Eating clams - grand river

[Roper]

When walking/fishing the grand river I see a lot of clams in the shallow, rocky sections. They are of course alive and healthy, often with their tongues (probably not a tongue) sticking out.

Has anyone tried eating them?
Chopped , breaded and fried/baked?
Chowder?
Or are they unedible?

Thanks in advance for any knowledge you may impart.

[MikePal]

I had to look this up, I hadn't thought of these since I was a kid (68/69) and took a bucket home for my Mom to cook. She told me they couldn't be eaten because the Grand river was far too polluted.

Turns out they are endangered now.

The Wavyrayed Lampmussel is a medium-sized freshwater mussel that lives in mainly gravely riffle areas in the middle reaches of the Grand and Conestogo Rivers. The female of this species has evolved a minnow-shaped lure that it uses to attract a host fish, the smallmouth bass. Clear water may be a critical requirement for successful reproduction and this may explain why the range of this mussel is becoming limited in southern Ontario.

more info: http://www.ontario.ca/environment-an...yed-lampmussel

[greatwhite]

Actually you shouldn't eat fresh water clams they are known to have what I think is called a Fluke.

[Roper]

The wavyrayed lampmussel is not the clam I see in the grand river. These are clams, not mussels and look like a normal clam about 5 to 6 inches long. Oval shaped.

MikePal - your mother may be right - the river may be too polluted, however I have eaten pickeral from this area and they taste good.

Greatwhite - I'll look into "Fluke". thanks.

[Trilynx]

Yes but fish eats bugs and fish, clams eat by filtering the water thus they carry a lot more contaminants (if present in the water of course). Never heard of this fluke?? please educate me

[Marker]

Yes but fish eats bugs and fish, clams eat by filtering the water thus they carry a lot more contaminants (if present in the water of course). Never heard of this fluke?? please educate me

A fluke in the context above is a parasitic worm, go fishing in Maine and you will catch 'Fluke' a type fish related to Flounder, try to get a good mulitmeter and you will find Fluke electronics sells them, and if you want some trucking you could use Fluke transport. And that's a fluke (LOL).

[DanO]

I took a survival course many years ago. The instructor suggested freshwater clams are edible but make sure the water isn't stagnant. He suggest we boil the clams then change the water and boil them some more. Them remove from the shell and pan fry in butter. Well how many things that are considered tasty would you boil twice. Exactly!


I did try the process and I couldn't get past the very rubbery texture of the clam. They seemed tasteless as well.

[NorthernGrouse]

I took a survival course many years ago. The instructor suggested freshwater clams are edible but make sure the water isn't stagnant. He suggest we boil the clams then change the water and boil them some more. Them remove from the shell and pan fry in butter. Well how many things that are considered tasty would you boil twice. Exactly!
.

so I guess a proper survival kit includes a stick of butter ;-)

[old243]

I saw a lady with a bucket of clams , at a northern lake. If I remember correctly , she put a handful of oatmeal in the water with them. This irritated them and they flushed any sand or crap out. Probably changed the water, and left them a while longer , before cooking. Don't know how they turned out. old 243

[finsfurfeathers]

I took a survival course many years ago. The instructor suggested freshwater clams are edible but make sure the water isn't stagnant. He suggest we boil the clams then change the water and boil them some more. Them remove from the shell and pan fry in butter. Well how many things that are considered tasty would you boil twice. Exactly!


I did try the process and I couldn't get past the very rubbery texture of the clam. They seemed tasteless as well.

Thing is one will eat just about anything in survival mode where as day to day may pass on such thing. Once a friend of the family took me fishing as a kid. Pulled up to a sand flat on Simcoe dove in and brought up some clams. Don't remember eating them myself but he got the to eat. Not saying its a good idea but have seen it done.