![]() Drag the rake through the mud until the tines scrape a shell then dig up the mud, shake it loose, and catch the clam in the basket. Raking can be done at any tide level, but you need a clamming rake, which has a basket to catch the clams. ![]() Then dig it out with a hand trowel or small digging tool. To sign for clams, walk along the mudflats at low tide and look for small keyhole openings, or "signs," indicating the presence of a clam. The mudflats at Virginia's Toms Cove are more suitable for signing. Signing and raking are accepted methods for clamming. Crabbing is prohibited January through March. Limits are 1 bushel per person per day, or 2 bushels per boat per day. All crabs must measure 5 inches point to point, and all egg-bearing females must be released. Place bait in the center of the trap drop it in clear, shallow water and pull it up as soon as a crab walks in. You can purchase a crab pot at bait-and-tackle shops they look like large chicken-wire boxes. If there's a crab on the end, net it before you take it out of the water, then transfer it to a basket or other container and continue crabbing.Ī single collapsible crab pot or trap may also be used, if it is attended at all times. When you feel a tug, gently tow the line in. The most common approach is the string, bait, and net method: Attach a piece of bony chicken or a fish head to a string (chicken necks are the preferred bait) and cast out in shallow water. The best time to crab is late summer to early fall, in the morning or early evening. Pick up the Shellfishing in Maryland brochure at the visitor center for a map showing the best places to catch crabs, clams, and mussels. Hourly rentals as well as overnight and weekend are also available. 410/726-3217) offers canoe rentals for $40 a day, kayak rentals for $45, bicycles for $20, and clam rakes for $10. The park's own Coastal Bays Program (tel. 757/336-5956 runs kayaking tours off Assateague between Memorial Day and Columbus Day six times a day for $40 for adults, $36 for children. (Get a coupon from their website.) Assateague Explorer (tel. Tours cost about $40 for adults and $30 for children. Permits are required and can be obtained at the ranger station in Maryland or at the Toms Cove Visitor Center in Virginia.Ĭoastal Kayak (tel. Four backcountry canoe-in campsites are located in the national park. In summer, you can rent canoes from the concession at the end of Bayside Drive. The bay is generally shallow, so operators of larger boats should watch for sandbars. Waters at the Maryland end of Chincoteague Bay are usually ideal for canoeing, though the tidal currents around Chincoteague Island are strong.
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