I've had a few people request more information on surf clamming. Since the tides do not look favorable for a seminar at this time, I thought that I would post a little advice. There are a few people that will clam during Friday's -0.7 tide, but I prefer -1.0 or lower. It is always important to call the Shell Fish Closure Hotline at (1-800-232-4733) to determine if the flats are open. Or check the Shell Fish Hot Line Web Site.

Stage One:
Here's a little advice. Surf clams role on to the beach during storms. Waves in the Atlantic Ocean run in a clockwise direction around the Sea of Saragossa. The sea is the center of the clock and the arms are the waves. As waves hit the shore in Saco Bay, the clams are pushed in a North to Northeast direction towards the beach and flats.

Stage Two:
As clams are ripped from the Bay's floor and moved to the beach, they begin to roll in the surf. Hence the term "Surf Clams"! They continue to roll in the surf and be ripped from the Bay's floor as the storm progresses. This rolling and ripping are directly related to the length/severity of the storm and the tides height. The longer the storm and the lower the tide, the more clams are ripped from the Bay's floor and are rolling around.

Stage Three:
The Storm subsides, and if it was a strong long one, some clams roll on to the beach for you to retrieve without digging. But the clam wants to be in the sand and as soon as its foot (tongue) gets a hold, it begins a pulsing action that buries itself. Once buried, the clams back is in a somewhat upward dirction.

Stage Four:
You want to go clamming. The tides are -1.0 or lower and the flats are exposed. Look for areas that would create an undertow if you were swimming and the tide was higher. You want to search on the southerly side of these humps. Walk backwards along the area where the waves lip at the beach probing all the while. If you feel something hard, back up 6 inches and try to dig it.

That all there is to it!

Marc

PS If no other clammers are around, you are plobably on the beach at the wrong time or in the wrong area. Look for other clammers the same way a fisherman looks for other boats!

This weekend's extremely high and low tides are wreaking havoc as crews from York to Camp Ellis try to make sure that the roads are not washed out. As of Saturday morning at 7:00 AM, Camp Ellis was still in good shape. But the extremely high tide at 10:30 AM this morning may change that.

The lows, on the other hand, are a good thing for us fisherman who use clams for bait. The extreme low tides of this weekend, combined with the rough surf, will surely bring in a few surf clams. Clams that can be used for bait this summer. But the rough seas of today may make it too dangerous to harvest them.

There is a bright side to all this! Extremely low tides are fore-casted for the rest of the week. There will be an opportunities to harvest clams if the flats remain open. During heavy rains, many treatment plants have to open their flood gates to let water flow through. This equals poor water quality. And the flats are usually closed at this point. It really depends on how much rain we get. Be sure to check the Maine's Shellfish Hot Line before you proceed with any harvesting of Maine surf clams or any other clams for that matter!

Clamming Seminar Equals Clams for Bait and Clams For Eats

I will be conducting a Surf Clamming Seminar on Saturday, November 4th, at 2:15. As of this morning, the fishery was open to the harvest surf clams in Saco Bay. We will be meeting at the "Bay View" Parking Lot in Saco, Maine. A Google map is posted at the end of this article.

I will review techniques and gear as well how to dig for them. Whether people are able to harvest clams is always dependent on the Department of Marine Resources. The Department monitors water quality to determine if the flats should be closed due to flooding or red tide. That is why it is always important to call the Shell Fish Closure Hotline (1-800-232-4733) to determine if the flats are open. Or check the Shell Fish Hot Line Web Site. This is really important stuff, because as noted in a previous post, the flats are often closed due to Red Tide and pollution!

Here is some of the gear you should use when harvesting surf clams.
First, I always recommend a good pair of boots. They can range from my wife’s pink pair

To hip waders

To chest waders

Some fishermen go into the surf to harvest, but I harvest mine from the beach, so I usually use hip waders.

Gloves are good too! They should be waterproof, this way you can pick up clams and place them in your bucket without getting your hands wet.

Another item you will need is a good fork. I’ve seen people use large forks and small forks.

I lean toward the middle of thge road and use a long handled six pronged fork.

You should also bring a bucket to load your clams into. I’ve used a plastic bag at times, but they can rip open. Large onions bags also work well, but you usually have buy large bags, fifty plus pounds, to get them. If you know a professional chef, he/she may be able to help you obtain one.

Other items to consider are types of clothing (i.e. hats, pants, coats). If the weather is cold and windy, you will want to bundle up. But it you live in Maine, you already know that.

See you there. I'll be driving a black GMC crew cab truck and will meet you at Bay View Parking Lot at the intersection of the Bay View Road. See you at 2:15.

I went for a ride on Saturday night to check out the surf. When my wife first mentioned it, I thought she had gone crazy. Pam’s the kind of women that doesn’t take danger lightly. She learned how to whistle while hiking a trail in Yellowstone Park with me. I had told her "the more noise the better" to keep the Grizzlies away. She was whistling a storm by the end of that hike!

So…I agreed to go for a ride. Pam first mentioned going to Camp Ellis, but that area is notorious for loosing roads every time there is a storm. We settled on Biddeford Pool and Fortune’s Rocks. As I made my way across mile stretch, I could smell the ocean mist, and the clam flats of Biddeford Pool. Pam piped up “Smell those Maine Surf Clams!” “I though you were tired of Maine Surf Clams!” I replied. At that moment, I hit a large wash which covered the truck with water. Pam smirked “let’s not end up in the Maine Surf Clam flat Marco!”

As we made our way around the shores of Biddeford Pool, we could see the distant lights of Cabot Cove. The surf was crashing hard as I stopped for a look at the old Coast Guard Station and its associated ramps which were once used to launch small rescue skiffs. The station was sold over twenty years ago and is now a private residence. Again Pam exclaimed “Smell those clams!”

My mind drifted as I made my way around the point. I began to think of all the Maine Surf Clams that were being brought closer to shore by the rough seas. And with the seas being over twenty feet, I was getting excited about the prospects of them rolling onto shore during the next low tide. Hen clams and Quahogs acquired the nick name of Surf Clams for that very reason

When seas are rough, the large Maine Surf Clams are picked up by the crashing waves and rough seas. They are brought closer to shore as they roll around on the ocean floor after being dislodged from the sand. At times they are actually thrown onto shore after a northeaster. That's what I was dreaming for!

When I awoke the next morning, I was actually grumpy about having to turn the clock back. The low tide was at 9:30, which meant I had two hours to waste before making my way to the ocean. I farded around and waited until it was late enough to go. And what did I find?

I found out that a Clam that is a Clam is a Maine Surf Clam! And that they wash up when they want to!

If you are interested in clamming, I will be conducting a free Maine Surf Clamming seminar at 2:15 on Saturday, November 4th. We will be going out on the beach. You will learn how to locate, harvest and clean surf clams. Interested parties can e-mail me for directions by posting a comment below. All Maine residents can partake with out the need of a license; remember surf clams live in the sand, not in the mud, so it will be a nice walk on the beach anyways!

Be safe and have fun clamming!