss the shells out as chum)
Dental floss works too, but if you pass through the edges like ed said you wont have to tie them up. I lob em out rather than fire them.
 
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