How to Find Freshwater Clams and Mussels

A quick tutorial on how to find and gather Freshwater Mussels and Clams.
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[@prettypumpkin6891]

Nice to see a KZbinr that isn't hyped up. I enjoy the calm nature of your video.. relaxing, interesting and fun! Thanks.

[@bravemise]

Professional is the word that describes this channel

[@Jacob-rc5gp]

Real talk

[@zakburns6434]

Conservation at its finest my friends, a true outdoorsman.

[@varun009]

*Conservation at its finest, my friends - a true outdoorsman.

[@tjtewshews5531]

@@varun009 Good job.

[@wi54725]

When you talked about the gar in the river, it reminded me of the time that an alligator gar swam up within a couple feet of me in waist deep water. It was like being approached by a dinosaur. Great video, and maybe you will make it to the Tennessee River one day, where you might find a pearl or two on a dive.

[@jaimelynnwolfchild1892]

I live in Dover, TN..in a place called Land between the Lakes...right between the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers! We find lots of fresh water clams, mussels,and oysters round here all the time😁😁

[@zestobouzombie]

I swear you are the only KZbinr of this sort in Texas. I've been seeing your videos every time I look up a video of trapping and foraging out here. Thank you so much for documenting this work!

[@BobHansler]

Glad the videos are getting out there. If this wind will die down a bit I'll be out and able to make more. Thanks for watching.

[@zestobouzombie]

Awesome!! I can't wait for updates :D Stay safe doing so though. It's getting brisk out.

[@ghetto29fab6]

Love Texas, lived there for 5 years. Amazing state and good people.

[@DaZebraffe]

Added bonus to doing this, if you're living off-grid, or in a long-term survival situation: Collect the shells over time, and when you've saved up a decent amount, throw them in your camp fire. Let them get good and hot. Clam shells are chemically identical to limestone, so "cooking" them like this converts them to a form that can be used in making concrete.

[@2ballsyourjaws]

Absolutely correct. It's also pretty for the ladies to break em and use them in walkways the colors flip nicely in the sun

[@agratefuldread1949]

You can also soak the ground up shells 1:1 in apple cider vinegar for about 4 weeks until it stops bubbling, then you have water soluble calcium for your garden. Dilute 1:1000 when using.

[@WhatWouldVillainsDo]

There was a brick mason in Biloxi Ms very highly regarded who built a house and all the cement used was made from oyster shells.

[@enderlynxwilloze7935]

I found a little freshwater clam, I put him in my tank. He did great! I had him for a month! Unfortunately, he passed away the other day. Clams are fun to watch! They make cool trails in the sand. He was a good clam

[@urmomsgirlfriend9204]

did you eat it afterwards?

[@asdfghjkldfghjhgcgyuigfyui9792]

@@urmomsgirlfriend9204 lol

[@chachiolivares5664]

God bless you and your family bro....thanks again sharing your knowledge with us. Very useful. I know this video is 4 years old and I’m catching on a bit late on your videos but thank you and I hope your health is back or gets back in Jesus’ Mighty Name

[@TheWoodedBeardsman]

This would work well on Vancouver Island. Little cold tough.

[@FLSTF87]

Funny I was just thinking about giving it a shot. Yet I have no idea what i'd come across on the island compared to Texas.

[@peachykeko2855]

the ones in the pnw are much smaller, about the size of a dime but they are numerous

[@Cambo_Blue]

@@peachykeko2855 where do you find those in pnw area?

[@clarencevandevoort7262]

hey Bob glad to see you making more videos again I'm proud of you young man

[@SpiritofWildWings]

Shared this on a couple of survival groups on Facebook. Another great video Bob!

[@BobHansler]

+SpiritofWildWings Thank you sir!

[@sowens5024]

They give all these so called outdoorsman shows.. but right here people is the real deal , really love the channel bob and family and cant forget huck . everyone have a great day

[@tonynapoli5549]

Thank you Bob for this video Hope you feeling much better mate. Regards to you and your family. 🇬🇧

[@doinkaz]

This is a very helpfull video for me.I live in bedford tx so im A: happy to know how to find them and B: happy to know i can get them around here! Great vid,youve earned my subscription,keep em coming

[@Reaper4367]

Great information and demonstration Bob. Cheers for sharing cobber.

