- Newport Area Razor Clamming. Agate Beach and South Beach can be pretty good for razor clamming most years, although clam populations fluctuate.
- Coos Bay Area Razor Clamming. North Spit and Bastendorff Beach (either side of Coos Bay entrance) and Whiskey Run Beach (north of Bandon) can all have reasonably good razor clamming.
- Lesser Known Razor Clamming Beaches in Oregon. Not all Oregon beaches are as popular for razor clamming as those around Seaside and Warrenton. Meyers Creek Beach (Gold Beach).
Where are Oregon’s razor clams?
The 18 mile stretch of Clatsop beaches account for 95% of Oregon’s razor clam harvest. The razor clam population in this area is much denser than any other area in the state.
Where are the best places to dig for razor clams?
It is very important to note that all of the beaches north of Tillamook Head (Seaside, Or) to the end of the Long Beach peninsula are responsible for 90% of all razor clams dug in Oregon and Washington. These two areas are consistently better than all the other spots in Oregon and Washington.
What are razor clams and how are they harvested?
Razor clams are large, meaty, sweet-tasting clams that are prized by clam diggers. They have a relatively restricted range – 95 percent of all razor clams are harvested from 18 miles of beach in Clatsop County. These same beaches are closed to razor clamming from July 15 to Sept. 30 to protect the young clams. Razor clams are prized as table fare.
Where are the best clamming bays in Oregon?
(For other types of Oregon clamming, see: Best Clamming Bays in Oregon .) By 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. (Similar razor clam populations are located north of the Columbia in Washington.)
How many razor clams can you dig in Oregon?
Why are clams closed in Oregon?
How to dig razor clams?
How to tell if a razor clam is in the sand?
How old do you have to be to get a shellfish license?
Where to go razor clamming in Oregon?
Where to find razor clams in Coos Bay?
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Where can I dig for razor clams in Oregon?
Other areas that also have razor clams include Indian Beach (Cannon Beach); Cannon Beach; Short Sands (North of Manzanita); Cape Meares Beach (Tillamook); Agate Beach (North of Newport); North Beach and South Beach (Newport); Waldport Beach; North Umpqua Spit (Winchester Bay); Bastendorff Beach and North Spit (Coos Bay ...
Is razor clamming open in Oregon now?
Razor clams The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife annual razor clam conservation closure is now in effect from July 15 through September 30, 2022. This razor clam closure is for the Clatsop Beaches only, from the Columbia River down to Tillamook Head, including Seaside.
When can you get razor clams in Oregon?
Razor clam larvae typically set down in the sand in late summer, which is why the most popular Oregon beach clamming locations (everything north of Tillamook Head) are closed to harvest for much of the summer (July 15-Sept. 30).
Where can I harvest razor clams?
Razor clams can be found in intertidal and subtidal zones of bays and estuaries. They are filter feeders with short siphons, so they live just beneath the surface to feed. When low tides expose the bottom, they dig and burrow themselves deeper into the mud with their strong muscular feet.
How many razor clams can you keep in Oregon?
15 perCheck the regulations – Shellfish regulations are their own section in the Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations. The regulations describe legal harvest methods and how many clams of each species you can keep – from 15 per day for razor clams to 72 per day for purple varnish clams.
What time of day is best for clamming?
The best time to go is on a falling tide, at low tide, or at the early stages of the incoming tide; in other words, when there's more land than water. As for equipment, all you really need is some form of basket or bucket and a clam fork—a four or five-tine, bent fork with a stubby handle.
Do you need a license to clam in Oregon?
An ODFW license is required to recreationally harvest molluscan shellfish for those 12 years or older. Limits and open areas may change. Check for information about ODFW licenses online.
Where is the best clamming in Oregon?
Oregon's Best Clamming BaysTillamook Bay Clamming. The Garibaldi Flats on the west edge of town are one of the more popular clamming areas in Oregon, easily reached from a public parking area off 12th Street. ... Netarts Bay Clamming. ... Yaquina Bay Clamming. ... Coos Bay Clamming.
What months Can you clam in Oregon?
March, April, May. Clamming and crabbing areas open all along the Oregon coast. This time of year, opportunities may depend on low tides and safe surf conditions. After heavy rains, the influx of fresh water into bays and estuaries can temporarily chase crab into the saltier ocean waters.
Can you eat razor clams raw?
Enjoy them raw with salt and lemon juice. They are delicious just grilled on a flattop grill or simmered in a hot pot with butter and parsley, a few minutes until they open.
Where is the best place to dig for clams?
They tend to congregate along the shorelines, so I like to look for them in areas from the low-tide mark out to about 4 feet deep (at low tide). Pay attention to the seafloor as you are looking. Once you start finding clams, take note of the bottom type, and look for other similar areas.
How long can you keep razor clams?
three to four dayso Shellfish that cannot completely close their shells can be stored for three to four days. This includes horse clams, softshell clams, geoducks, and razor clams. Shucked Shellfish. Shellfish removed from their shells should keep in a refrigerator for up to three days.
What tide is best for razor clamming?
The lower the tide, the more area will be available. Minus tides are best, plan on being there two hours before peak low tide. When swells are lower clams are likely to be closer to the surface, and therefore easier to detect and dig.
What months are best to dig clams?
However, most digging occurs from April through September. The “table quality” of the clam is generally considered best in early summer, just prior to the July-August spawning. On the northern beaches, razor clam beds are exposed on any minus tide.
Do you need a license to clam in Oregon?
An ODFW license is required to recreationally harvest molluscan shellfish for those 12 years or older. Limits and open areas may change. Check for information about ODFW licenses online.
Are clams in season?
Clams. Wild clams are available year-round, though they're at their best from September through April. They spawn during the summer months, which can produce a more watery texture. Atlantic hard-shell clams, aka quahogs: Available year-round, but mainly April through September, peaking in early summer.
How deep do razor clams dig?
Razor clams have the ability of digging up to a foot per minute and have been found more than four feet deep in the sand. The 18 mile stretch of Clatsop beaches account for 95% of Oregon’s razor clam harvest. The razor clam population in this area is much denser than any other area in the state.
How to find a show in the surf?
Shows are found most commonly by one of two methods: Looking for small round dimples in dry sand or pounding a shovel handle in receding surf. Once you find a show, start digging either with a shovel or clam gun. Razor clams dig fast, so you must dig faster.
When is the best time to clamm?
Technique: The best clamming is during low tide (and minus tides are the best) and when ocean swells are low as that is when clams will be nearer the surface. When a razor clams extends its neck near the surface of the beach it produces a distinct “show.”.
Do razor clams dig fast?
Razor clams dig fast, so you must dig faster. Be careful reaching into the hole to retrieve your clam – they’re named razor clams for a reason. These clams has a very thin shell that can be easily broken by a digging shovel. This is why you are required to keep the first 15 clams you dig.
What is the best tool to dig for razor clams?
Clam shovels (left) and clam guns (right) are popular tools for digging bay and razor clams.
How many clams can you keep in Oregon?
The regulations describe legal harvest methods and how many clams of each species you can keep – from 15 per day for razor clams to 72 per day for purple varnish clams.
How to clean clams before eating?
Clean your catch. Soak your clams in fresh seawater – Before cleaning your clams, soak them in a bucket of fresh seawater for 30 minutes or so. This will cause the clams to expel any sand they’ve ingested, and keep that grit out of your chowder.
Where are razor clams harvested?
They have a relatively restricted range – 95 percent of all razor clams are harvested from 18 miles of beach in Clatsop County. These same beaches are closed to razor clamming from July 15 to Sept. 30 to protect the young clams.
Where to clam in Oregon?
Where to clam. Where to bay clam in Oregon – Almost all bays, beaches and estuaries on the Oregon coast have bay clams. This article links to maps of 11 popular clamming areas. Razor clams – Most razor clams are harvested from the beaches in Clatsop and nearby counties on the north coast. There are more ephemeral populations elsewhere in ...
What is a clam shovel?
A clam shovel has a narrow, angled blade to dig straight down in the sand.
How long is the Oregon coast sandbox?
Don’t forget the kids – Why wouldn’t you bring the kids to enjoy the 360-mile-long sandbox defining the Oregon coast. Clamming involves getting muddy, sandy and wet, and finding sea creatures – what’s not to love?
How many razor clams can you dig in Oregon?
Oregon Razor Clamming Licenses and Regulations. The daily limit of razor clams in Oregon is the first 15 (regardless of size or condition) clams that you dig. 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.
Why are clams closed in Oregon?
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.
How to dig razor clams?
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. Push the blade down vertically . Working quickly, make a couple of digs pushing the sand out from on top ...
How to tell if a razor clam is in the sand?
Razor clams leave a “show” in the sand. This telltale sign is a small hole or dimple in the sand about the size of a small button. Some shows even look light doughnuts with a raised area around the hole.
How old do you have to be to get a shellfish license?
Diggers who are at least 12 years old must have a shellfish license. For youths ages 12-17, there is a combined angling, hunting and shellfish tag. Adult diggers need an annual shellfish tag. All diggers must dig their own clams and keep them in their own container or bag. You may not possess more than one daily limit.
Where to go razor clamming in Oregon?
In and around the tourist towns of Gearhart and Seaside, with plenty of public beach access, offer plenty of easy to reach razor clamming at the southern end of Clatsop County. These beaches are barely more than an hour’s drive from parts of the Portland area, making them easy to reach for a day trip.
Where to find razor clams in Coos Bay?
If you live in Roseburg or Medford, this might be a place to find razor clams closer to home rather than driving to Seaside.
