Silly clam question

[cdn_stripers]

Hi all,

I have never used clams for bait, and they seem to be pretty popular with the barners. Just curious, shell on or off? We used them last weekend thinking that shell off would be the obvious choice, but if a striper will take a live crab, why wouldnt they be able to crush a clam shell (and it would keep the tommy cod at bay).

Any insight would be helpful.

Thanks

Chris

[finally]

Shucked, I am not really sure how you would even hook a clam that is still in the shell.

[Darrin G. DGREENEMACHINE]

Originally posted by finally:
Shucked, I am not really sure how you would even hook a clam that is still in the shell. What he said.

And what's a tommy cod exactly?

[hipkvw]

smile.gif

[Fred81876]

huhhh?

[Fred81876]

huhhh?

[ballbuster]

Chris, I've never fished clams with the shell intact for Bass. Drum fish are a different story. We usually wack the shell with a bat to crack it in several places and place the hook in an area that would allow for easy hookup. We also crack several clams and toss overboard for chum while fishing. Its very effective and does catch drum. The cracked shell holds the meat in place and does elimate some of the trash fish. The last drum trip I had using this method we had 5 fish, the smallest was 76 lbs.

One thing I've learned is if you don't try it you will never know if it works. As far as the Bass go, crack a few and give it a try. And by all means post the results. No question is silly. smile.gif smile.gif

Jim

[ 04-23-2004, 12:45 AM: Message edited by: ballbuster ]

[cdn_stripers]

thanks for the info guys, a tommy cod is a different species of cod, looks similar but smaller. Most of the ones i see are 6-8" long.

Chris

[ballbuster]

Chris, I see your from up north. Do you have a viable striper population up there? I'm not sure how far north these fish migrate.

Drum fish I'm sure do not make the trip that far.

Jim

[phillyfisherman]

Chris:

For awesome striper action, you ought to get down to this area. If you get on the hook with some of our Delaware Bay monsters, you won't want to go back home! :D :D ;) tongue.gif

I've been out a half dozen trips already this season...... :D

[cdn_stripers]

Jim1-we have a good population of small stripers here now, and a few big ones are landed every year. There used to be a good population of larger fish, im not sure if it was overfishing or something else that triggered a decline in the number of larger fish. There are strict regulations in place now; no commercial fishery, and you are only allowed to have one fish in your posession that has to be over 26.8 inches. It isnt uncommon for me to land 10-20 fish in one tide. I only caught one keeper last year (i posted a pic here about a month ago). Last year was my first year fishing for stripers, and even though i didnt get many fish of size i am HOOKED. I hear a lot of stories from the day when 20 lb+ fish were common, and i hope with all the regs that those days will come again! I am trying to get as much info as possible from the experienced striper hunters here on the barn to have a better chance of locating the larger fish. Im trying to locate a hydrographic map with some depth contours now since it seems that a good dropoff would be a good place to start.

I am going to do my best to get down sometime this summer! Every time i see some pics posted from a day out on the adam bomb i start drooling!

[phillyfisherman]

Chris:

Spring and fall are best for striper fishin' down here.

~Jim