Foraging native mussels

[MoCarp]

Has anyone eaten mussels gathered in our waters? I know some are quite common, some scarce even endangered.

Missouri regulations “Daily limit: 5, combined total of all species (except Asian clams, which may be taken and possessed in any number). This limit applies to live and dead animals.
Possession limit: 10”

 

[BilletHead]

4 hours ago, MoCarp said:

Has anyone eaten mussels gathered in our waters? I know some are quite common, some scarce even endangered.

Missouri regulations “Daily limit: 5, combined total of all species (except Asian clams, which may be taken and possessed in any number). This limit applies to live and dead animals.
Possession limit: 10”

 

                      No but don't think I have never thought about it .  On the way back machine I remember during examining they were very meaty looking and very good drum and channel cat bait. Do know that the MDC put out recipe for the introduced clams from Asia but thought those little things would be so much work to utilize. 

     If it is OK Harry, I will do a little hijack on your question.

       Now to another interesting deal I ran into. For what it is worth about mussels.  While fishing the lower Sac way below Stockton on my way back to a mud ramp access I seen a guy with a younger lady out wading the river on a gravel bar. I got out of the boat and watched them. One was looking through a glass bottomed viewing deal into the water looking at the bottom. My first thought was looking for projectile points. I asked about that, and he responded no looking for shellfish. Like crawfish and quickly he corrected me shellfish and crawfish were not a shellfish ;).  Right then I knew he was an academic professional. I am inquisitive and wanted to know more so asked more question. He said they were out of SMS doing studies. I told him I knew Professor Jack Ray out of the CAR (Center for Archeology Research) department out of SMS. Then he opened up and a great dialog was started. They were tracking mussels. What? Movements of and specific types of mussels on mussels-on-mussel beds. That was a mouthful. So, I knew they moved but not very fast and you can see tracks in sand where current has not washed the tracks out.  He told me of types which was all Greek to me. Then this study was partially being done because of extra erosion created by generation from Stockton dam. Some of the mussels were endangered. Then he said one of these mussels had a host fish that carried the larvae. His question for me was are there and walleye in this river? Yes, and I catch quite a few I answered. I explained there are year-round river residents and then quite a run out of Truman reservoir. He then went to explain how they mark mussels and how they track the movement. He pulled one out of the gravel bar and said to look here on this part of the shell there will be a number marked. Dang pretty neat I thought. Asked me to report if I found one dead or alive. Some mussels spend their whole life in a small area. I have since picked up a few and looked but no luck. I figure a needle in a haystack deal, but I suppose if you found a studied specific mussel bed chances would go up.  Next time I seen Jack Ray, he told me I heard you met (forgot the guys name). So, good or bad I made an impact on the Mussell professor to remember me. 

[Johnsfolly]

In my opinion mussel communities are way too fragile to even try and forage common species. Better off leaving them alone.

[Terrierman]

1 hour ago, Johnsfolly said:

In my opinion mussel communities are way too fragile to even try and forage common species. Better off leaving them alone.

You would know.  🎯

[FishnDave]

If anyone is interested in reading history of mussels from the Mississippi River used for making buttons in the early 1900's, you can read this article (and search for others):

http://www.semopress.com/mississippi-harvest/ 

[Quillback]

Never have eaten fresh water mussels myself, well the saltwater ones I have eaten and I like them, but they do have a distinctive taste that a lot of people don't like.  There are shellfish beaches open to the public in Puget Sounds and that's where I would get mussels.  They weren't real popular like oysters and clams so it was pretty easy to harvest them.  I would think that the salt water versions of clams and mussels are completely different species than the freshwater ones.  

I'm pretty sure Indians used to eat them, there are a lot of shell middens in the Tenn. lakes and rivers from Indian harvest.  

[BilletHead]

1 hour ago, Quillback said:

Never have eaten fresh water mussels myself, well the saltwater ones I have eaten and I like them, but they do have a distinctive taste that a lot of people don't like.  There are shellfish beaches open to the public in Puget Sounds and that's where I would get mussels.  They weren't real popular like oysters and clams so it was pretty easy to harvest them.  I would think that the salt water versions of clams and mussels are completely different species than the freshwater ones.  

I'm pretty sure Indians used to eat them, there are a lot of shell middens in the Tenn. lakes and rivers from Indian harvest.  

Middens or trash piles and here too Jeff. Evedince on bluff overhangs where erosion is exposing along upper Osage and sac rivers. 

[Quillback]

Which reminds me - Cioppino is an excellent shellfish and seafood dish.  I made it once myself and it came out pretty good, so that says something about it being easy to make if I can do it.  Lots of recipes out there if you do a search on it.

[Maverickpro201]

When we were kids and go on Camping trips we saned for bait. We always got mussels also. Grand Dad would shuck them and clean them and then fry them up in his special batter. They were really good, from what I remember. 

[MOPanfisher]

Tried to eat a mussel once, quite possibly the toughest thing I ever chewed on, but at least the flavor wasn't good.