[@solomonbacon8893]

Thanks for making it very clear that conservstion is very important here ! Good man

[@beautifuldurian]

Love the weeping willow trees. Lovely country and love this video.

[@BobHansler]

+beautifuldurian I love it as well. The river is still up at the moment but Ill be attempting to do a video over those willows in the next few days.

[@cliffordkelly5327]

Good informative video, I’ve seen our own mini-clams here in southern Arizona, just never knew I could eat them , thx Bob !

[@richardmatthews7058]

you're 70 miles south of me bud! just discovered your channel and I'm loving the content. I'm an out doorman myself and I'm learning some awesome stuff here!

[@Superclips433]

Bob you deserve 1 mil view and have your own show

[@jimmyconner4186]

Bob, you have inspired me and I am an old guy!

[@apocstrike4649]

Love your videos man def learning a lot 👍

[@dirtywhiteboy4963]

thanks for the vid! im in central fla. cant wait to go out! im used to crawdads!

[@SammeLagom]

Look wonderful to be foraging in that river.

[@KingDennisJensen]

Hey, just found your channel by browsing for survival cooking! I love all things survival and your channel is great, greetings from Canada. Subbed.

[@BobHansler]

+KingDennisJensen Awesome. Expect some more advanced and interesting things to start popping up regularly in January... See if I can get some interesting things to watch over the long winter.

[@dksohtera]

I swear, you are the most incredible individual! You share awe-inspiring information for surviving in the wild and for those of us with limited hunting skills. Bob were you ever a U.S. Army Ranger?

[@BobHansler]

+kwles Think my wife would shush you and insist that my ego is big enough already : ) Unfortunately I became an insulin dependent Diabetic at the age of 12, which put an end to that career choice. I became a Boy Scout, an Eagle and was trained up as a horseback guide and SAR for near on a decade in the Davis Mountains. Thousands of miles ridden, years of cumulative outback camps riding rain or shine, cooking every meal upon the fire, and overcoming each obstacle throughout... There is much more to it, the horses I cared for, each rock and tree along the trails, the multitudes of people that I had the pleasure of meeting and learning from. Outside of school, I've spent the majority of my timer planning or executing outings and forays into the wilderness. I've made the mistakes, many mistakes over the years and have grudgingly found ways to work around nature with relative ease. I'm making videos now in the hopes of inspiring and educating this up and coming generation, a point of reality in a population that seems to be turning it's back on their heritage and the greater world. I still work with Scouts and Scouters of the BSA, and as I am unable to serve in the military, I have made it a mission in life to train and bring up strong moral minded youth in the BSA to do what I cannot.

[@catshultz9045]

I'm insulin dependent too. Looks like it did different things to us both. Here if ya ever need to talk. Frustrating but we're both still here. Love these videos

[@nm2795]

Really enjoyed ur video. We live in VA and my youngest son and I love getting the shells. Didn’t know u could dig for them. We just like the shells. He calls them his treasure! Thank u again for this. Learned a lot. Definitely need to check out what kind we have her e

[@danallen8388]

Virginia has a ton of federally listed mussel species which are illegal (very illegal) to harass, take, or collect. You have to be a permitted biologist to survey and takes a lot of experience and keen eye to identify species correctly.

[@nemo9xiphos]

Beautiful scenery

[@greyishgreblum]

I found a fresh water guoyduct in Goose Lake over by UAA in Anch, Ak. I thought it was a pop can at first. I put it in my surf shorts pocket and took the bus back through My. View ending up depositing it in a grocery basket so the good looking checker lady would notice it and take it home for supper. Anyway, I had no idea they even existed because there is so little education about it. But thanks to Bob that improving.

[@greyishgreblum]

As well, I have stomped on some of the local mycology and if I knew better I would be cultivating several of the local stropharia, but I'm pretty sure they are difficult species to find now. At least I let the little white mushroom I found on the hillside be but regret not getting a photo, probably the Angel of Death.

