Collecting cockles

[Blossom]

Has anyone tried? Any tips? Best times and places?

 

Thanks.

[Lazy Cow]

Has anyone tried? Any tips? Best times and places?

 

Thanks.

 

We used to go to Goolwa beach when the kids were younger. We'd go with friends, dogs, barbie, nibbles etc.

 

I can't remember the details but I think you can only collect them during certain months. I know the cockles have to be a reasonable size and you can be stopped and have your catch examined to ensure you haven't gone over your entitlement.

 

What I do remember is doing the twist whilst calf-deep in water, then reaching down to find the cockle. If you're lucky one find leads to a few all together . Then driving home with big bins full of cockles and water so the fishermen could freeze them.

 

Don't forget, if you do want to eat them, the poor things need to be put in a few soaks of fresh water so they spit out any sand/salt.

 

LC

[Blossom]

Thanks, I had no idea about the fresh water bit. :-)

[jtct]

We used to go to Goolwa beach when the kids were younger. We'd go with friends, dogs, barbie, nibbles etc.

 

I can't remember the details but I think you can only collect them during certain months. I know the cockles have to be a reasonable size and you can be stopped and have your catch examined to ensure you haven't gone over your entitlement.

 

What I do remember is doing the twist whilst calf-deep in water, then reaching down to find the cockle. If you're lucky one find leads to a few all together . Then driving home with big bins full of cockles and water so the fishermen could freeze them.

 

Don't forget, if you do want to eat them, the poor things need to be put in a few soaks of fresh water so they spit out any sand/salt.

 

LC

 

heavy fines if you are caught collecting out of season. (we used to add a small handful of flour to the water to help purge them)

 

Pipi (Goolwa cockle)

 

The taking of Pipis is prohibited between 1 June to 31 October (inclusive).

During the open season recreational fishing for Pipis is prohibited on the Younghusband Peninsula (Coorong Beach) between the Murray Mouth and 28 Mile Crossing.

 

A reduced daily bag limit of 100 Pipis per person, per day west of the line of longitude 136ºE (Cape Catastrophe) was applied to recreational fishers prior to the commencement of the 2011/2012 Pipi fishing season.

 

More info on

http://www.pir.sa.gov.au/fisheries/recreational_fishing/fishing_limits/species/marine/pipi_goolwa_cockle

 

Edited June 29, 2013 by jtct

[Blossom]

I must have had my times totally mixed up. I thought it was winter when you could collect them. Doh

[Lazy Cow]

I didn't know that about the flour!

 

Well, with those dates, I guess we must have gone in Spring! As I don't like fishing or eating cockles, we just went to have fun. The fishers got what they wanted, the dog had a run, the kids had a splash around and I had an opportunity to pretend I had been exercising as that twist, especially in the water, takes a bit of effort lol!

 

I'm sure Tyke held a cockling meet up a couple of years in a row? We didn't go but I believe they were well attended so maybe he will pop on to the thread with some wise words (that would be a first!).

 

LC

[Blossom]

I'm finally going to go cockling in the next few days. Yay.

Going to goolwa, any tips on the best part of the beach?

[Guest Guest75]

Pops up as expected..............

 

I would have quoted the link but Jane beat me to it.

 

Yep - 3.5cm or over - have a few sticks with that measure on or buy a cockle measure ( in Angler's Choice).

 

300 per person from Goolwa / Coorong. - You need 4WD to get on that beach!

 

 

Ensure you meet the regs as there are loads on Fisheries Officers about ( not as if I suspect you would do wrong!).

 

No best bit of the beach but bear in mind the easier and nearer parts will have been well gone over by now!

 

 

Just shuffle your feet in the sand and up they come!

[Blossom]

Thanks very much. :-)

We do have a 4wd. :-)

 

And not to worry, I'm a stickler for the rules. :-D

[Blossom]

We went today and it's great fun!

We only got maybe 150, but enough for a dinner and some bait.

I hadn't realised you have to purge them for quite so long (most things are saying 24 hours or so) so we will have them for dinner tomorrow now.

[Guest Claire-n-tel]

Well Done!.....

 

I did it once with my uncle & cousins in ireland, i think i was about 8, we were at it for hours, i was so excited to get to eat them, and then so disapointed when i discovered i thought they were disgusting!