Clamming Cape Cod
WADING IN TO BRING HOME DINNER
Recreational clam digging on Cape Cod is a fun family activity that offers the added benefit of a tasty meal as a reward for your success! The Cape is renowned for its abundance of hard shell (quahogs), soft shell (steamers), oysters and razor clams.
Recreational clam digging, in comparison to fishing, requires relatively little gear to be able to successfully harvest a legal limit . Here is what you will need to get started:
1)A permit from the town in which you will be clamming. Permits can be secured at the town hall of the location you wish to clam. Fees and regulations vary by the town. When you pay for your permit, you will be given a copy of the town regulations and likely a map or list of open areas in that town. Follow these regulations carefully...a run in with the shellfish warden over an infraction is likely not the happiest ending to a good days clamming! Most towns maintain and update their websites with all the information you will need regarding permitting and regulations.
2)Boots/ Waders /Hip Boots. Depending on which body of water you choose to clam, the footwear you require will vary by the prevailing conditions found in the bodies of water open to recreational clamming.
In towns that offer long expanses of very low water (flats) with easy access, rubber boots will suffice during the summer months. In some towns, the best spots to clam have deeper water-even at dead low tide. In these areas, it would be wise and much more comfortable to wear hip boots or even chest waders.
3) Rake. Be wary of cheap imitations! Both the environment and activity put a tremendous stress on the rake. If you buy a cheap one, it will rust out almost immediately and rake teeth will be prone to breakage. With our decades of experience at the Goose, we choose not to stock cheap rakes due to the high incidence of breakage and warranty. Used as intended, all rakes eventually wear out...The rakes we do stock, however have long track records of durability and reliability.
On the exposed sand flats, digging for soft-shelled clams is usually done with a short handled clam rake or a spading fork with its short handle bent perpendicularly away from the fork’s head. A digger typically uses the rake by digging down into the mud, clay, or sand and then pull it up and towards him/herself. This digging action, done in close proximity to the tell tale siphon holes of the clams, opens up the soil to expose the clams. The digger then gently removes the clam by hand.
Recreational clamming for the larger surf and quahog clams (soup clams) is primarily done with a basket style rake.
The head of these rakes have long tines attached to a “basket-like” cage in which the clams are collected as the digger rakes through the sand or mud. There is a tell tale sound/ vibration produced when the rake tines run across the shell of a quahog.
4) Legal Limit Basket and Clam Gauge. Most towns on the Cape use the 10 quart wire basket as their legal limit and recognize the size limits of the commercially available clam gauge. To meet the legal size limit, a clam must be large enough to not be able to pass through the opening in the gauge.
Most towns have strict regulations on how sub legal size clams must be returned to the water...In many towns, when the air temperature goes below freezing, clamming is not allowed...be sure to follow these regulations to help insure the future of this abundant Cape fishery.
Different Types of Clams on Cape Cod
Littlenecks: Littlenecks are young quahogs that are small, sweet, and deliciously tender. Whether you choose to eat this most popular grade of clam raw or cooked, their taste is undeniably impeccable.
Quahogs: Quahogs have secured the nickname “chowder clams” for their most common use, yep you guessed it, clam chowder. Quahogs have thick, rounded shells and their beautiful shells are also frequently used in jewelry making!
Cherrystones: Cherrystones are quahogs that are slightly larger than littlenecks and have a lovely briny taste. Despite these quahogs being a little bit less tender than Littlenecks, they still have that delicious hint of sweetness and taste wonderful both raw or cooked on the grill with some cheese and bacon.
Steamers: Steamers are definitely among a favorite for Cape Codders. These soft shell beauties get their name from the way they’re prepared: lightly steamed. Whether you decide to just dip them in broth or smother them in butter, steamers are guaranteed to make your mouth water even before they reach your mouth.