Geoducks

[Stein]

There are a lot easier clams to get than for bait then geoducks, that's a pretty crazy way to get crab bait.

The WDFW website is pretty good for clam beaches, they list them all, some basic info and then the map showing which are open or closed due to safety or something else.  It will take some on the ground research to find which ones have the types of clams you want as well as where they are on the beach.

[Norman89]

Fine with me, time on the beach with kids and wife is a good time even if we don't bring anything back

[509]

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.

No help on finding geoducks.

However, I use to buy them at the grocery store in Colville.  These days you have to special order them!!!

For cooking.  Find the best, richest clam chowder recipe. 

Replace the clam portion with an extra helping of geoduck.  Cut into clam size portions before cooking them in the chowder.

You will NEVER eat clam chowder again.  I cannot believe that people still make clam chowder!!!

[GWP]

Don’t know how long you have lived in Wa State, but you REALLY need to know your regs BEFORE you collect ANY critter of ANY type. And writing about it? You could very well loose your license for a year or more if they find this. Even if YOU don’t think it is a ‘big deal’.
Are the regs a mess? Yes. Will that make a good defense? No.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

Private property has different rules.
He is probably ok harvesting..

[GWP]

Correct. Private beach rules are different. I did not see that mentioned.
Wife visited a friend and came home with a couple buckets of clams years ago. I was pretty antsy until I found out they were from private beach front.

[bigdave]

When I was a kid, my family used to got to Birch bay for vacation every summer. I called it Clam Camp cause we dug full limits for our family.... 45 of those horse clams every day for a week. My dad and I would be so sore from shoveling wet sand we needed a vacation from the vacation. Sure made great clam chowder for the winter month though. Now the red tide is so bad, it's never open for digging in the summer. 

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

I grew up listening to geoduck stories by my relatives, and eating them, but had not dug any myself until about 5 years ago.
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I made my own tube out of a plastic barrel, and spent 3 days at dosewallup.
Got 1.
Talked to biologist checking and 500+ checked with 6...
He told me to either go to boat only access points, or private.
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I contacted my cousin that lives in Suquamish about getting access.
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That works much better!
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Although digging one for myself is about all I can handle, I have the tube, and equipment.
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The horse clams are entertainment, the geoducks are the "trophy"
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I much prefer getting the Manila clams, oysters, etc..
But the natives can put one heck of a feast over an open fire with horse clams, I tell you what!
All they do is clean them and sear over fire, delicious..
Although, grinding up and making fritters, or chowder is what they did with most of them.
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