Fresh Water Clams?

[lopex]

My local lake (37 acres) is closed for a few months and I decided to prebait a well known good warmer weather carp area.

 

The area is shallow and near the enterance to the stream that feeds the lake.

 

I have been using pellets and a few boilies and a bit of corn.

 

On my visit today the lake had been drained a little to reveil the first 5 meters of the margin. All around the area near the stream inlet (the place carp are in the summer) were lots of clam shells.

 

I take it that these are natural fresh water clams and the reson the carp like this area so much?

 

Any infomation on these clams??

 

What baits would you recommend in such a lake??

 

Cheers

[gozzer]

Your 'clams' are freshwater mussels, lopex. Common on some waters, but not as common as they used to be. Used to be used as bait, but I believe they are protected now.

 

John.

Edited February 10, 2008 by gozzer

[John S]

Use normal mussels instead, but not ones from freshwater or pickled. Very good (but not often used) bait....

[lutra]

I decided to prebait a well known good warmer weather carp area.

 

The area is shallow and near the enterance to the stream that feeds the lake.

 

 

I take it that these are natural fresh water clams and the reson the carp like this area so much?

 

 

Carp do tend to like shallow areas that warm up the quickest in the warmer weather, so the freshwater mussels might not be the only reason they like this area.

[lopex]

Anyone have any idea what king of mussels they are??

 

Spengler's freshwater mussel seems the only one native to the uk?

 

Would be good to know the breeding seasom etc?

[Barry C]

Look like swan mussels, how big were they.

[lopex]

Look like swan mussels, how big were they.

 

 

About 10-12 cm long and about 5-7cm width.

[chesters1]

swan ,the other ones generally live in rivers with occasional booty

[Barry C]

Yes Lopex I recon they were swan mussels.

When we had a drought here in Cornwall a few years ago several reservoirs had the banks littered with shells as they were left high and dry. Just a few feet further out were living healthy specemeins. The Crows loved them.

[noodle996]

ok strange i posted on this yesterday where has my reply gone?