Washington Coast Razor Clams

[@jwhit2678]

It was great to meet and chat with you. Thanks again for all the tips. I wish you the best on your travels.

[@SoundFishing2020]

Thank you. It was really nice to meet you as well. I hope to see you again. It's always nice to be around great people.

[@olyprospecting6419]

Dang nice clams! Good sized. I went out last weekend for the first time at Twin Harbors. Great time, but no one limited out. I see you going straight down. I was told to go at an angle towards the ocean. I cracked just about every clam I got. I'm going to try going straight down. Thank you!

[@SoundFishing2020]

Awesome! I'm glad you were able to get a few. The clams are oriented ever so slightly angled toward the ocean. One thing I do is offset the clam show just a little bit (3/8") with the bigger gap towards the ocean when digging straight down. If you're still hitting clams you can stop as soon as you hear the first crunch and reposition the gun to dig again. Usually, only the shell will be cracked, and the clam will be intact. Keep at it, and you'll be a pro sooner than you think!

[@olyprospecting6419]

@@SoundFishing2020 Thank you for the tips! That makes total sense of going off center of the show.

[@SoundFishing2020]

You're welcome. Best of luck. If you don't mind let me know if it helped after your next dig.

[@olyprospecting6419]

@@SoundFishing2020 Absolutely! Heading out next Saturday to Copalis. I'm pretty much hooked on diggin' now lol Especially after the clam chowder I made with the last haul!

[@SoundFishing2020]

I bet the chowder was amazing! I'll be out there next weekend as well. It's a lot of beach and people but if you see me be sure to say hi. Best of luck next weekend.

[@thejavi2912]

Cool, I was just in Ocean Shores! Once again, a great video!

[@SoundFishing2020]

Hopefully, you were able to get some razor clams. Thanks for the feedback.

[@Katies_Modern_Life]

I swear he makes this look so fun omggg

[@SoundFishing2020]

Thank you. It is fun, and I love seeing comments like this!

[@saechowinak99]

Very Well explain and showing really well details.

[@SoundFishing2020]

Thank you I appreciate the feedback.

[@tracymeskel2839]

They are a definitely the Cadillac of clams. Some say they are too good to make into chowder. But I had a chef tell me, that your chowder is only as good as the clams you put in it. So don’t be afraid to use your clams other than for frying. They are excellent in everything you make with clams. We are full time travelers, and we always come back to the PNW, for clam digging.

[@SoundFishing2020]

We always try not to put them in chowder, but when we do, it certainly does make it taste better. I think the chef has it right! Happy travels, and enjoy the PNW!

[@qingyili1560]

Thank you for your sharing 👍 I wonder where can I find this tool for getting the clams.

[@SoundFishing2020]

I ended up getting the clam guns and mesh bags at Cabelas. I recommend getting an aluminum clam gun. They are only a few dollars more, last a long time, are lighter, and don't rust.

[@qingyili1560]

@@SoundFishing2020 okay 👍 l got it thanks 🙏

[@radrenegade2282]

Another great vid!!

[@SoundFishing2020]

Thanks brother, I appreciate the continued support!

[@Jason-ig1kg]

New favorite PNW youtuber

[@SoundFishing2020]

I appreciate your support. Thank you again.

[@BilboSandbaggins]

How would I transport them home? I love 4 hours from the coast. Just put in tap water or does it have to be salted water?

[@SoundFishing2020]

The best way to transport razor clams is dry and in a cool spot. Covering them with cloth soaked in seawater can help. It is also best to clean them as soon as possible and get the meat into the refrigerator. I put mine in a cooler and they will live for 24hrs or more.

[@SoundFishing2020]

It is not recommended to transport them in seawater, unless for just a short time. In seawater they continue to respirate and as a metabolic by-product they produce ammonium. In a closed container they begin to suck that back in and that can lead to an off-taste in the clam flesh. In freshwater they die and begin to deteriorate - the same when stored directly on ice.

