Clam'in for Croaker in the OC 9/5/08

[CrabMan]

This week I decided to go down to my favorite rock pile and collect some cockle clams for bait. It seems like crabs are still working, and always will, but the bite has slowed using crabs the last two weeks so it was time again to reach into my "bag of tricks" and try another bait. The best part being there's lots of them and they're free!
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii148/bvloans/KENHOOKEDUP083008.jpg
Cockle clams are easy to find in bays and harbors. Look for areas that have small rocks (maybe about the size of a coffee can) and turn them over. These clams live by the millions under these rocks and range in size from 2-6inches across. Collect about 20, because that's all you'll need, and replace the rocks once you've found the clam. I like to put them in a bucket overnight with wet burlap or newspaper over them.
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii148/bvloans/COCKLECLAMBAITUPCLOSE08.jpg
In the morning they will be a bit open and much easier to schuck. I take a few minutes, before I go down to the beach, and open them and then place them in a zip lock bag. Then once I'm at the beach I can just reach into the bag, pull out their meat and put it on the hook. The last thing I want to do is be pushing a knife through a small slit in their shell in the dark!! (uh, did anyone see where my finger went?:Head Bang:)

Went down to the surf two mornings this week just as the sun was coming up and left each day around 9:30 or 10am. I used a combination of clam and ghost shrimp or just clam and had bites and fish on almost every cast.
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii148/bvloans/CORBINA2083008.jpg
Had luck catching four corbina. They were smaller than the past few months with most in the 14-17" range. One corbina was even caught on the 1&1/2" curly tail grub--that really lets you know fall's on the way.
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii148/bvloans/KENSCORBINAONGRUB083008.jpg
Had another good bite on spotfin going two for two with the biggest fish measuring 24".:Thumbs Up:
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii148/bvloans/KENSSPOTFINCLOSEUP083008.jpg
I saved a few sections of ghost shrimp from last week and added mussel to hold them to the hook. With the shrimp and clam combo I fished using the carolina rig (3/4th oz egg sinker, clear bead, black #12 swivel, 24" fluorocarbon leader and a mustad bait holder hook (the ones with the barbs on the shank). When fishing the clam exclusively I use an #1 or #2 split shot thin wire hook and bury it in the clam meat.
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii148/bvloans/CORBINA083008.jpg
Had a great bite on perch, corbina and spotfin. And can't forget to mention the shovelnose sharks that fight like the halibut you've dreamed about but look like your mother in law!!:ROFL:

[JSAUCE818]

wow! good job on the beaners and the spotfin! nice report and pics...

[Wingnut]

Another great and informative report Bill! :Big Grin: Man, I gotta get myself one of those big Spotfin. :Shocked: Well done once again and keep up the nice work. :Cool: My turn to hit the surf tomorrow, if everything goes as planned. :Wink:

[CrabMan]

Another great and informative report Bill! :Big Grin: Man, I gotta get myself one of those big Spotfin. :Shocked: Well done once again and keep up the nice work. :Cool: My turn to hit the surf tomorrow, if everything goes as planned. :Wink:

Hope everything goes as planned--as I'm looking forward to another one of your reports!:LOL:

[boxl0bster]

great report as always bill! how do you hook ghost shrimp?? ive been wanting to give them a try but i hear they fall off the hook pretty easily. also do they pinch you like lugworms? :Razz: thanks

-Ernie

[Sinjin Kim]

Very nice SFC. I love their coloration (golden) during the spawning season.

[flyngby]

Bill,

Thanks again for the info and another way to get it done out there.

Steve

[Simplyeman]

beautiful spotfin. never caught one before

[Troutman65]

Nice detailed report with good info.:Cool: Congrats on your catch .:Big Grin:

[tacklejunkie]

Excellent report Bill! Very nice fish as always. :Thumbs Up:
There's no end to the free baits you can find out there!
Next trip out I'll have to see what kind of bait I can dig up instead of bringing the chovies :Wink: I really like using those mussels from Malibu. I'll have to bring a few home next trip up there or try some of those clams you showed here.

[fishshep]

Glad you reported the pictorial truth
about fishin with clam meat!!!
Been tryin to info those "Oceanside"
guys about the clams on those Spotfin!!!
Great- Report!!

[IN2DEEP]

Great report and pictures Crabman!

Did I miss it in your report that there's a minimum size limit on the clams?
...1 1/2" minimum size :Secret:
...50 per person.
...Should not be consumed by humans during the summer months.

Scott

[CrabMan]

Great report and pictures Crabman!

Did I miss it in your report that there's a minimum size limit on the clams?
...1 1/2" minimum size :Secret:
...50 per person.
...Should not be consumed by humans during the summer months.

Scott

Thanks Scott for bringing that up.:LOL: I like to take a plastic knife, fork or spoon that I've cut to 1 5/8" with me to measure them. I've attached an overview of the regs from DFG. Be sure to check out the rules often as they are always subject to change.:EyePop:

Clams
Open all year from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. It is unlawful to be on any clam beach with any instrument capable of being used to dig clams during the closed night time hours (cause they're sleeping and get very cranky when aroused). The limit on Littleneck Clams, Soft-shell Clams, Chiones, Northern Quahogs, and Cockles (min size 1 1/2") is 50 in combination. All softshell clams dug, regardless of size or broken condition, must be retained until the bag limit is reached.
Mussels
Limit is 10 pounds (in the shell) of California sea mussels and bay mussels in combination
Ghost Shrimp and Blue Mud Shrimp
Limit: 50 in combination of species


And for sure don't eat the little critters--or you'll be in for "silence of the clams!":ROFL:

[CrabMan]

great report as always bill! how do you hook ghost shrimp?? ive been wanting to give them a try but i hear they fall off the hook pretty easily. also do they pinch you like lugworms? :Razz: thanks

-Ernie

Ernie,

Here's how I hook the ghost shrimp. The good news is they don't bite (with the exception of an occasional snap of the claw). And yes, they are very fragile and can come flying off at any time. They are not like sand crabs that you can take a runnning start and fling to Catalina! Once hooked I cast them hard but try not to have any jerky motion. I guess it's a bit like golf--you can really swing hard and the ball will go a mile but often fly into the rough or you can swing evenly and a bit restrained and get the ball right on the fairway.

