Printer Friendly Version - Clamming Will Fill More Than Your Basket

Brendan Wemssen (left) of East Haven is looking forward to his first meal of freshly caught Long Island Sound striped sea robin, while Meg Sequino (right) of North Haven earned the hi-hook by out-fishing everyone else on board when she caught this black sea bass. Photo illustration courtesy of Captain Morgan

Shellfishing is a fabulous outdoor activity that everyone can enjoy. After all, where else can a fisher obtain fresher bivalves than when harvesting them by his or herself and then cracking them open shortly thereafter? Through the years, fishing for the shoreline’s delicious clams, oysters, and mussels has proven a rewarding pastime and one that’s fun for the entire family.

Shellfishing is popular in the summertime, although many people don’t realize that some of the best clamming can be done during the winter months. Outfitting is rather simple when it comes to equipment: a rake, a container capable of ample water flow, and either a measuring ring for round clams or ruler if the catch will be limited to oysters, steamers, or razor clams. Mussels do not need to be measured, nor do they have a daily limit like other bivalves.

Towns that are regularly stocking and seeding beds open year-round to clamming generally require a license. Unless there are conditional restrictions or weather-related events, such as excessive rainfall, there are few other reasons to close a bed. Low tide is the best time to be out scratching the bottom and catching clams. A perigee tide is the best tide of the year to go clamming. It is the lowest of low tides and occurs when the moon is closest to the earth. The next one falls on Friday, Aug. 10.

So, get your sunscreen, bottled water, and Tabasco sauce ready. The clam beds are waiting and there is ice in the cooler. It is time to edge your way onto a bed, watching your step as you go. Rake in hand, you begin scratching the bottom when you feel something stop your rake. A little tug, a flip of the tines, and you’ve caught your first clam or two of the day. In about an hour, you have managed a day’s limit. It’s never too late to step foot on a clam bed for the first time. Give it try!

Wind greeted the weekend with gusts to 25 knots and seas kicked up three- to four feet after bouts with intermittent scattered rainfall challenged fishers. Humidity has been tropical-esque, while inshore water temperatures remained in the mid-70s, with the outlook being more summer-like. However, many tidal rivers saw increases above that, much to the delight of many crabbers.

Finfish activity in the lower tidal rivers was comprised mostly of periodic influxes of baitfish, such as Atlantic menhaden and shad, as well as a continuation of a schoolie bass bite. That bite was felt at adjacent stretches of the shoreline, especially where there were boulder fields and other rocky structures. Weather kept some fishers off the reefs during windy tides, but adult striped bass in excess of 40 inches were caught drifting eels and live-lining bunker. Artificials including jigs, brellas, and select lures did score fish over and along offshore reefs and shoals. Give Faulkner’s North Rip, The Race, Southwest Reef, Brown’s, and The Beacon a try.

Scattered small schools of harbor blues continue to work the Sound, and even a few snappers have been showing up. Until recently, the only big blues that seemed to have gathered were farther offshore to the south and north of Long Island Sound. Large thick schools of bunker have been keeping these alligators offshore, but recently, that changed. Now, large stripers and weakfish are competing with big blues for food.

The black sea bass fishery remains quite lucrative. Water temperatures are rising and causing humpbacks to seek cooler, deeper environments. Fishing wrecks, rock piles, and other unique bottom structures in and around 100 feet will mostly likely net fish in the four-pound-plus range. Shallower water will generally yield catches in the two-pound class, plus or minus. Squid and hi-lo rigs continue to be the way to go.

The other bottom fishery that still has folks talking is porgy (scup). Catches approaching 18 inches have been almost common, although sizes are now taking a slight dip. Action continues to be good from both the shore and offshore reefs with seaworms and squid being the prime baits of choice. Drifting for fluke has been rewarding with doormat catches in the 10- to- 12-pound range. However, most fish hooked have been 17 inches or less, creating some frustration. The latter holds true for those fishing from shore and aboard a vessel. Still, deep water has been producing the better fish.

Many rock piles have been producing blackfish (tautog) enough to fill the daily limit of two at 16 inches. Recently, most of these tasties have been caught from shore and taking advantage of available forage, but will soon be moving into deeper, cooler water. Unlike the ‘togs, the large tasty striped sea robins and our sharks are enjoying the warmer water. While the sea robins will generally be caught during the day (just like in some cases with sharks), the incoming evening tides are prime times for shore shark fishing. Chumming and chunking for these bottom dwellers is usually best during an evening incoming tide. Remember, sand tigers and sandbar sharks are a protected species and, if caught, should be released unharmed, just like other unfamiliar sharks and those requiring a Highly Migratory Species permit.

Note: Email us pics of your catches to share with our USA and international fishing friends who keep up with the latest fishing news and frequent social media.

For all things fishy including licenses, swing by the shop (203-245-8665) open seven days located at 21 Boston Post Road, Madison. Until next time from your Connecticut shoreline’s full-service fishing outfitter, where we don’t make the fisherman, we make the fisherman better...

There is no better way to celebrate a successful day of clamming than with a good old fashion New England clambake. Photo courtesy of Captain Morgan