[@RichardColwell1]

Subscribed! Awesome content brother

[@fritzschwanserhauser2266]

Man that place is brimming with wildlife!

[@nickycao6351]

Thank you for your video. Its very well detailed and well described. Can you make another one about snails?

[@shuegen5270]

Great video. I have been wanting to try this in the rivers of Illinois.

[@goldsilverandiamonds]

Out at one of the rivers where I live you'll find the small clams, I never have checked anywhere else. I don't think most people even know they are there. I remember first seeing some Vietnamese people swimming down for them and bringing them up by the handfuls and putting them in a big bucket and then adding salt to the water. We asked what they were doing when we came up to where the were and they showed us, they were friendly and talkative. We hung out with them drank beer together and watched them catch and eat fresh clams. I passed on trying them myself but everyone seemed to enjoy them that did have them.

[@richardhawkins2248]

Thanks for reminding me. I used to do this many years ago.

[@glenmartin2230]

Good stuff, Bob.

[@jonathanflud113]

i was asking for farming purposes growing them in controled habitat. thanks for your response .

[@SolidGoldShows]

Cool videos! Very informative

[@stanfordlee3163]

Very informative you deserve more fans

[@BobHansler]

+Stanford Lee Lets hope you're right. Going to keep on pushing, cant wait until springtime for some of the stuff I want to show.

[@hostlike621]

Thanks for the info man!

[@gunnydavis1251]

Hey Bob I enjoy your videos Thanks When my folks were alive I would go and visit with my Dad he had a commercial license to harvest those freshwater Mussels I would bring my Dive gear and go out in Lake Dardenell And the Arkansas river and gather up several hundred lbs boil them to clean them and then sell the shells to a buyer They had machines that cut little spheres out of the freshwater mussels That they would insert into oysters and make cultured Pearls I’ve seen huge beds of those Washboards And Maple Leafs as well it was hard work but enjoyable I even found a few freshwater pearls happy hunting Fortis Fortuna Adiuvat Semper Fidelis The Gunny

[@Pureturk6]

pretty relaxing video to watch tbh

[@shamasi1968]

Clam shells are perfect for scraping furs for tanning, make good holders for pine tar candles and even for eating and drinking from if large and clean enough.

[@BobHansler]

+shamasi1968 Good thoughts.

[@danofiremano]

We feel the bottom of the lake up to about chest deep and get them. Sometimes they're pretty big too!

[@KNIGHTRACEDOTCOM]

I have huge clams in my fresh water pond in KY.. this may sound stupid but I was unaware if they were ok to eat? there about 9"

[@tomjeffersonwasright2288]

I found a bed with tons of clams at the mouth of a river in North Florida But when they were cleaned and cooked They tasted like rotted car tires marinaded in old motor oil But watching this, I may give it another try, upstream and at different depths

[@BobHansler]

Check for freshness, only cook live clams. Also, check the body layout. Some require the quick removal of gut sacs to get the meat and taste you want.

[@joybickerstaff194]

Bob Hansler Hello Bob! I would assume a live clam is a clam shut tight? I’ve never heard of a gut sac, nor have I seen a video showing one, could u explain it, better yet, make a video on it??? Thank u

[@tomjeffersonwasright2288]

We always soak clams in water with a little corn meal in it, so they ingest the corn meal and pass out the stomach contents, especially the gritty sand. It makes some clams taste better, but those Florida clams I mentioned were toxic waste.

[@colecoley3473]

I live in jax fl. They taste like shit here too

[@dirtymushroom-hollybubba3796]

another great vid!

[@mark3249]

I always wondered if freshwater clams in Texas were edible. I found some big ones in Lake Sam Rayburn but never heard of anyone eating them, so I didn't try. Next time I go back, I'm going to get some and try it.

[@Gullrica]

Again a very good video!

[@BobHansler]

+Gullrica It was nice in the river. Heading back to shoot a number of fishing and trapping videos in and around the water.

