Photo courtesy of Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Razor Clamming on Clatsop County Beaches These resources are linked at the bottom of this article.Īlso, for more information about razor clamming in Oregon, check out this Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife flyer. Razor clam closures often affect a select section of the coast.įind the latest razor clamming closures and other information on the ODFW website, including on its weekly recreation report. ODFW also has enacted temporary closures when clam sizes have been unusually small, in order to reduce harvests until the clams are a more desirable size for digging. Razor clam toxin levels rise and fall, and the state’s agriculture department determines through testing samples just when levels are safe again for human consumption. These short-term closures are most often enacted due to marine biotoxins, primarily naturally occurring domoic acid that can build up temporarily in clam meat and pose a health risk. Razor Clamming ClosuresĮven with the above regular seasons, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Oregon Department of Agriculture occasionally enacts temporary clamming closures. The remainder of Oregon beaches south of Tillamook Head are open year-round under annual razor clamming rules. Razor clamming is closed north of Tillamook Head from July 15 through Sept. You may not possess more than one daily limit. For youths ages 12-17, there is a combined angling, hunting and shellfish tag. Adult diggers need an annual shellfish tag.Īll diggers must dig their own clams and keep them in their own container or bag. You are not allowed to selectively release small or damaged clams, so learn to look for those bigger “shows” in an effort to grab the largest clams.ĭiggers who are at least 12 years old must have a shellfish license. The daily limit of razor clams in Oregon is the first 15 (regardless of size or condition) clams that you dig. Spend a few moments watching some of the most productive razor clammers (there will be plenty around) and you’ll quickly improve your techniques. Other legal methods include catching them by hand (gotta be fast!) or using a tube as described in the ODFW Marine Zone regulations. Quite a few razor clammers also use clam guns, which are easier to master, although the guns tend to break clam shells more often. Working quickly, make a couple of digs pushing the sand out from on top of the clam and then try to grab the razor with your hands. Start your dig by pushing the shovel blade into the sand about 4 to 6 inches away from the show, on the ocean side of that dimple. Using a special clam shovel is a popular and efficient way to dig razor clams, once you get the hang of it. Honestly, it’s not always accurate with every show.Ī show can be revealed more clearly by pounding the handle of your clam shovel on the sand while you scan the beach in front of your feet as you walk along just above the water line. Very generally speaking, the larger the show, the larger the clam hiding beneath, but this is only a rule of thumb to help you increase your odds at locating bigger clams. Some shows even look light doughnuts with a raised area around the hole. This telltale sign is a small hole or dimple in the sand about the size of a small button. Therefore, the lowest minus tide series starting in early spring are the most popular times to dig and the beaches from Seaside northward are covered with clammers. Several of the spring and early summer tides can be extremely low, which coupled with often-moderate conditions allows clammers to get to razors usually covered by pounding surf. However, these beaches can shift more and aren’t as consistent for razor clamming as northern Clatsop County. The remainder of Oregon’s coast has pockets of razor clam populations that some years can offer good clamming and sometimes very large clams. Razor clams like the sand type and the fact that the beaches here have been very stable since the construction of the Columbia’s jetties during the late 1800s and early 1900s. This part of northern Clatsop County is not only the best for razor clamming in the state, it’s also the nearest clamming for the largest number of Oregonians living in the greater Portland area. (Similar razor clam populations are located north of the Columbia in Washington.) (For other types of Oregon clamming, see: Best Clamming Bays in Oregon.) Where to Digīy far the largest population of razor clams in Oregon is located on the wide beaches from Seaside north to the Columbia River’s South Jetty, located west of Astoria. These large surf clams are considered a delicacy at fine restaurants serving Pacific Northwest cuisine, but they are yours for the taking … if you have a shellfish license, a clam shovel or clam gun, and some know-how. If you’re a fan of razor clams, the coming of extreme low tides is cause for celebration, especially on the northern Oregon coast.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |