Geoducks

[Mech]

I’ve always heard we had geoducks here.
The videos I saw had people digging near 3 feet using a garage can with the bottom cut out to stop the sand from backfilling the hole.

I have a bad back  so I said screw that and never gave it a second thought.

Today was an odd day.
I went out to drop my crab pots in on a very low tide and got the heck squirted out of me.
I look down and it was a geoduck.
I look around and they are all over the place.
I tried to hand wrestle several big ones out but they won.

After I set my pots I went and got my shovel and the blue suction clamming thing.
The suction clamming thing was worthless.
The narrow clam shovel did work.

I ended up with a couple of smallish ones.
I don’t think I’m doing it right though.
I might run a sump pump with a hose next time so I’m not unnecessarily injuring them.

So how should I cook these?
I saw a video that blanched them, removed the skin off the dick, thinly sliced them and served raw sashimi style with a sauce.

That said I kinda wannna smoke them.
Any ideas would be great.
Thanks.

[Mech]

Here is a pic

[Jake Dogfish]

Horse clams. 

[knighttime25]

Those are horse clams. Here's a pic for reference. On the left are horse clams, right side are geoducks

[HikerHunter]

agree that they are horse clams

[bhawley76]

good crab bait!

[Parasite]

Illegal to use a sump pump and hose for geoducks  read your regulations.

[paguy]

Remove the hide just like you would with a geoduck. Cut the neck open so it lays flat, Tenderize it with a meat tenderizer like a Jaccard. roll it in flower and fry it with a little Johnneys seasoning salt. Very good eating.

[Mech]

Yes they are horse clams.
My bad.
After they set a bit they grew out to about 8 inches.
I did wonder about the pump and knew I had to research it because I did hear it might not be legal.
Thanks for that because I do need to know all laws pertaining to what I harvest.
We plan on marinating them in lime, onions and cilantro as a dinner appie.

Thanks again.

[Norman89]

I thought there were only certain beaches where you could harvest all the different clams we have? Iv been reading the regs trying to figure out when and where to go for geoduck Manila's cockles and little necks. Never met anyone that chased them before just see the occasion video pop up on YouTube making me want to try it all

[pd]

I’ve always heard we had geoducks here....

So how should I cook these?
I saw a video that blanched them, removed the skin off the dick, thinly sliced them and served raw sashimi style with a sauce.

Yes, just like that.  Those horse clams are actually a pretty good size.  If you want to know more, PM me any time.

[KP-Skagit]

I thought there were only certain beaches where you could harvest all the different clams we have? Iv been reading the regs trying to figure out when and where to go for geoduck Manila's cockles and little necks. Never met anyone that chased them before just see the occasion video pop up on YouTube making me want to try it all

Shellfish management is a little complicated as there are two places you have to watch, the Department of Health and WDFW. Generally the WDFW has the whole state open to most clams (other than razors) with special rules for a few specific beaches. Ala Spit on Whidbey Island is an example, its only open in May. Then the DOH theoretically tests the shellfish to see if they are safe to eat. So it is possible for WDFW to have a beach open but the DOH to close it. It is also possible for the DOH to say all good but WDFW to have something closed.

[Norman89]

So certain beaches may have a "season" while others do not, but can be closed to harvesting is that correct?

[KP-Skagit]

Correct. Though I suppose if you are just getting them for crab bait then maybe the DOH stuff doesn't matter.

Here is the DOH map:
https://fortress.wa.gov/doh/biotoxin/biotoxin.html

[Tbar]

Correct. Though I suppose if you are just getting them for crab bait then maybe the DOH stuff doesn't matter.

Here is the DOH map:
https://fortress.wa.gov/doh/biotoxin/biotoxin.html

Bait clams need to be dyed and recorded on a ticket.