Keeping Clams Alive.

[bassnblues]

I've kept them for a week in a cooler with ice. Just make sure you have the ice in a bag or the melting freshwater will kill them.

[Luna Sea 5]

I've kept them for a week in a cooler with ice. Just make sure you have the ice in a bag or the melting freshwater will them.

I do this when I buy clams for the table.  They last great, but I am always there to check them also. 

[OffTheHook13]

I have tied them up and left them on the water and gone back 4 days later and picked them up and they were fine just zip tie the top of the burlap bag and tie them off

Is it possible that the reason this failed last season for me was because I maybe had too many in the burlap bag?

That's possible or were the clams already old?

They may have already been on their way out.

Maybe one of them went bad and killed the rest.

Kinda like when 1 crab dies and kills the rest.

[Luna Sea 5]

that might be what happened.  This year I make just put less in the milk crate and see how long they stay.  Either way, shucking them for chum is also a way not to waste the extras.

[catfish hunter]

I dont bother shucking them I just put them in the chum freezer whole then deforst them for the next trip ,I then smash them and saved alot of work

[Luna Sea 5]

it def. saves alot of work, but is it just as good chumming with broken shells, instead of chumming with minced pieces of shucked clams.  Any little advantage can help when it comes to stripers.

[CapBob]

I save the hellss from much shucked clams in a 5 gal bucket and mash them up with a basba bat end......throw some (not a lt) of ice in and cover......bring out on boat next day, every so often laddle some out along with my smahed clams......just sme added chum and utilizing everything

[blynch]

cooler w/ clams, newsoaoer, ice in that oredr top to bottom...

[Hotrod]

cooler w/ clams, newsoaoer, ice in that oredr top to bottom...

Looks like an iphone post..lol

[PeggyLee]

That burlap bag trick did not work for me either. Stung like Elliot Spitzer's story.

[Luna Sea 5]

yeah, i know.. I thought it would work, but all I found in the bag, besides the stench, was small crabs and eels.  My guess was that I had too many.  Milk crate seems like it would work as the clams should have a better chance to sit in the mud due to larger holes in the crate.  I like keeping bait on the boat like that cause I never know when I am going down to the boat and not sure if the bait stores will be open late evening when I get there. 

[PeggyLee]

I think an old cooler with ice works good for a day but not much longer. You probably could schuck em and mix them in, like other have said.

[SouthPaw]

Had the milkcrate do the same thng last year over a week long period. may be that if one dies it kills the rest, Who knows Sure does smell bad though.

[Luna Sea 5]

wow, the milk crate didn't work.. maybe water temp has something to do with it due to the clams not being able to burrow themselves in the mud.

[PeggyLee]

I think its got some thing to do with the clams needing to move and get water ,oxogen,and stuff in and out of the shell to stay alive.In a burlap or milk box they are not able to do that.What do you think?

[CapBob]

The one thing ya have to look at is when the clams were harvested......if you bought the from the supplier and they have been out of the water for a few days.......no matter what you do, you are not going to get them to last long.

I use my cooler with a little ice, but never keep them over 1-2 days, then I shuck them.

If you tred up some Cherry Stone or Little necks, hang them over the side of your boat for 24 hrs and they will purge themselves of sand

[ped579]

Did you purge them before hand?  If I know I am going to be out for the whole day I will purge them with fresh saltwater first and they seem to last a lot longer.  Plus it might revive some that are on the way out.

[CapBob]

No the bait clams we use as is.......when we are out getting our eating clams, we hang them over the side for 24 hrs and the purge themselves

[ped579]

 

[Capt.Dave]

If you are talking about surf clams it is almost IMPOSSIBLE to keep them alive in the water.  Actually they are very delicate and with the big dredge gear used to catch them a majority of them will be dead as soon as they hit the boat.

The surf clams also need high salinity water so if your dock is not close to the inlet there will be no chance for them even if they are alive.

Remember if they are dead in the water there are many more bacteria and tiny predators available and they will break down very fast.

The best bet is to keep them cold and damp, I keep them in the original burlap bags at about 33 degrees  in my walk in.   A cooler with ice is great, but as said many times priveously keep them out of the water.

If you are talking hard clams, take them home for chowmer and next time getsurf clams , they will outfish the hard clams 10 to 1.