You go out in the bay or ocean, where ever there is enough current to keep the nutrients fresh in the water and you take this rake gizmo that has a basket right behind the rake prongs and you drag it along the bottom...you see clams bury themselves down a little bit so they are partially exposed. The prongs hit the clams and you dislodge it (the clam) from the bottom and it scoops into the basket.
Our beach has mostly quogues...these are old big clams - sometimes the entire thing, shell and all, weighs a pound or two. They are only really good for baked clams and the shells are perfect holders....you put the mixture in them after prepared and bake them in the empty shells....well you have to be there.
It is 145pm and 85 degrees and I have one more chore to do and then I'm going to go get me some...but the truth is that I don't care one way or another...the idea of being shoulder deep in the water, feeling my way across the bottom and every once in a while finding something that has been in the water for 40 years waiting is not to be missed. My blood pressure falls just thinking about it.
ps...15 in about an hour.....