clamming 101

Once again, we headed for the coast, in search of the elusive Razor Clam. This time, armed with a new aluminum gun, our hopes were high. I got to use the new gun because it is lighter, and I have a recovering shoulder. And yes, I probably shouldn't be clamming, but shit. I am so bored. And it isn't like you have to wrestle the clams from their little hidey holes. Well, sort of.

There is so much to know about clamming. The big boys use a small slanted shovel with a long narrow blade. They say it is a challenge. But I don't want a challenge, I want clams with a minimum of effort. And without getting wet. That's the part I never really talk about. Clamming would be so much easier without all that water rushing in and out just when you have one in your sights. Freaking waves. And as we cursed the monotonous unpredictability of the sea, the damned spring sun bouncing off the glittering sand, rich with pyrite and bits of white shell, blinding us, we managed to get about 15 between us: me 5, him 10.

Clamming 101

What you need:

A shellfish tag.
A clam gun. Screw the old school guys. You can get them at Razorclams.com. (the guns, not the guys.) or GI Joe's.
Get a pair of waders, waist high, and rubber boots. And a coat and hat. Get the hat in Carson City and you too can look like "Heidi goes clamming." you can visit a. while there.
A shovel, or just take a long heavy stick with a rounded end. A shovel is best for the weight. This is for "tamping."
Get a stylish black fishnet clam bag, or strap a gallon jug to your belt, but its way cooler to have a net.
Ask around for a good place to clam. We go to Gearhardt Beach by Seaside.

This is all by way of preparation. Now, this is how it is done:

Check your newspaper for tide tables. Find the lowest possible tide, a minus tide is best.
Make sure the minus tide is on during the daylight hours. (People do actually clam at night, with lanterns. It's eerie. We've done it, but it was cold and scary and really flies in the face of that old time honored principle about never turning your back on the ocean.)
Start clamming about 2 hours before low tide.
Get as close to the water as you are comfortable and begin searching.
Walk slowly, tamping the sand with your stick (bouncing the bottom round end about every foot or so), carrying the gun in the other hand.
Look for little spouts of water -- really little -- and a dime sized hole that drops, like the sand is sinking suddenly in that one spot. This is called "showing."
Quickly, position your clam gun over the spot. Quickly. The 5 inch circle of the gun should be placed so that the "show hole" is at the point of the circle nearest you.
Slant the gun slightly toward the ocean. (you are trying to catch the clam. The clam seems to know this and begins always to run under the sand toward the ocean, so you want to position the gun to get him as he moves that direction.)
Shimmy the gun straight down (little slant) over what you hope is the clam, as quickly but carefully as you can. If you hear a crunch, it is the clam, back off and adjust. Go again.

The gun works by suction. Somewhere on the handle is a small air hole.


Once you have pushed the gun into the sand a foot or so, and you think you have the clam, put your finger over the air hole and pull the gun up and out of the sand, bringing the plug of sand, and hopefully the clam, with it.
Slowly, release the sand from the gun, holding your hand over it, ready to catch the clam as it comes out.
The clam will be anxious to get back into the sand, and will make a quick getaway if possible.
Rinse it off and stick in the net bag.

One down.

You can only get 15 clams each. That's the limit.
You have to keep any clam you get, so if you get a little one, you have to keep it anyway.
If you crunch one, you have to keep it.
Be honest.
There is like a 500 dollar fine to help you with the honesty part.

I'll post about cleaning them. This is nasty. It will take awhile after learning this to actually eat them.