[@Gullrica]

Bob Hansler Sounds like good ideas!

[@haileysharma6448]

I'm trying to sell in Mansfield, they bring up good money for a thirteen year old, only in Massachusetts half of the twelve types of mussels here are endangered and protected by the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act so I have to learn how to tell different types of mussels apart and learn which types are OK to sell. I really enjoyed this video, wish me luck

[@soldtobediers]

Bob i warned you stories were gonna stir from within me from time to time, when watchin your operations. Remember doing this for the first time at age 9 with my dad at Lake Whitney around a small island just west of the dam in the 60's. Mom, Sister and i, could never get Dad to go swimming with us. So this was a real Dad Bonding Treat, for this child. Made the best channel cat bait... better than any other, even chicken guts. By passing the treble hook's eye shaft through their meat, it helped keep them on the hook, and the perch from stripping the bait. Never eaten them though. Seen plenty a empty shells along the banks of the Trinity River below Lake Worth Dam. Just 1/4 mile down the hill from where i grew up... They were always accompanied by massive raccoon tracks. Reckon they go underwater, a ways out, feeling em out too... As they've been, iv'e heard tell... Known to drown many a huntin dog that went in after them. Like an Outdoors Analyst Bob... i always feel healthier, and survival safer, each video you diligently provide. Bob, i name and date each comment and archive them for my Children and Grand Children's sake. So they could see just how Grandpa rolled on the... who, what, when, where and why of any subjects, that they too may well encounter. Kinda jump startin the resurrection if you will... for of all them Passed Granpas' that it took hatch me. -gilpin 2-15-16

[@mattheweburns]

Do you purge yours? Thanks for the video, cheers!

[@kakabangboomstick]

you seem like a cool guy. very relaxed

[@ihtnep]

Thanks for posting. Is there any rule of thumb for telling if the water is clean enough to eat the clams? Missouri, where I live, has advisories on eating certain fish from certain bodies of water, but says nothing I could find about clams.

[@johnburgin7478]

Have to use caution in the upper half of the state . Not sure if y’all have snapping turtles or not . Now you have me hungry for clams and linguine. Thanks for the tips . Didn’t know about some of endangered ones

[@marshingo5262]

i was eating clam chowder when i watched this haha

[@derpyturtle927]

Lol I went to black river and had to use my hands to dig through gravel and sand since I forgot a shovel and just found the smaller species. I couldnt dig deep enough to reach the bigger ones because by that time my hands were sore cold and cut up by the gravel. I got about 20 but they look nice in my fishtank

[@marcruel9401]

Get to know some Asians ( Thai, Cambodians) my favorite. We dig fresh water clams from buggs island lake, hardly bigger than your thumb. Stir fry with chili basil sauce. Absolutely my favorite meal, with jasmine rice!

[@fordrac1ng81]

How do you not have your own show?

[@BobHansler]

Appreciate the accolade. Might ust be a matter of time... or I might ust be on yourtube indefinitely. Either way, I enjoy what I do.

[@CircaSriYak]

It doesn't take much to land a role on TV these days. Of course with a big youtube channel, sometimes you'll get even bigger numbers than sometimes you see on TV.

[@j12barron]

Bob Hansler do you know if their are tiny little clams from the mountains of china I believe. I remember a few years back I saw in a Asian channel Chinese I believe hiking in a dense part of the mountains digging and they found these tiny little clams and I mean tiny and I saw them swallow a handful of them. I think it's medicinal of sorts or full of vitamins? I think they sell them in some containers. Any idea what species they might be???

[@yongjianyi3556]

Corbicula fluminea?

[@Sticky_Ricky]

Any tips on finding them in rocky areas? Ive seen literally millions of dead shells up and down the river near my hiuse but it kind of hurts to dig through sharp rocks.

[@northeasthardytropicals541]

Nice work

[@melaniemartin7592]

Well done video.

[@aguileraproject271]

Awesome video! I was wondering if it is possible to buy some clams from you? I've been looking for clams to add to my pond, but so far the one's I've found are for indoor tanks. Or do you know of a website that sells fresh water clams?

