Muscles

Greene's Basin Girl · 11-23-2011, 08:13 PM

I only see old muscles in the lake that have been already been opened. Has anyone recently seen "fresh" muscles in L. Winnipesaukee?

Misty Blue · 11-23-2011, 09:44 PM

We have a family of mink that live at our (and our friends) shore line who eat them all Winter. They like the open water around my dock. In the Spring there are many empty shells all around the dock.

A few years ago we had some otters who would take them and break them open with rocks against their bellies and eat them. Way cool!

I was just curious. Do you think that Kraft Viva-Itailian would do the trick?

Misty Blue

Gavia immer · 11-28-2011, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Misty Blue

We have a family of mink that live at our (and our friends) shore line who eat them all Winter. They like the open water around my dock. In the Spring there are many empty shells all around the dock.

A few years ago we had some otters who would take them and break them open with rocks against their bellies and eat them. Way cool!

I was just curious. Do you think that Kraft Viva-Itailian would do the trick?

Misty Blue

Decades ago, mink were probably restricted to natural open water areas after "Ice-In". Today, with circulators everywhere, mink have flourished on the lake's mussels.

Since crayfish are also on the mink's diet, I think the reason some lakefront proprty owners have "no crayfish" is that they have circulators/bubblers operating nearby.

Grant · 11-28-2011, 10:36 AM

Mussels are filters. So if you're looking for a good source of everything gross in the Lake, chow down.

If you wouldn't eat lake trout because of mercury levels, why would you eat a filter that soaks in all manner of septic runoff, animal scat, mercury, petroleum, phosphates, etc., etc., etc.?

(Not that I haven't been tempted many times over the years...and, yes, I have tried the crayfish -- not really comparable to the mudbugs so coveted in Louisiana...)

JTA · 11-28-2011, 09:59 PM

A number of years ago a friend of my son (who happened to be a dedicated Boy Scout), collected some muscles and decided to cook up a muscle stew. It was terrible but edible. Maybe in this economy ..... ?

DBreskin · 11-29-2011, 05:58 PM

Just for clarification:

Muscle - 1. a tissue composed of cells or fibers, the contraction of which produces movement in the body or 2. an organ, composed of muscle tissue, that contracts to produce a particular movement.

Mussel - any bivalve mollusk, especially an edible marine bivalve of the family Mytilidae and a freshwater clam of the family Unionidae. (shellfish)

Misty Blue · 11-29-2011, 07:06 PM

Gavia immer:

What a good point! My pals and I have noticed a real reduction in the crafish population in recent years. I was guessing that it was due to the increase of the loon population.

Years ago we had the only aquatherm in the neighborhood and had many crayfish. Now almost everyone has one and the crayfish are gone.

There are crayfish on Glines island. (Well, not exactly "on" the island) and they live in the loon sanctuary. Lot'sa loons, lot'sa crayfish and no aquatherms! I think that you hit the nail on the head! Thanks!

BTW, D Breskin: How right you are! Sorry, my phonex sux!

Misty Blue

AC2717 · 11-23-2011, 11:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Green's Basin Girl

I only see old muscles in the lake that have been already been opened. Has anyone recently seen "fresh" muscles in L. Winnipesaukee?

the sand bar behind bear island has a lot of them, still closed. my daughter and i dive for them (you know that whole 2-6 feet) and examine them and then drop them back in.
She is 5, it is fun!

gtxrider · 11-24-2011, 12:46 AM

Many years ago (1969) a friend of Italian descent ate the muscles in tomato sauce. I did not eat any since I am not a fan of the little slimy things be from fresh or salt water.

P.S. there are live muscles off of Sandy Point.

NoRegrets · 11-28-2011, 09:00 AM

There are plenty of the living mussels that you can see in the Irwin Marina in Guilford. They "walk" on their "foot" and leave a crooked mark in the silt behind our boat. In the winter they become food for either otters or mink that fish them out and snack on them from swim platforms. You will see a consolidation of shells at the end of the boats in the spring.

