Clam king

[Quik Fix]

When clamming was king on the Great South Bay.

[Mako2]

Jerry Is that you in the photo? I Have many great memories of being on the water in my younger days.

[Pedlyr]

Steamers?.....

[Quik Fix]

Hard shell. Thats my son. He worked with me while he was in HS. The basket has welks.

[Pedlyr]

I dug quahogs for a few years thru those brutal winters in early 80’s. Chopped ice and all that. Tough going

[Quik Fix]

Ed, I know. We drove onto the ice and chain sawed holes to dig through.

[Pedlyr]

I did that working for a marina around the pilings. But we would double up in a skiff and have to chop our way out of the ice to get to clean water. Tired before we even threw the rake in the water. But price was thru the roof. Nothing is colder than working out of a skiff in the winter, believe me

[holty]

Days gone by. I don't know if anyone commercially clams on the south side at all anymore. There are still a number of dedicated baymen clamming the north shore. They use rakes with 50' long handles working deep water. Some bring a helper not only to cull but to help break the rake out of the mud. Steamers can be had near the shore if you know where to dig

regards Holty

[Pedlyr]

In RI diggers now use pot haulers to help break the rake out of the mud. What that really means is to lift it to the surface. Best analogy to quahogging I can think of is think of is standing on a 2nd floor deck. You have a 1" 10 ft pole in your hand. It is set on the ground with a 5 gal bucket attached to the end full of cement. Now pull it up to you. for 4 hours. Oh yeah, its cold out too

Around 16:30 gets into setting the gear


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fniCcjhV31c

[Ship]

Around here shinnycock rakes are winter version with a few tongers working deeper water. Summer is a few scratch rakers with the majority treading. My family including my war imported hillbilly father all clammed or oystered. I on the other hand only did it when construction jobs were scarce. I did a lot but can't say it was my primary living. The bays around here are shallow and my next door neighbor treaded all winter except when the ice got bad. The long handled shinnycock rakes are for the upper body people. Pulling that rake across a bay looking for a bed would kick my butt but was way better than treading in freezing water.

[holty]

great video Pedlyr! Thanks for posting

regards Holty

[Quik Fix]

Thanks Ed. Plenty of memories there. I was always exhausted by the time I got home but felt great. Was strong as a bull.

[Quik Fix]

This goes with the other picture

[holty]

Fine looking rig. That picture has south shore Long Island all over it.
regards Holty