The first clam dig of the season is scheduled to take place Friday and Saturday on four beaches. Digging will be allowed at Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis and Mocrocks, if tests indicate clams are safe to eat.
Test results were expected to be released no later than Monday, along with the approval to go ahead with the dig, said Dan Ayres, state coastal shellfish manager.
No digging will be allowed before noon on any of the beaches. The best digging is typically an hour or two before low tide. The low tide Friday will be at 8:28 p.m., measuring -1.8 feet. On Saturday, low tide will be at 9:17 p.m., -1.5 feet.
State officials and staffers from Olympic National Park are still discussing options for digging at Kalaloch, Ayres said. The beach was closed to digging last spring because managers were concerned with population declines.
Licenses: All diggers age 15 or older must have an applicable 2011-12 fishing license to harvest razor clams on any beach. Licenses, ranging from a three-day razor clam license ($6.60 for a resident adult) to an annual combination fishing license ($52.25), are available on the department’s website at https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov and from license vendors.
Basic rules: A digger can take 15 razor clams per day. Each digger’s clams must be kept in a separate container.
People are required to keep the first 15 they dig to prevent wastage. Wastage was an issue last season at Twin Harbors, where people were not keeping smaller clams they damaged while digging.
Digger safety: Because these early digs take place on evening tides, Ayres cautioned people to be extra careful. Waves pose a danger to diggers, especially at night. Ayers warns people to be careful when swell heights reach 11 feet. Anything above that, he said, people should consider leaving young children on higher ground. You can check near shore wave heights at ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=46041.
Also hang a glow stick or some sort of light from the rearview mirror to help you find your vehicle.
Planned fall/winter digs
Here is the schedule of proposed razor-clam digs:
Nov. 11: 6:48 p.m., -0.4 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
Nov. 12: 7:23 p.m., -0.4 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
Nov. 25: 6:27 p.m., -1.9 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks
Nov. 26: 7:14 p.m., -1.8 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
Dec. 10: 6:30 p.m., -0.5 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
Dec. 22: 4:40 p.m., -0.9 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
Dec. 23: 5:29 p.m., -1.4 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks
JOIN THE DISCUSSION | Register here
We welcome comments. Please keep them civil, short and to the point. ALL CAPS, spam, obscene, profane, abusive and off topic comments will be deleted. Repeat offenders will be blocked. Thanks for taking part — and abiding by these simple rules. A thorough explanation of rules of conduct can be found in our Terms of Service. If you have any questions, including why your comment may not be showing immediately after you submit it, be sure to visit the commenting FAQ.