How hard could it be? I’ve been out collecting oysters only twice. I figured that it couldn’t be that hard. They’re sitting right there in nice big mounds of oysters, just waiting to be picked up, brought home and steamed. Well, both times I went it was a soggy, sloppy mess! I’ve watch videos and they show how simple it is…pull up to the oyster mound, hop out of the boat, walk along the bank reaching down to pick up a cluster, knock off the dead, empty shells and put the big juicy singles in your bucket. Well, it’s all I can do to keep myself from sinking thigh deep in to the mud! Then struggling to keep my boots on and not having them get sucked off in the mud. And the oysters that I do get are no bigger than the shrimp that I catch.
Am I going to the wrong spots? Are there mounds of oysters growing on more dense pluff mud and that are larger sized? How can you tell which mud to walk on and which to leave? As with all things marine related, there has to be a better way. Anyone have any suggestions?
THANKS!!
You might be one of those people like me who puts a lot more lbs/sq in on the bottom of their footprint. Makes it tougher but not impossible.
PM incoming
Ha… Is that the new politically correct way of calling someone fat.
quote:
Originally posted by mhebbardYou might be one of those people like me who puts a lot more lbs/sq in on the bottom of their footprint. Makes it tougher but not impossible.
PM incoming
quote:
Originally posted by mhebbardYou might be one of those people like me who puts a lot more lbs/sq in on the bottom of their footprint. Makes it tougher but not impossible.
PM incoming
HEY NOW!>>… maybe I have a low center of gravity? I was thinking about trying some snow shoes!! Distribute the weight over a larger surface area!!
try not to walk around with your mouth open. the weight of all those love bugs will make you sink faster
Just run the bow up on the bar and reach over the side and pick them! No need to get muddy:wink:
There’s a reason people pay for a bushel of oysters, and a pound of jumbo shrimp. It’s easy! Ever shook hands with an oysterman or a shrimper? I’ve picked my share, and fun was never part of the outing, and throwing a cast net off the bow of a bouncing boat into the wee hours never made me want to get up and go again the next day. Dead sticking a chunk of cut mullet in a favorite fishing spot while listening to the music play, and chilling out in the bean bag on the bow is the ticket for me. Tying knots in braided line on a windy day is almost enough to call fishing work…almost:)
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Originally posted by bulldog1There’s a reason people pay for a bushel of oysters, and a pound of jumbo shrimp. It’s easy! Ever shook hands with an oysterman or a shrimper? I’ve picked my share, and fun was never part of the outing, and throwing a cast net off the bow of a bouncing boat into the wee hours never made me want to get up and go again the next day. Dead sticking a chunk of cut mullet in a favorite fishing spot while listening to the music play, and chilling out in the bean bag on the bow is the ticket for me. Tying knots in braided line on a windy day is almost enough to call fishing work…almost:)
Yeah…it is a lot of work and is messy. But, when you live in the lowcountry you’re obligated to give this stuff a try!!
I kept 2 2’X 2’ pieces of plywood with a hole in 1 corner. I laid them on the mud and moved them as needed to support my weight as I picked oysters. the hole was so I could drag them clean on the way home
I’m a heavier dude, but I never have issues sinking in the mud.I think it all depends on where you’re harvesting oysters from. Some grounds are muddier than others I suppose. Find better ground 
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Originally posted by flywattI’m a heavier dude, but I never have issues sinking in the mud.I think it all depends on where you’re harvesting oysters from. Some grounds are muddier than others I suppose. Find better ground
^^^^
I use a five gallon bucket with holes in the bottom, carry a claw hammer to remove all the dead shells and wear an old pair of welding gloves. the only time I’ve had some trouble with sinking is when I look close to the grass for some selects. I then dump my five gallon bucket into a shrimp basket and give them a good swirl in the water before putting in the skiff.
I’ll take a good cluster and lay in one hand and break apart with the claw hammer. takes a little longer but worth it. and leaves shell material on the bed. I hate steaming a mud filled oyster. Some areas you can find some really nice singles that have broken off a cluster. I look for the shiny white outer edges to judge a live one.
I wouldn’t use a nice boat doing it, I think that’s why I still keep the old skiff.
https://scdnr.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=cbef2c2a0f9449fa87dd25c7117ad865
I’m a big guy, 300lbs. I do not sink where I go, you can walk on the other shells if you have to. One time I was being lazy and threw all the oyster in the boat, then knocked off the culls. Bad, bad, bad idea. I was chasing baby stone crabs out the boat, and had a muddy mess in the boat. Its aluminum with a plywood floor. I cut my finger once, now I use kevlar gloves, they are not that expensive, but they have to say kevlar cut proof on them.
I go here…
https://www.google.com/maps/@32.6638378,-79.9545736,97m/data=!3m1!1e3
And don’t seem to sink.
It might take a few times and some trial and error to make it a 20 minute trip, the drive to the landing is longer then I spend in the boat.