Start at the tail:
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii148/bvloans/GHOSTSHRIMP2.jpg

http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii148/bvloans/GHOSTSHRIMP3.jpg

On this last pic I really want the sharp end of the hook to come out between the legs---but this one was huge and I couldn't make it all the way!
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii148/bvloans/GHOSTSHRIMP4.jpg

Once the hook is securely in the shrimp I will pull its tail up my line and bury the hook's eye in the bait. This method of hooking helps the bait to lay flat on your hook and line and thus look much more natural. If there is a curve in the bait it will spin. Pull off the big claw and cast that baby out. Hope that helps!:Big Grin:

[supasportkid]

nice report, good info

[Ire]

Ever eat those clams? Looks like work for chowder in my book:Wink:

[sansou]

Cool report and pictorial! Thanks Crabman!

Ever try freezing the GS solid, and then hooking it? Just a thought...

[boxl0bster]

wow thanks for the great photo instructions bill. i need to get out there and give these a try. :Big Grin:

[IN2DEEP]

Ever eat those clams? Looks like work for chowder in my book:Wink:
Yes, you can eat those clams.
But only during the cooler water temperature months.
I believe that they produce a toxin during the warmer months
Beginning of May through the end of October I believe are the months not to consume them

[CrabMan]

Ever eat those clams? Looks like work for chowder in my book:Wink:

In2deep is right. You must wait until the water is colder to have less chance of getting sick. I would love to eat them but the water is so dirty here I just can't bring myself to do it!:Embarrassed:

If you can find them where the water is cleaner, like outside a harbor they are great. Last year we went down to visit my neighbors dad who lives in the Bay of Los Angeles (man, can that place get hot!) and we collected clams there. We would go at low tide and wade out to about our waist and seach around with our feet until we found them. The would be in groups of 4-6. After collecting a bucket load we put them in freshwater, for them to flush out the sand, and shucked them. For the next few nights we had: Clam chowder, linguini and clam sause, clams rockefeller and clam sandwiches for lunch. It was clamtastic!:Beer Toast:

[CrabMan]

Cool report and pictorial! Thanks Crabman!

Ever try freezing the GS solid, and then hooking it? Just a thought...

Although we always love to have live super fresh bait it is fine to freeze them. The only thing is that you need to make sure that they are fresh and have been kept cold or they will be super mushy when they thaw out. Some guys buy the dead ones at Big Fish in Seal Beach, because they are about half price, and immediately freeze them. It works but I will always try to have live if possible.

On that same note frozen sand crabs work well in the middle of winter too. It's important to get the hardest crab you can find and freeze that one; Because when they thaw out they will always be much softer. Now's the time to collect a few before they are all gone. I like to put about 15 in a small ziplock, squirt in a packet of taco bell or del taco hot sauce and freeze them. When you thaw them out in a few months they will be softer, reddish in color and covered in a thin layer of sauce. Belive it or not, they work great for perch!:Secret:

[bones]

Very nice pics and report. Informative also :Cool:

[fishhard22]

Wow those are nice croakers. Good job.

[kansasguyinCali27]

Do you think that the cockles might be found in marina del rey? I would definitely go get some. I used ghost shrimp, but I tried tying it, and it just shrivels up. What's a good way to hook ghost shrimp?

[flyngby]

Bill,

Although I have used clams for bait before I have never caught 1 before.

On Tuesday 9/9 as we were drifting the Back Bay of NPH I pulled in my drop shot line that was soaking the frozen anchovie and to my surprise there was 1 of those little clams not not attached to any thing but the little tail of my knot on my hook.

Amazing as it sounds the little guy must have been filtering the water when my rig caused it to clamp down and happen to get the line.

I wish my chances of winning the Lottery were that good!!!!!!

Steve

[CrabMan]

Do you think that the cockles might be found in marina del rey? I would definitely go get some. I used ghost shrimp, but I tried tying it, and it just shrivels up. What's a good way to hook ghost shrimp?

We used to catch a lot of bait in the MDR area. These clams, cockles and little neck clams are found under rocks that are about the size of a shoe box. Look for areas inside the harbor where you can find rocks this size and that's where you'll find them. You might also try King Harbor near the Harbor Master's office and toward the breakwater. In most cases they like calm water away from waves and surf. Be sure they are 1.5" and put the rocks back after you search under them.:LOL:

[kansasguyinCali27]

We used to catch a lot of bait in the MDR area. These clams, cockles and little neck clams are found under rocks that are about the size of a shoe box. Look for areas inside the harbor where you can find rocks this size and that's where you'll find them. You might also try King Harbor near the Harbor Master's office and toward the breakwater. In most cases they like calm water away from waves and surf. Be sure they are 1.5" and put the rocks back after you search under them.:LOL:

Awesome. Thanks for the info. I'm definitely going to go get some of them. I will put the rocks back, so more bait will come live under them.:Smile: