Long Beach clamming tips

[bearhunter99]

Anyone have any tips for clamming on Long Beach?  We are in town through Sunday and went out this morning for the dig.  Weather was not great and the tide was only a +0.3 so I don't know if that affected the production?  We tried like hell but only ended up with one clam....  It did not look like the folks around us were doing much better.  We were up on the north end past the lighthouse, it has been years since we were here last when clamming was open but that seemed like the best spot back then..

Any tips on looking for good areas?  We found a few of the "clam holes" but tapping next to them didn't make any "squirt" showing the clams were near the surface.  We have only been clamming a couple of times to maybe we are doing it wrong?  If anyone is going to be around in the morning I would gladly supply a bottle for some assistance.  Thanks

[Stein]

Watch other people that are doing well.  Seeing the holes is 99% of the game.  When you see people finding them, look at the same level they are at.  Once you find one, look around as you pull the gun (if you are using one), many times one or more additional clams will show within several feet of the one you are digging.

[rainshadow1]

If you're running a tube, put it over the vent hole and lean SLIGHTLY towards the beach. Plunge, cover the air vent, and pull. Repeat in the same hole if it's deep and you didn't get it.

If you're digging, dig 6" to the surf side of the vent hole. Easiest when you're out far enough to keep things wet. Dig a hole elbow deep 'behind" the clam, big enough to reach into, without it collapsing. If it's wet, the clam will just fall into your hand.

If you see a vent hole ring, it's there. They maintain them with every wave.

[CastleRocker]

We started out just north of the "lighthouse" as well.  With the rain, they just weren't showing very well, so we moved to another "Super Secret Spot" south of the test beds, Hahaa!  We got a little bit of a late start, (4 and 6 year old Grandkids), so we didn't get on the beach until around 6:45.  We got a few, not even close to all our limits though.  We'll be put there again in the morning!

[GWP]

We hit Twin Harbors and had a tough time. Two people by us said it was the hardest they had ever worked to just get a few.
The ones we got were deep. Full depth with the tube, look in the hole and we could see it was there, then it is going nearly shoulder deep to dig them out grab them.