I posted the following request at the beginning of the year, but I figure it was ripe for a poke. I am still very much involved in my studies and would love to see any shells people might find in Wonderful Texas!!

Hello all,
I am a student studying American freshwater mussels. I live in Massachusetts where unfortunately there are not that many mussels to find. I am looking for people who come across the little (sometime not so little) buggers when outdoors. I would love anyone who finds the muskrat middens on the side of the rivers/lakes (or how ever they come across the mussels) to box up a bunch of paired fellas big and small and send them my way. I am only looking for dead/spent shells, not live ones. I collect and study and write about all the different species. I'm not concered about big or small, the more different ones the better. Anyone who would be able to help me with my studies by just picking up a bunch of the spent shells you find while fishing would be a HUGE help in my studies. I would certainly compensate you for your effort and of course pay for shipping too. I am primarily looking for matching pairs (not single valves) and ones that are not totally broken (they don't have to be absolutely perfect with no chips at all, but the cleaner with their natural "skin" the better). I've been trying to make contacts with people across the country that naturally run into mussels while out fishing or hiking that might be able to just pick up shells they come across without it being a big hassle for them. I can't thank enough anyone who would consider helping me with this project. You can contact me through this site or directly at kczaja@fas.harvard.edu. Thank You!!!!! And good fishing!!!
-Kevin

The lake level is high right now so it may be a while before I run across any. I should find some on the river this winter.

You got my curiosity up. I had no idea there were so many species in my own backyard.
http://outdoorplace.org/shells/local_shells.html

Hey all you Concho valley area folks- are't there mussels in the Concho rivers? I understand the rivers were named "Concho" because of the mussels found in them.

The Concho Pearls do come from mussles from the rivers in our area. However, there is very little access due to private land dating back to Spanish Treaties which provide ownership of the river bottoms. Most of the accessible river bottoms are dredged and kept pretty bare.

spiny norman, that's a great website. I see loads of mussels when the water is down here. I thought they were all the same. Next summer when the water is down I'll do some collecting.

I usually fish a small pond down the street from my house in Irving and have caught mussels on several occasions. Most of them were still alive?? I guess they still had a mussel in the shell since the were quite heavy. I also have pulled up empty ones already open. Hooked them using night crawlers. The pond I am mentioning is stocked by the Tx Parks and Wildlife am not sure if there is a reason mussels might be in the pond. Next time I hook one I will let you know.

Sorry to go OT but you have it wrong throwback; the land owners have mineral rights to the bed but do not own the riverbottom. This is a common misconception among both landowners and river users. As long as you have legal access to the river (bridge crossing, road crossing, payed entrance to private land,etc) you're fine as long as you stay wet and off the riverbanks. Think about tubing on the Quadalupe.

KMC - We have 5 or 6 different kinds of freshwater mussels around here. They get up to about 8" across (heelsplitters) when is your report due ? I could probably send you some but the largest ones are hard to find connected. You might PM me with your mailing address.

There's a descriptive name!

Not wanting to hijack the thread and I apologize but, tell that to the canoer that was shot by a land owner a couple of years back. Not disagreeing with you but, the canoer never had a chance to argue in court. It certainly does make one think twice about ownership rights and whose interpretation will prevail.

In SW Texas there are several Rivers that YES the landowners DO own the River Bed. This as mentioned dates back into the 1800's, and has not been changed. The Devils River that flows into Amistad is one of these. There are even articles in the TPWD magazine about it and warning you to not port or wade without permission from the landowners.

Go here and read the law:

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications...nnedy_faq.phtml

You will have to show us an artical warning us that we are tresspassing if we are standing IN the river. OLD land grants stated the owners actually owned the streambed but the State of Texas took control of the State of Texas long ago and law now reads as stated above in Bills2006 post above in the TPWD publication. You have access to the streambed. I have canoed the Devils River many times and have revisited this topic often. Facts are I have the right to canoe down the river and even camp in the streambed if I choose. That being said, knowing law and actually trying to convince an angry landowner in the middle of nowhere not to shoot you is a different subject.

Thank you all who have replied and offered to help! I am sorry I'm a bit delinquent in getting back. Between Thanksgiving and the end of semester, I've been a bit OT myself! My project is ongoing and my freshwater mussel studies will continue for at least 5 years, so there is no rush at all. I would love to see any spent shells big and small that you could share! I will pm as well.

Hello Spiny norman,
thank so much for the offer to help this winter! I look forward to anything you might find.
-Thanks again, Kevin

Thank you Ben,
next summer would be fine!
-Take care, Kevin

Thank you I appreciate it!

Btw, since native freshwater mussels spefically use fish to reproduce (by attaching spawn to their gills as temporary parasites), mussels could have come in with the stocking effort.