Time to plan for for a combo fish/clam weekend...

RAZORS

although I heard that there is a blob of red tide looming off the coast...

Yep that blob is about 30 mi long and will kill the season if it hits the beaches.

No!!! I have been waiting patiently for the season to open. The forecast was for a very good harvest this year. This would really be unfortunate considering we didn't get to clam two years ago. And we have such a nice beach for it! Arghhhh...

CF

I'm not worried about the blob. The researchers have only been studying these offshore blooms for a few years, and so it's quite possible that a 30-mile stretch of the stuff is not that unusual. It is interesting to note, however, that it is swirling off the north coast, and that the northern beaches, ie Kalaloch, are the most susceptible to higher domoic acid levels. The researchers suspect the "Columbia River plume," or flows out of the Columbia, protect the southern beaches from the stuff. Anyway, I'm figuring we gonna dig come Oct. 14!

Can you say razor clamming and drift boating the hump.I can't wait.Good luck,
STRIKE ZONE

Still, be prudent, take caution and watch the news and WDFW news releases regarding the algae bloom. This is NOT the same class of algae that triggers the domoic acid closures as in the past.....it is worse and has been noted to kill larger mammals such as birds and seals. I read where a California seal die-off a few years back was caused by this same algae. If ingested, it could have the same tragic results on humans.

If the blume does reach our beaches, maybe we should invite the snaggers of the state to a free weekend clam dig.

You're a braver man than I. I FEAR THE BLOB!!

AAAAAAAHHH!!!

(This could make a dandy grade B movie)

I fear more the massive mossback razors that escape my gritty grip as the surf surges .... Arrrrghh!!!!!!!

Last year I saw a guy get a death grip on a foot-long monster clam. It pulled him under the wet sand. He was never seen again.

this is the way they will kill the clam dig even if it hits or not..

It looks like we're good to go

http://wdfw.wa.gov/do/oct04/oct1204a.htm

YEAH

Any reports?

i didn't go myself but was told that they are running on the small size

Gotta agree with the small size remark.... at least off of the casino area. The limits of 15 apiece that my daughter and I took Thursday night weighed about as much as 4-5 of last springs mega-clams from the same area. Pretty damn small if you ask me.

Dug out from the Long beach approach thursday.Worked our butts off for limits of small clams 3 1/2"or so.Went to oysterville and ran up the beach quite a ways Fri. Started out getting really nice big clams.Then they just quit showing.Drove back towards Oysterville a mile or so.Nobody getting clams.Another mile or so started getting them again by chasing the surf.Fibished limiting on more of the reall small ones.

I dont understand why they were running so small after being so long since the last harvest,

A couple other observations.
A lot of sunken commercial crab pots on the beach west of Oysterville.

I couldnt believe the amount of female egg bearing crabs at the Long Beach approach.Looked like a clam show.But would be a crab.I found a lot of them.Plus saw a lot others dug up.It didnt seem to cause them any harm.But just dont know.I hope not. Never seen anything like it.

I dug Fri at Ocean City and I agree with the others - lots of small clams. I was new to that beach, usually I dig at Pacific beach.

I found lots of clams showing through out the tide. We got our limits and headed home (long, long drive). Had a great - I love getting out there with the wife and little one. Looking forward to the next opening.

Steve

Funny story:

After one opening I talked to my grandma who is very opinonated and lives in Oregon. "When I was your age we used to come out to the beach and dig bags and bags full of clams. We dug and cleaned clams until we were tired and then gave the rest away. Now they have all these limits and you can't find a clam."

I dug @ Iron Springs friday night,it was tough.They weren't showing very well and they were on the smaller size also.We got our limits then headed to the hump for the opener.
Good luck,
STRIKE ZONE