How do you hook a clam?

[philjam]

What size and kind of hook and rig for fishing from the surf or shore or pier or jetty or etcetera?

[chunking]

I take it you are talking about fishing for stripers with clam from the beach.

The good thing is with a larger piece of clam and a hard cast you will send the clam way out there. The bad thing is that the clam won't be on the hook when it hits the water.

I don't do much surf fishing but when I do the hook is a 5/0 or 6/0 for stripers. Enough weight to hold bottom or enough so it drags very slowly along the bottom.

As far as keeping the clam on the hook try this. I suggested this last year and had many emails from fisherman that said it worked great.

Take a small piece of PVC tubing about five inches long. Pick up a pack of tubular medical gauze at your drug store. I tried the one inch gauze and it worked fine. Cut about two feet of gauze off and slide it over the PVC. When it is all on tie the end in a knot. Now take pieces of clam or clam bellies and shove them through the PVC. You can use mussels this way also. It will come out the other end into the gauze just like sausage. Keep your one hand over the end of the PVC to make sure you pack the gauze tight with clam. Once you get a piece about three inches long twist the gauze and pull off enough empty gauze so you can tie it into a knot. Now you have a clam sausage. This way you can place your hook through the gauze a few times and it will hold the clam on the hook for the hardest cast you can make. The gauze will allow the clam scent to come out and attract the fish.

The gauze is so thin that I don't believe a striper will have any problem passing it through it's system if they swallow it.

If you decide to make some clam sausage then try this. Take some time and make a bunch up. You can place them in a plastic bag and freeze them. Then whenever you hear of a good bite just take out what you need. By the time you get to the surf they will have defrosted and you are ready to go.

It may sound weird but it works. When the stripers are hanging out past where you can cast with just bait on the hook this method can make the day. Good Luck. :cool:

[Darrin G. DGREENEMACHINE]

Fred that is one sweet idea. I have no use for it from the boat but I will never forget it!

[jim rosen]

excellent, i imagine panty hose will also work

[cdn_stripers]

that would be a big ass clam sausage smile.gif

[ShoreBird]

Pure Genius

[gotcha]

Verrrryyy carefully, hookem thru the lips

[Dirt Farmer]

I wrap them up with plastic twist ties. after I thread em on the hook.
kv

[fmTuna]

Fred... I have always knit them a little sweater with elastic clam string, but I am lovin the gauze idea!

[BEACHBASSARD]

TRY SOME SOFT MUSIC/ CANDEL / AND A CHEEP GALLON BOTTEL OF WINE! :eek: :eek:

[palm beach]

i use small rubber bands to hold them on

[bunker]

Originally posted by palm beach:
i use small rubber bands to hold them on Palm, I'm from Franklinville, USA or something like that. Know where that is? Anyway do you really use rubber bands and if so what kind and size? I have always thought about using some kind of rubber bands cause the sausage idea and some similar ideas, to be honest with you, are a little too tedious for me. I've had the string in my boxes for years and never used it. Man I think I tried it once and wrapped the string aroung and around and then the end was at the wrong end to tie it. Fish ain't afraid of rubber, in fact they like it so heck why not? Probably see ya in the Post Office or Diner and don't know ya. I'm a friend of the surveyor, frank, bernie and CO. I bought some offset red Octopus Circle hooks today. Not sure if I like them but might try them when the fish are biting light.

[BUCKTAIL WILLIE]

I KEEP A CORDLESS DRILL ON BOARD AND DRILL A 3/8'S HOLE IN THE CLAM AND RUN HOOK THROUGH THE HOLE
CLAM GOES RIGHT TO THE BOTTOM AND YOU DON'T NEED A WEIGHT TO HOLD BOTTOM