hey guys, what is the story with mussles? Can you just go and pick them around our waters? would they be as good as some of the ones you get at the store? I love em and I was in a spot recently where I was walking over tons of them. However, the ones I was walking over at low tide looked to be all opened and picked... is that the birds or why are they like that? How do you go about harvesting them?

I can't speak for every town, but most everywhere, mussels are there for the taking--no shellfish permit necessary.

Ones you pick yourself will almost always be fresher and better tasting than what you get from a store--as would be the case with any shellfish.

I've only eaten smooth shelled mussels--the ones with ribbed shells are rumored to be not as good to eat :confused:

How does pollution effect the mussles? How would one check which places would be safe to eat. This thread is makin me hungry...

I can't speak for every town, but most everywhere, mussels are there for the taking--no shellfish permit necessary.

Ones you pick yourself will almost always be fresher and better tasting than what you get from a store--as would be the case with any shellfish.

I've only eaten smooth shelled mussels--the ones with ribbed shells are rumored to be not as good to eat :confused:

I work with the guy who owned Blue Gold Mussel farms. indeed the ribbed ones are not very tasty.

Just keep an eye on any "red tide" warnings in the area where you may be harvesting.
(As an added treat, stripers will also cruise along mussel beads looking for an easy meal.)

How does pollution effect the mussles? How would one check which places would be safe to eat. This thread is makin me hungry...


I know, some nice mussles marinara...or garlic white wine sauce.. mmmmmm

Rye beach at low tide is a great place to walk and pick.. Found a nice 2# lobster in the tidal pools there too..Wonder if that was legal

Rye beach at low tide is a great place to walk and pick.. Found a nice 2# lobster in the tidal pools there too..Wonder if that was legal

no.

anybody have any advice about how to pick good ones?

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Good thing i got rid of the evidence :biglaugh: :devil2: :jump1:

How does pollution effect the mussles? How would one check which places would be safe to eat. This thread is makin me hungry...

anythin near marinas i would stay away from. i ussually go get where the current moves the water a round to make sure they are not s#^&#^&#^&#^&#^& in stagnant water that holds polutants easier. other than that, have fun pickin!

anybody have any advice about how to pick good ones?

Here's the deal from my afore mentioned co-worker.

1. If birds are eating them, they are most likely VERY safe to eat. Birds have a much lower tolerance to pollution than we do.
2. stay away from red -tide, obviously.
3. High current areas produce better tasting mussels.
4. Thin shelled mussels, have grown VERY fast. Therfore are more meaty and more tender. (His eye lit up when he descrinbed these)
5. Stay away from polluted areas.

That's it. He has eaten the ribbed shelled mussels. He HATES them.

Aren't the 'ribbed mussels' for her pleasure :fishslap:

I was thinkin damons point on the north river would be a good spot for mussels on a low tide tons of them there.

Here's the deal from my afore mentioned co-worker.

1. If birds are eating them, they are most likely VERY safe to eat. Birds have a much lower tolerance to pollution than we do.
2. stay away from red -tide, obviously.
3. High current areas produce better tasting mussels.
4. Thin shelled mussels, have grown VERY fast. Therfore are more meaty and more tender. (His eye lit up when he descrinbed these)
5. Stay away from polluted areas.

That's it. He has eaten the ribbed shelled mussels. He HATES them.


dude this is great advice, looks like I'm bringing a nice bucket on my next trip!

Jenn and I had mussels steamed with linguica for supper last night. Funny this came up. Ribbed mussels we called horse mussels back in the day. Seems that there were more them than now. Our last struggling wild bed was wiped out in a week by starfish about 6 years ago. Last night's dinner was farmed-plump and sweet. Buy a bag for about 3 bucks only 1 iffy discard in 2pounds. Yuuuum!

We pick them in RI all the time while clamming they are delicious!! Hard to decide which is better clams or mussels...

I will usualy just buy them at stop and shop but when down the cape I make trips fish markets. The best and biggest (3-4 bigger than most) were at a Chatham fish market. I dont know if they were from chatham because shellfish usually grow better in certain areas. Just steamed em up with a can of budweiser.

Just because birds are eating them doesn't mean they aren't polluted. If they have a lower tolerance, it doesn't mean they can taste the contamination. Birds also eat poison ivy berries. That lobster in the tide pool required a permit to take it,...but may have been way too tempting to check on that issue!

That lobster in the tide pool required a permit to take it,...but may have been way too tempting to check on that issue!

Even with a permit, the only legal way to take lobsters is by trapping them. ;)

I know that in Connecticut with a permit you can take them with SCUBA or snorkeling equipment, take by hand,...just can't use hooks, spears, or other listed equipment.

You can take lobsters in Mass scuba diving with a permit as long as they are legal size.

Do mussels make good bait for anything?

Mussels make good bait and chum for flounder & blackfish.

I had local ( East Bay) mussels last week and the meats were plump but still a little silky. Maybe another month or so and they'll be nice and plump. Alot of the mussels you see in the stores are from Maine. Not many if at all are there guys dredging in Narry Bay. The tiny crabs that sometimes live inside the mussels prevent them from being marketable. When the time is right I'll take a local Narry Bay mussel over a Maine mussel any day. Mussels are good chum for conch also.