Looking to try some new things in washington waters

[Norman89]

I have spent my whole life fishing freshwater for all species, with limited play in the salt water. Razor clams, oysters, manilla class, crabbing are all super fun and I love doing those so why not take advantage of the salt water some more?

Things that have caught my interest, but I have never done before
Squidding
Uni (sea urchin)
Geoduck
Horse clams
Cockles
Butter clams
Shrimping

Coastal foraging some would call it I guess?
Each is there own thing I know, but damn is it hard to find any I formation on any of these like a rough location, or even someone who has done it before. Lots of tight lips!

Have you done any of these? What was cost of admission like basic tools and supplys, and how much fun did you have? What is your favorite to eat? I'm a big sushi guy, and several of these are key ingredients, and I'm hoping to start making my own sushi with some fresh wild ingredients. Not to mention I think my kiddos woukd have a good time doing these things as well

[highside74]

You can do Butter Clams on the Hood Canal by Dosewallips state park. We do it every year. Take small buckets and some garden hand rakes. You can get oysters while there but you have to shuck them and leave the shell.

[MADMAX]

Dont forget your seaweed/shellfish license
It’s Washington after all🤪

[Bareback]

This is the best time to clam.  Cockles require nothing but boots on the ground. Just walk and pick up. Manilla and butters require some digging. The reason I like the winter so much is because you can leave them in a five gallon bucket (with water) for a few days and they spit all the sand. If u put a cheap aerator in the bucket they will stay alive over a month.  Most all the public beaches on Whidbey have clams.

Squidding is just OK. It makes for a long night when u get home. I’m a big fan of calamari but not when I’m skinning the squid. The experience was cool though. Watching them dart from the dark to grab your jig is entertaining. And the occasional shot of ink is funny, at times.

Now spot shrimp………. The ocean’s tenderloin.

Thanks for bringing this topic up. I should go clamming.

[HntnFsh]

I wouldnt eat a horse clam!

Have a place in Brinnon so have done a lot of that stuff.  Its pretty fun!

[pd]

2nd the derision on horse clams.

[fishngamereaper]

Squid. Fun, best results with boat, lots of work little reward
Uni.. we've dove for them. Just ok
Geoduck. Delicious. A shovel and low tide.
Horse clams...crab bait
Cockles...meh...under impressed
Butter clams..easy shoveling...butter fried in the half shell...yum
Shrimping..boat, gear etc...most expensive. Delicious though.

Don't forget steamer's....love me some steamers

[Norman89]

Seems there is a lot of opportunities around hoodsport area from what I have read for a lot of this stuff. Seems like the uni is mostly open ocean area like slip point and sekui. Why the aversion to horse clams?

I can work with the boat I have a few of those haha, been watching for some used shrimp pots to come up and a pot puller as well, 400 feet of handling doesn't sound like a lot of fun to me

[HntnFsh]

Theres a complete Brutus line hauler on Ifish right now for $500 Says he will deliver within a 100 miles.

[Fidelk]

You don't mention it but how about the open ocean. Some great trips out of La Push and Neah Bay area.......lingcod, halibut, rockfish. I'd take my kids out to the Sonoma County coast (No. Cali) at a very low or minus tide. They would collect a bucket or two of sea urchins and Uni was their meal. Showed them how to find abalone under the rocks on minus tides.

[Alchase]

You can do all those things on Hood Canal. Though urchins are few and far between anymore. Geoducks can still be found though no where near the numbers of 30 years ago. And geoduck casserole is friggin amazing!
As others have said, horse clams are nasty!
Use the necks for perch bait.

[Norman89]

I'd like to do some bottom fishing as well, but I don't think my 14' with a 8hp engine is good for that ill have to get my dad to go and take the sled out for that

Geoduck casserole?

[Alchase]

I'd like to do some bottom fishing as well, but I don't think my 14' with a 8hp engine is good for that ill have to get my dad to go and take the sled out for that

Geoduck casserole?

The 14’ would do fine on the canal. Kings, flounder, sole are available. If you want halibut to oh would be better in a bigger boat on the straights, or the ocean.

[Alchase]

Geoduck casserole?

Yep, huge pieces of geoduck
If you like clams, you should love geoducks. Basically a clam on steroids. Great for chowder as well. 

[metlhead]

Being in Yelm, just head out to Willapa. Plenty of places for clams, no digging required. Years ago my daughter discovered that barefooted, you can feel them real easy. So nowadays we do the 'Willy Shuffle' and get our limits in about 20 minutes.

[Jake Dogfish]

They are all fun to me.
A couple of things mentioned in this thread.
People confuse butter clams with steamer clams.  Also Squid do not need to be skinned.  Been there and done that.

[jackson7]

razor clams on the coast. shovel or clam gun and minus tide along with days open and good to go. my favorite to eat.
good luck 

[Alchase]

They are all fun to me.
A couple of things mentioned in this thread.
People confuse butter clams with steamer clams.  Also Squid do not need to be skinned.  Been there and done that.

 

All good points!

[Norman89]

Spent last weekend going up and down hood canal and mapped out all the public beaches I can access. It was a plus six tide and by the time I was coming back south from stopping at quilcene it was about a plus 2. I was still able to get 9 oysters off eagle creek beach, sat in the sun shine and slurped them down. Seemed a little sweeter tasting then the south sound oysters I'm used to. Thank you to everyone that commented and reached out with Information and Intel I really appreciate it!

[The scout]

They are all fun to me.
A couple of things mentioned in this thread.
People confuse butter clams with steamer clams.  Also Squid do not need to be skinned.  Been there and done that.

 

All good points!

  X2 people were talking about getting butters with a rake, they are like a foot deep and a lot of work, not sure what clam they are really getting. But in my opinion the best clam by far there is. Horse clams are great also, just got to pound out the necks.

[kball4]

Man there are places on the Hood Canal you just use a regular garden rake and you could get your 40 steamer clams in 5 minutes everyday.  Then walk closer to the water and get your oysters.