[@markgabrielcawaling5124]

Here in the Philippines we catch those clams during low tide :)

[@rileyderbyshire8521]

I'm from Texas! Unfortunately, I live in a town south of Houston, in the suburbs, but we're close to the coast. I don't have a lot of opportunities to swim in rivers and creeks, but when I get the chance, I certainly will try this and see if we can cook 'em up and have 'em for dinner!

[@rileyderbyshire8521]

Subscribed!

[@BobHansler]

+Riley Derbyshire It takes me a bit over 2 hours of driving North to hit H-Town. You are certainly in the right part of he country for this. Take pictures and keep me updated on what you find out there. Always looking for new haunts and interesting areas to explore and film.

[@soneasterzombie502]

There's a spot near Barker reservoir/ George bush park with a lot of water, and of course clams.

[@pearler2bb4]

Along the Brazos . The tampico pearly mussel can be found there .They make freshwater pearls . I saw one and heard the owner turn down $60,000.00 for it .Blue 13.9 mm round pearl .

[@Salix_nigra]

I was scared when you started off by saying you eat them but I'm so glad you put in the disclaimer about avoiding endangered and threatened species!

[@ellamae787]

We own a lake property, and there is like this beach and there are just these dead or empty clams on the bottom. It hurts to be there so I go somewhere else lol. But I wondered if any of them could be alive to eat.

[@worddunlap]

In salt water we use a thin metal rod, like a screwdriver to probe the bottom for clams. It's better to get them from deeper water where the tides do not expose them to air and sunlight. I've not looked in freshwater although if I was hungry I might give it a shot.

[@BobHansler]

+worddunlap That is an interesting idea. We get the largest ones in deep rock shelves where they've never been without water and are completely shielded from predators. Ive fond a few that were upwards of 12 inches wide.

[@erichpizer1]

I live in South Africa and I so wish we had freshwater molluscs or a variety of species available. we have absolutely nothing . I very much want to introduce them to my wetland filter and my koi pond for natural filtration but I guess I'll have to make alternative plans if I ever visit the us again and find out what can be done if you fly out to keep them alive and maybe ship them if it would be allowed

[@soralover]

Great video:D i started livin out yonder in Boerne texas o.o thats kinda out by San Antonio, is this anywhere near? ...Looks fun! Id like to try this with my grandparents sometime

[@boopbedoop4330]

you can clean out the shell and use It as a container for herbs and spices

[@howardjohnson2138]

I had no idea. Never even considered same.Thanks

[@BobHansler]

+Howard Johnson No one here even knows... Live their entire lives on the river and have never stopped long enough to notice.

[@howardjohnson2138]

I wished I'da know that in a previous life 'cause I'da Shirley dug some in my travels. Thanks so much

[@oblonghas]

super cool

[@SiTang]

thank you!

[@crikeycrikeys9699]

Very cool. I'll have to see if these are in my area. Usually there are things like locusts, packrats, squirrels, fish, even snapping turtles (you can't eat the alligator snappers where I live) but I think there are some easier things to catch that I may be overlooking... these clams look like the fastest possible way to gather meat without a trap or a weapon (or possibly even with one) so props to you on that haha.

[@reiancanoy4394]

Ah a fresh water clam...thats true it can grow even bigger almost 1foot.. We have that here especially in a muddy river where they bury themselves and if undisturb for many years it can grow bigger than u can expect..

[@GatorLife57]

Thumbs up. ENJOY....THE SIMPLE LIFE

[@timt9322]

There was a fishing hole here in Missouri that was full of huge clams. We never knew if they were ok to eat or not. They mostly hung out about 3 or 4 feet from the bank. Problem was too that the alligator snapping turtles were with them. I accidentally hooked one on a cane pole with about a hundred-pound test, Bent my pole double but didn't break, And took my brothers to help haul him in. They some nasty tempered beasts and immediately came after us. I was only 8 at the time and it kind of spoiled my like of fishing.

[@DustinPerezano-ne3dn]

Hey man im interested in this. Not to eat them , though. But for filtration system. !!! ??? I might even get some from you. I want live ones.