11-23-2011, 09:44 PM	#2
Misty Blue Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 658 Thanks: 121 Thanked 283 Times in 98 Posts	Yummy? We have a family of mink that live at our (and our friends) shore line who eat them all Winter. They like the open water around my dock. In the Spring there are many empty shells all around the dock. A few years ago we had some otters who would take them and break them open with rocks against their bellies and eat them. Way cool! I was just curious. Do you think that Kraft Viva-Itailian would do the trick? Misty Blue

11-28-2011, 10:36 AM	#4
Grant Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Pennsyltuckey, Tuftonboro, Moultonborough Posts: 1,510 Thanks: 387 Thanked 234 Times in 128 Posts	Mussels are filters. So if you're looking for a good source of everything gross in the Lake, chow down. If you wouldn't eat lake trout because of mercury levels, why would you eat a filter that soaks in all manner of septic runoff, animal scat, mercury, petroleum, phosphates, etc., etc., etc.? (Not that I haven't been tempted many times over the years...and, yes, I have tried the crayfish -- not really comparable to the mudbugs so coveted in Louisiana...) __________________ "When I die, please don't let my wife sell my dive gear for what I told her I paid for it."

11-28-2011, 09:59 PM	#5
JTA Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Fort Pierce, Florida Posts: 233 Thanks: 34 Thanked 25 Times in 21 Posts	Muscle Stew A number of years ago a friend of my son (who happened to be a dedicated Boy Scout), collected some muscles and decided to cook up a muscle stew. It was terrible but edible. Maybe in this economy ..... ?

11-29-2011, 07:06 PM	#7
Misty Blue Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 658 Thanks: 121 Thanked 283 Times in 98 Posts	Minks! Gavia immer: What a good point! My pals and I have noticed a real reduction in the crafish population in recent years. I was guessing that it was due to the increase of the loon population. Years ago we had the only aquatherm in the neighborhood and had many crayfish. Now almost everyone has one and the crayfish are gone. There are crayfish on Glines island. (Well, not exactly "on" the island) and they live in the loon sanctuary. Lot'sa loons, lot'sa crayfish and no aquatherms! I think that you hit the nail on the head! Thanks! BTW, D Breskin: How right you are! Sorry, my phonex sux! Misty Blue

11-24-2011, 12:46 AM	#9
gtxrider Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Piscataway, NJ Posts: 1,030 Thanks: 2 Thanked 46 Times in 24 Posts	In sauce! Many years ago (1969) a friend of Italian descent ate the muscles in tomato sauce. I did not eat any since I am not a fan of the little slimy things be from fresh or salt water. P.S. there are live muscles off of Sandy Point.

11-23-2011, 08:13 PM	#1
Greene's Basin Girl Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Moultonborough, NH Posts: 1,515 Thanks: 394 Thanked 527 Times in 269 Posts	I only see old muscles in the lake that have been already been opened. Has anyone recently seen "fresh" muscles in L. Winnipesaukee?

The Following User Says Thank You to Misty Blue For This Useful Post:
Greene's Basin Girl (11-24-2011)

The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Gavia immer For This Useful Post:
Jonas Pilot (11-28-2011), Pineedles (11-28-2011)

11-29-2011, 05:58 PM	#6
DBreskin Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Wolfeboro NH Posts: 283 Thanks: 143 Thanked 121 Times in 76 Posts	Just for clarification: Muscle - 1. a tissue composed of cells or fibers, the contraction of which produces movement in the body or 2. an organ, composed of muscle tissue, that contracts to produce a particular movement. Mussel - any bivalve mollusk, especially an edible marine bivalve of the family Mytilidae and a freshwater clam of the family Unionidae. (shellfish)

The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to DBreskin For This Useful Post:
JanN (11-30-2011), Lakepilot (11-29-2011), RailroadJoe (11-29-2011), wolfegirl (11-30-2011)

The Following User Says Thank You to AC2717 For This Useful Post:
Greene's Basin Girl (11-24-2011)

11-28-2011, 09:00 AM	#10
NoRegrets Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Hudson - NH Posts: 408 Thanks: 233 Thanked 212 Times in 88 Posts	There are plenty of the living mussels that you can see in the Irwin Marina in Guilford. They "walk" on their "foot" and leave a crooked mark in the silt behind our boat. In the winter they become food for either otters or mink that fish them out and snack on them from swim platforms. You will see a consolidation of shells at the end of the boats in the spring.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Switch to Linear Mode Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode