Long Beach razor clamming

[NOCK NOCK]

Happen to be here and found out there’s a razor clam season starting tomorrow gonna give it a go but know little about doing it. Any ideas where to go on the beach pretty much any approach?
Got a gun and know to look for little holes indicating clams below

[hookr88]

Just head out on any of the beach accesses and look for the other clammers. One hour before and two hours after low tide. You want to look for quarter to half dollar sized craters. Sand shrimp make little volcano cones. You might see the necks protruding at the water line. Some people thump the sand and look for the clams to squirt. I typically just look for the crater with a different shade of sand(grayer)

[hookr88]

Oh yea you want to slightly angle your gun, 10 degrees to the water. Look in the hole first for the clam, then the sleeve of sand. Happy clamming

[NOCK NOCK]

Thanks. Any particular area on the beach(I know closer to water at low tide) just miles of beach….so I guess anywhere, or where ya see a crowd

[hookr88]

I usually drive about a half mile from the access, where the crowds thin out. Then hit the beach and start looking.

[HntnFsh]

I always like the cranberry approach west of town. But most will work

[CastleRocker]

We go north of the Oysterville approach.   Always seems like the Surf Perch bite better up there after we get our clams.  We'll be up there in the morning.

[trophyhunt]

Oh yea you want to slightly angle your gun, 10 degrees to the water. Look in the hole first for the clam, then the sleeve of sand. Happy clamming

10 degrees to the water or away?  We always tilt it away from the water.   If you feel a “crunch” going down, take your thumb off the hole and move on, broken shells or cut off diggers sucks.

[NOCK NOCK]

I always like the cranberry approach west of town. But most will work

That’s the one we’re planning on.
Should be a good time. Have not done it for 40 years, and weren’t planning on it this trip, ill prepared in gear and clothes, but we’ll figure it out.

[EnglishSetter]

Oh yea you want to slightly angle your gun, 10 degrees to the water. Look in the hole first for the clam, then the sleeve of sand. Happy clamming

10 degrees to the water or away?  We always tilt it away from the water.   If you feel a “crunch” going down, take your thumb off the hole and move on, broken shells or cut off diggers sucks.

The "book" says 5* toward the water.  Straight works pretty well.  If facing the water (safest way), the 5* is pretty natural.

Damaging clams and leaving them violates the spirit of the law. 

It ain't hard to clean broken clams.

[C-Money]

I was in Westport Thursday/Friday. I heard folks talking about the up coming clam dig. Would have really liked to have participated. Never enough time over there.

[hookr88]

Oh yea you want to slightly angle your gun, 10 degrees to the water. Look in the hole first for the clam, then the sleeve of sand. Happy clamming

10 degrees to the water or away?  We always tilt it away from the water.   If you feel a “crunch” going down, take your thumb off the hole and move on, broken shells or cut off diggers sucks.

If your facing the water tilt the handle away from the water.

[PsoasHunter]

Oh yea you want to slightly angle your gun, 10 degrees to the water. Look in the hole first for the clam, then the sleeve of sand. Happy clamming

10 degrees to the water or away?  We always tilt it away from the water.   If you feel a “crunch” going down, take your thumb off the hole and move on, broken shells or cut off diggers sucks.

This could just be a miscommunication, (gun tip towards the water or handle away from the water are the same thing, just worded differently), but if you're tilting your gun away from the water, handle towards the water, you're definitely doing it wrong. That could be why you're crunching them. 

Also, if you do feel that initial crunch, just back out, adjust your angle or placement, and go back in. You can usually tell which part of the tube you're hitting the clam with and adjust accordingly. No need to destroy it and waste the resource.

[NOCK NOCK]

Success. Only cracked a couple. Was lots of fun. No idea we going clamming till we got here,  Need better clothing next time

[PsoasHunter]

Success. Only cracked a couple. Was lots of fun. No idea we going clamming till we got here,  Need better clothing next time

 

Great eats right there, way to get after it!

[hookr88]

Took my 3 grandkids for their first time on the last opener they had a blast. Today is clam chowder manufacturing day

[CastleRocker]

I lectured our grandkids this morning, and they didn't break too many.  Made them clean their broken ones.  Took about a half an hour for 6 limits.  Mixed bag between large and small.  Will try a different spot in the morning.   Surprised at how few people were out though!  Was pretty nice.  Caught some Surf Perch, but didn't keep any, as they were pretty small.

[NOCK NOCK]

One more question. Cleaning. There is a piece inside (2nd siphon?) that is full of a "creamy" stuff. do you eat that or scrape it out? We did remove anything that was blackish, and the tip of upper siphon.

[HntnFsh]

Leave it

[hookr88]

I think what you’re referring to is the foot. That is perfectly edible. You just need to clean the end next to the gut ball.

[PsoasHunter]

One more question. Cleaning. There is a piece inside (2nd siphon?) that is full of a "creamy" stuff. do you eat that or scrape it out? We did remove anything that was blackish, and the tip of upper siphon.

That is the foot aka the digger, it's the best most tender part of the clam. The creamy white stuff is fat, the spring clams are usually full of it, don't scrape it out! That's fantastic food right there, you can't buy that!

[metlhead]

Chop up that foot for chowda.

[NOCK NOCK]

 Yes it is the foot/digger (still learning) even at 59.    Thanks for the help all!