[@uli3119]

I live two hours away from the coast. I’d invest in a pretty good cooler. I bought an Orca cooler recently and Im going to test it out here soon. Before I was using a cheapy coleman one from walmart with no success. The ice melted too fast and left the clams soaked in freshwater which made them no good. I upgraded slightly to an igloo also from walmart. That worked better but still really bad at keeping the ice solid on my two hour drive back. Due to this I was limited to the lower coast but with the new orca cooler which I predict is much much better I believe i will be able to haul back my clams if i decide to go farther up the washington coast to get razor clams.

[@SoundFishing2020]

I like to put a towel soaked in seawater between the ice and clams. I also keep the drain open to keep water from accumulating in the cooler. Seems to work pretty well, but let me know how the cooler works when you use it.

[@evita9084]

I never see this claim in Italy, where are you fishing that?

[@SoundFishing2020]

Ciao, this is Washington State in the USA.

[@evita9084]

@@SoundFishing2020 Grazie for the answer 😊

[@kpnitrl38]

I made it 600 thumbs up!

[@SoundFishing2020]

Thank you! I appreciate it!

[@ConnieLong-s1e]

What time of year do you dig

[@SoundFishing2020]

This dig was February of 2023. Now is an excellent time to get out there. The clams are really big.

[@paulrodriguez4924]

Visiting Long Beach in June, is there anywhere I can rent equipment? I would love to take my 7yr old clamming.

[@SoundFishing2020]

Paul, I'm not aware of anywhere in Long Beach that rents clam guns. You can pick up one made from pvc for around 20 dollars. Make sure to check the regulations to ensure its open to digging too. I'm not tracking a dig in June. All that said I highly encourage you to take your 7yr old with you. All my kids loved it and still go with me today.

[@paulrodriguez4924]

@@SoundFishing2020 thank you

[@SoundFishing2020]

Absolutely you can also try clamming for steamer clams in the Puget Sound. My kids liked raking them when they were younger. I've got a few videos on it. Best wishes and good luck on your next adventure.

[@paulrodriguez4924]

@@SoundFishing2020 awesome I will definitely look into it. It will be our first time in the area so I'm looking for things to do with the family.

[@SoundFishing2020]

I hope you have an enjoyable visit

[@PhuocNguyen-en4iz]

Any one please where is this place?

[@SoundFishing2020]

This is Twin Harbors near Westport, Washington.

[@kpnitrl38]

Not sure if this has been asked but can I be a solo commercial clamor and make enough money to make it worth my while?

[@SoundFishing2020]

I'm sorry I can't answer that. Fresh Razor clams are expensive so I'd imagine you would do well. Just a guess though.

[@JER313]

Just got home from clamming 1st time went with a dnr

[@SoundFishing2020]

I hope your trip was successful.

[@carlostapia8040]

Im new , i hope a can catch some in mexico

[@SoundFishing2020]

Unfortunately, these clams are only found in the Pacific Northwest.

[@davebailey4200]

i never herd of a razor clam an very surprised how there in the sand pretty amazing stuff

[@SoundFishing2020]

They are easy to dig too and are excellent to eat. If you get a chance I recommend trying them out.

[@davebailey4200]

@@SoundFishing2020 yes definitely have to try it out do they taste like clam chowder

[@SoundFishing2020]

They make excellent clam chowder. The meat isn't as chewy as other clams.

[@shanivafawkes1756]

Much easier just to pour salt in the hole!

[@SoundFishing2020]

Unfortunately, that does not work for Pacific Razor Clams (Siliqua patula). The clam you're thinking of (Ensis magnus) is found in Europe and parts of the North America East Coast. Those clams, also called jackknife clams or razor fish, can be harvested using salt. The ones I'm harvesting in this video CAN NOT be harvested with salt. I've seen several try salt over the past 30 years. Unfortunately for them, they were wasting time and money and always left the beach empty-handed only to return with a clam gun or shovel the next trip.

[@robertabarabash4427]

Those clams are NOT razor clams! They are geoducks. Look them up!

[@SoundFishing2020]

Sorry, you're mistaken. These are Pacific razor clams, Siliqua patula. The Pacific Geoduck is Panopea generosa and lives in the Puget Sound. The Razor Clams featured in the video were all dug on the coast, not in the Sound. Best of luck with your clam identification in the future. Big fines for getting it wrong.

[@olyprospecting6419]

Dude should delete this comment. Ignorant much!?