South County offers many locations for shellfishing adventure

Experienced clammers and those new to the activity will find plenty of places to dig for quahogs, Rhode Island’s state shellfish, on Block Island. Take the Block Island Ferry over from Narragansett [Point Judith] or Newport, RI and get hunting! Check for permit requirements, rules and regulations on state and island websites before heading out. You’ll want a clam rake, clam-sizing gauge and peck-sized clam buckets (or a garden rake, ruler and small bucket will do). Look for depressions in the sand (or squirting!) – that’s often a quahog clue. The best time to go clamming is just before low tide, when the shellfish are just below the sand surface. Clamming is allowed between sunrise and sunset. And all your bounty must be for personal use — they’re especially great in chowders, or as “stuffies.”