[@phillipdennison7475]

Did you find any pearls in that big old clim you're talking about

[@hanha1559]

Hey is there any way that i could get the clams which out going in the water?

[@kanukistanian]

Impressive. Unfortunately I do not see any clams in my home area of Lake Huron since the invasive zebra mussel appeared.

[@xboxaholic29]

Here in ny we use our feet to dig for the clams!!

[@weezerwookie]

how do you get a permit to handle and take freshwater mussels? also, is it safe to eat mussels from texas rivers? how do you cook them?

[@josemonsibais393]

that's cool man I now what I am doing to day

[@domingue4god]

Wow!

[@dalejerkins5235]

Do the clams and or oysters bury themselves in the mud?

[@sternstones4871]

I have always wondered about freshwater clams, i see BIG shells that racoons have dragged out onto pond banks.

[@Khelin1118]

We have an old method up here in New England and i call tarping. And it is exactly what it sounds like. Lay a tarp underwater and hold it to the sand with rocks. All clams under the tarp will come to the surface and try to push through. After a day remove the tarp, fan away the sand, and enjoy a pile of easily caught clams.

[@BobHansler]

+Dan Mcnamee Ill have to remember this. I'm assuming that this is in a marine environment?

[@Khelin1118]

+Bob Hansler yes I use this is salt water rivers/bays without as strong of a current

[@JM-zp1il]

Just found 20 fawnsfoot! Good eatin!

[@biofall38]

You can only do this if you own land in tx or know someone who does

[@roddywoodentertainment8889]

Most of those were mussels, not clams lol mussels are more oval shaped than clams (which are more rounder). The only one that was a clam was that small one which is an Asian clam called a Corbicula, which isn't native. The long oval one you threw back was a Texas Hornshell and pretty big one I'd say lol good content though, not many people mention mussels or clams. Keep up the good work Bob!

[@joybickerstaff194]

Hi ya Bob! After watching this video awhile back, I looked to see if Oklahoma had any endangered species, we do. I wonder if there’s a waterproof guide to clams, like my Guide to Game Fishes, I need to check on that, I want to give clams a try, I figure if they’re too chewy for me to eat, I’ll grind em up and make a soup! What r ur thoughts on dehydrating them and shelf life time??? As always, love ur videos and learn from ur knowledge!!! Thank u

[@BobHansler]

Depends on why youd want to dehydrate them. The clams are there year-round, alive and fresh. If you are looking into long term survival I’d consider saving that energy you’d spend preserving and guarding them for something else. Get them fresh or eat them in quantity to store as fat. Note though, humidity, insects and rodents make it hard here to keep food. You might have better environmental factors where you are.

[@joybickerstaff194]

Bob Hansler Hello Bob! The reason I asked on dehydrating them is u said they could be harvested year round, i thought that if I were to do that today, I’d be a human ice cube, as it’s freezing temperatures right now n Oklahoma. My thoughts on dehydrating them for the time being would be like a quart jar or to adding to soups for winter eating. Weather it would work or not, n a survival situation, I have thoughts on how I could harvest them n winter, not having to get n the water but keeping them n the river, and they would still be able to submerge themselves as they normally do. Thank u for replying, I always appreciate ur knowledge! Thank u

[@violettabutler836]

Thank you for returning the endangered species

[@iouzzr]

will the mud in river suck you in, is it dangerous?

[@xretrobox4203]

My friends and I live in the suburbs in south texas and there’s lots of em around the ponds throughout the neighborhood it seems like racoons eat them and leave behind the shells!

[@nathanlam9884]

Make sure you cook the freshwater ones well as some do have worms

[@laceyjane4285]

@Nathan Lam, oh no! So do bass and catfish in ponds. My uncle told me to look for spots on the tail and rolled up under the dorsal fin.And dam our own pond had them, kind of ruined the bass fishing fry for us after that !

[@railsworld8367]

Osome techinque fir finding water

[@CreeseDF]

does this apply to oklahoma too?

[@Leroy821000]

protect the clam!