L Street - Night Dive 10/10/14

[lowviz]

I'm strictly a gatherer in the winter. For example, we could discuss safe places and "in season dates" to harvest hard and soft clams, surf clams, oysters, bay scallops and mussels...

I don't move too fast in very cold water. I do, however, move faster than those guys listed above. But not faster than razor clams.

---------- Post added November 21st, 2014 at 04:36 PM ----------

I can't believe that I forgot conchs, as in conch fritters. How long does one hang mussels to cleanse them of sand?

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

It does sound like fun - the Funnest part for me is getting dressed in my semi-dry in 30 degree weather with only a bathing suit - you guys in those dry suits are really starting to annoy me... But the water should be soooo much warmer...
But I could be up for something shortly - because it is getting cold... Or we could meet at a bar and call it even till the spring?

 

[lowviz]

It does sound like fun - the Funnest part for me is getting dressed in my semi-dry in 30 degree weather with only a bathing suit ?

Hah!!! Reminds me of something similar. Years ago when Dutch had only a quarry, changing room, and porta-potties there was this old guy who either ran the place or though he did. He was at the peninsula (instructors parking only) screaming to each lowly diver's car "Unload your $h1T and get out of here!" Looked at my kid and said welcome to Dutch. So at the end of the day (we just got out in time) we blazed through the gate in the car wearing our wetsuits. Changed in the parking lot in a light sleet shower. Misery, I know thee...

... - you guys in those dry suits are really starting to annoy me...

Precisely how I felt until I bought one. -looking to get a better fitting one next year...

... But the water should be soooo much warmer...

Like totally tropical, Dude.

... But I could be up for something shortly - because it is getting cold...

Yeah, a bit.

... Or we could meet at a bar and call it even till the spring?

Sounds like a plan. I'm only good for a couple, though. Those days are gone.

 

[whitefang21]

i should be able to do thursday. i am having thankgsgiving at my gf house, that is close to there. i guess i cant eat too much turkey

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

How about Saturday/Sunday? Thurs is tough - Fri the kids want to ski and Sat/Sun may be open?

 

[agilis]

I'm strictly a gatherer in the winter. For example, we could discuss safe places and "in season dates" to harvest hard and soft clams, surf clams, oysters, bay scallops and mussels...

How long does one hang mussels to cleanse them of sand?

It depends on how clean the water is, and how fast it's moving. Suspending the mussels in a modest tidal current near the surface so there is no sand will do a decent job in only an hour. Using a deep sink with cold fresh water, draining and repeating three times will also work well, in less than a half hour. I sometimes do both, a half hour in current, a final fresh water rinse for 15 minutes.

Those conchs (really whelks) can be tough, have to be pounded thoroughly. I use a hefty lead weight. They make an excellent pasta sauce. I have not seen bay scallops in collectable numbers for quite a few years in local bays. Barnegat Bay used to have some, near the inlet and down in the Great Bay area, but their numbers have dramatically declined.

I saw amateur hard clam collectors swamp their boat only a couple of years ago because they had collected so many. This was just south of Barnegat Light on LBI, where the sand turns to mud in a small extension of the bay used by commercial fishing boats. There are also lots of clams in the mud in beds neat L street, but they have to be raked.

 

[lowviz]

Sincere thanks.

Most valuable information. This is a hard-nosed region of the country where those that persevere tend to keep all information "close to the vest".

Endless thanks for sharing!

---------- Post added November 23rd, 2014 at 08:41 PM ----------

How about Saturday/Sunday? ...

Seriously considering getting some 3-4" hard shell clams. My shellfish license says no taking after sunset and before sunrise. If you guys are doing an informal (mostly solo) "meet-up", I'm in...

 

[lowviz]

I just checked with the officials. The entire Shark River Basin is classified as "Restricted". We all know the water quality in the dead of winter is stellar when the boating is all but nonexistent and the year-round population is a small fraction of the summer. However, the area is not listed as "Seasonal" so no shellfish are to leave Shark River Basin at any time of year.

Here is where you can harvest:
NJDEP Marine Water Monitoring - Shellfish Classifications of New Jersey's Coastal Waters

Here is why:
Types of Clams - Hard-Shell, Soft-Shell, Razor, Manila

 

[agilis]

Remember, those restricted areas for shellfish change every year, occasionally more than once during any given year. The maps are available from the state shellfish offices. Most of these rules are designed to prevent the commercial marketing of shellfish from polluted bay/inshore waters, so they tend to apply mostly to clams. Some of us take our chances with a small number of inlet dwellers, like littlenecks from the mud areas just inside the inlets. Good clean mussels are abundant just off shore, and I've never had a problem with those taken close to the mouths of inlets.

It's a matter of perspective. Even restaurant Sushi eaters are always taking a small risk.

There are some legal size lobsters in the inlet rocks, best found at night. I've taken some as recently as last August, behind the apartments on the south side of Shark River inlet. An easy entry, and the later at night the better. One useful trick is a plastic hand mirror. This will often bring a big territorial bug out far enough to grab. A live hand held 'Judas lobster' is even better, but that takes teamwork.

Lobsters are always down on the sand, under a rock. You have to get your face down at their level. If your body is not in contact with the bottom you may not see them. The little guys are more likely to wander, but not the big ones.

 

[lowviz]

... Lobsters are always down on the sand, under a rock. You have to get your face down at their level. If your body is not in contact with the bottom you may not see them. ...

I assume that a fast "finger-walk" up the carapace past the claws, hard grab, and shake them loose works here too?