Tomale clam digging 5/24

Sonny, if you have any left I'd like to try some since we are practically neighbors.
Thanks for an awesome report and sharing some pictures. I hope on the next clam
digging hookup I can come along. Congrats to all.

Jedmo

Cool clam dig! I've got to get in on one of those.

Looks like a fantastic trip , pics were great ! My wife despises Lawsons ( cow pasture ) so I seldom go there although am at Doran whenever the Wife can talk me into it . Personally I'd rather drive the extra hour and go to Ft. Bragg . OOOPS , straying a bit , a couple of questions from a entry level clammer :

Are those " horseneck clams " and is it worth digging for them in Bodega Bay ?
While digging do you find the smaller , white rounded clams with the grooved shells ( cockles , washingtons ? ) and how do they compare in flavor to the whoppers your all digging ?

Lastly a question about equiptment , where do I buy PVC pipe with that huge diameter your using to keep the hole from caving in ?  Someone asked  earlier about the post hole digger , new secret weapon ? Never seen one used before , just curious !

I appreciate  anyones who helps me out , will make my next trip more enjoyable and hopefully get a few clams .

Thanks , Dan

I totally zoned on the date. Duh. Looks like a good time for all as usual.

  Great morning everyone, Thankyou I really needed to get out.Craig , Allen and Sonny thanks for all the humor and laughs. Allen I`ll definately be watching out for you. And if you go digging with Sonny watch where he points those things.
I went back to camp after all the fun and took a nap for 6 hours and missed the high tide butt hunt. Wind was realy bad again by then so I headed home.

Sonny`s wind tunnel ,Craig looking for the good ones

  Back at the beach, Afternoon drive out

Last pic

You can get scrap PVC pipe at a construction reclamation yard. Dont go to Massilis in petaluma though. A total rip-off at 20 bucks a foot and a $15 cutting fee. Last night I was talking to a friend who has a friend that works for an underground const. co. I am going to go over and check his scrap yard and will post if I find a good deal. The digging for gaper or horsenecks is best at an island that is usually underwater most of the time and that is not so easy to access. We found some large cockle clams. You can find the smaller ones like they use in linguine and clams at low tide on a gravelly beach. Rake down 2-3inches. The other side of the bay would be good. It was like an invasion out there yesterday. I dont remember seeing so many people digging for clams in the 70's. When Lawsons had the barge running many years ago, thats how many were out there. Save for a few small boats. Now there must have been at least 200 people out there digging. I imagine the resource will be devastated in a few years at that point. The clams are smaller than they used to be at the depth I remember. And so it goes on with almost all specie of edible ocean life. Sometimes I wonder. I did see a guy witha five gallon bucket full of clams that had to have been at least 40 clams and he was by himself.

As far as clamming at Doran goes. I have seen lots of people clamming in the inner bay at low tide. Allen, Patrick and I went there once to pump shrimp and got 3 or 4 large cockle clams.

would a couple of 5 gallon buckets with the bottoms cut off and then zip tied together work? I have never done it but looks like fun. What is the limit? I imagine you have to have a fishing license? And I doubt 200 ppl had a lic.

would a couple of 5 gallon buckets with the bottoms cut off and then zip tied together work? I have never done it but looks like fun. What is the limit? I imagine you have to have a fishing license? And I doubt 200 ppl had a lic.

The limit is 10 and I`m the one that showed up with 2 5gal buckets I cut the edge off one to fit inside and then cut around the rim every 3 in. like you do with sheet metal pipes then used short screws inside to out to hold together. I still like sailfish`s 55gal barrel better

ravensblack ,
Thanks for your reply , I really appreciate the heads up ! I've pumped shrimp quite a bit at Doran and occasionally see a cockle or two right on the surface of the sand . Thinking I have found the perfect shell for the Wife , kids I pick it up and surprise , both halfs squeezing tightly together ejecting water ! Think if they are only just below the surface they would be an easier quarry for me than 3' or deeper for the horsenecks , I've got a bad back and a recent shoulder surgery that did not do much good , whimping out in my older years !

Thanks again , Dan

Sonny, if you have any left I'd like to try some since we are practically neighbors.
Thanks for an awesome report and sharing some pictures. I hope on the next clam
digging hookup I can come along. Congrats to all.
Jedmo

Hi Jedmo,

Yes, I still have some left if you want them let me know but they're in the freezer now so would not be good for Sashimi (only best when fresh).

Sonny

Thanks for the reply on the sashimi question sonny, I hope to get out there this Thursday.  Do you really need that pvc.?  I don't think I will be able to get a hold of one by this Thursday.
anyway I hope to get some at least for sashimi

Thanks for the reply on the sashimi question sonny, I hope to get out there this Thursday.  Do you really need that pvc.?  I don't think I will be able to get a hold of one by this Thursday.
anyway I hope to get some at least for sashimi

You still can get clams without the PVC but they generally are smaller and it takes a little more work to keep the hole from collapsing.  What time are you plan to be there?  Let me talk to my wife if she want more fresh Sashimi (more WAF points for me)  If she is OK then I can meet you there on Thursday and we can take turn using my tube.