HELP with Clamming

[wildwild]

My family and I will be going to a state park near Netarts bay camping this weekend. We plan on trying to get some clams. We just don't know what we are doing. We went last year and got a couple of small ones but it wasn't a very productive trip. Can anyone tell me of a place to go..Either Netarts or Tillamook where ( without a boat) we can get some clams. Also what do we need to go..
Thanks,
Dennis

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Kiss me..
I drown bait for fun!

[Matt H.]

Wild,

You picked a great weekend for clamming. The tide is going to be great on saturday and sunday. About -1.5 at 9:00 am on sat, and -1.6 at 10:00 am on sun. I am going clamming then myself. Make sure you arrive at least an hour before low tide to give yourself enough time to get some.

I am going to Garabaldi (North of Tillamook about 9 miles). Take a left on 12th street, and then a right to get to a parking area. You will see a ramp and some stairs to get over to the area. There will be lots of people.

First off, you've got to get the right equipment. You will need hip type waders becuase the main clams are still going to be in a foot or two of water. You will need a long handle rake of some sort with the metal head (Not the leaf rake type). Im just using the garden variety claw rake, although some people use the 5 claw type. Then of course you need a gunny sack (or those ones that you get onions in) and a bucket for later on. Use the gunny sack while you are hunting the clams, as the bucket will float away.. hehe =)

Then the technique: From what I saw the old timers (read Experienced Clammers) doing, they just waded out in the weed beds, and sorta raked slowly across an area. The clams are not far below the surface.

Oh, by the way, the clams you will get there are cockles. In my humble opinion, one of the best tasting clams there are.

After you have collected your clams, you need to get a bucket full of seawater and let the clams soak overnight! Very important unless you like eating sand. The clams will clean out overnight. Leave them at room temperature. Do not put ice or anything around them or they will die (found that out the hard way when i brought some back in a cooler).

Also, if you dont feel like wading, you can use a hand trowl or hand rake thing to dig around the rocks and get butter clams. This requires a bit more work, and the clams are a lot smaller. Best bet is to try for the cockles.

One last tip, go past the rocks till you hit the small beach. Look on the beach for small mounds of sand, usually a cockle will be hiding underneath, or just plain lying around on the beach. Most people dont even look =).

Best of luck, and dont forget to check the regulations.

Matt

[Deleted User]

If that doesn't work out for you Dennis and you still want to get some clams w/o a boat, try the blackjack tables at the Barn Tavern on the south end of T-town. ARGH/LAME! as Jen would say. It's the pain pills (excuse to be silly for awhile).