Roly Poly Squid Heads: 2011

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Clamming is a fun activity for anyone who finds themselves near a large, shallow saltwater pond. If you rent a beach house in the summer, then you may very well be near the right place to go clamming. It's fun, it's easy, and you don't need any prior experience to go get yourself some delicious clams for cooking. Just follow these tips and you'll be well on your way to bringing in a good shellfish harvest. First, go to a local hardware or garden supply center and get yourself a rake. You're better off getting one of the small handheld garden rakes (the ones with three prongs). These allow you to get a better feel for if you've hit a clam in the mud, and their long prongs go deep enough. You can use a regular garden rake with a long handle, but it won't be as fun to use, and you'll have to constantly bend over to retrieve the clams you uncover.
Next, bring a good sized bucket with you. Depending on how many clams you're after, you'll need a bucket large enough to fit them. Just make sure that you don't go overboard with the size of the bucket or the amount of clams you take. Remember that after clamming you're going to need to carry whatever you retrieve back to your house. A standard mop bucket filled to the brim with clams can weigh close to fifty pounds.
Next, make sure you're wearing either a bathing suit or shorts that you don't mind getting wet and muddy. You're going to be in the water when you're clamming and you're going to be in contact with a lot of mud. Also, it's a good idea to wear either a pair of junky old sneakers or sandals while you're in the water. Often there are rocks under the water that contain barnacle or oyster growths on them. These shells can be razor sharp and I've cut my feet pretty badly before on them. It doesn't hurt to be on the safe side.
Now here are some tips on the clamming itself. These tips are by no means universal, for you really just need to discover what works best for you for you.
The first tip is to kneel down while you're clamming. This means getting wet and getting in the water. If you stand and bend over to use your rake, you're arching your back in such a way that you run the risk of pulling a back muscle or worse. At the very least, you will be dealing with a very sore back if you choose to stand while you're clamming. If you're kneeling down in the water, your back is in a more neutral position and you'll be able to dig much more effectively. In addition, make sure that every few minutes or so, you stand up from the water and give yourself a good stretch. By taking this little break, you will ensure that none of your muscles are tensed for too long.
Clamming is all about feeling for clams, not seeing them. When you're digging, the thin mud will cloud any image of what's going on below the water. The clams bury themselves in mud a few inches below, so that they're protected but can still siphon food from the water. Bury your hand rake into the mud a couple feet in front of you so that the prongs are buried completely, then pull towards you with a firm but steady movement. When you feel the prongs hit something, then chances are it's a clam. With your free hand, dig around in the mud for where the obstruction was, grasp the clam firmly, and pull. Remember to keep your bucket close by so that you won't have to get up and walk over to it to deposit the clams you uncover.
If you aren't hitting anything with your rake for a while, don't get frustrated. Sometimes moving to a new area in the pond might yield better results, and at the very least it will make you think that there are better possibilities. Clamming is all about patience and above all having fun. Persistence will pay off.
Now here are a couple of tips on what kinds of clams to get. If you're looking to create chowder with the clams, then you can use the larger clams (ones that are about the size of a baseball). In general, the larger the clam, the more tough the flesh will be. In chowders the toughness will be softened by dicing up the clam bellies and boiling them. You can also use the larger clams in pasta sauce in much the same fashion. If you're planning on cooking steamers, then you're better off using the small to medium-sized clams, around the size of a silver dollar or slightly larger. These will be the tenderest clams and will literally melt in the mouth.
That's about it! Clamming is a great way to get outside and get the feeling of satisfaction from harvesting your own dinner. Follow these tips and you'll be popping clams out of the mud in no time. Good luck!

This article from YAHOO