Discover the expert in you.
Discover the expert in you.
A versatile shellfish in the kitchen is the clam. You can make cream or tomato-based clam chowder, stuff and bake clams on the half-shell or cook them as part of a spaghetti sauce called frutti de mar among other dishes. Although you can purchase clams in the store, for the freshest possible clams you should head to the beach and catch your own clams for dinner. All you need is a clam shovel and a bucket to bring your catch home for a tasty and fresh seafood dinner.
Littleneck clams can be either native to North America or they can be another species called the Manila littleneck. Both of these species are suitable for a steamed clam dish and they can also form ingredients for chowders or to make the base of a sauce. These creatures live under the tideline, and are most accessible at low tide. Digging for littleneck clams is easy, as they reside only a few inches from the surface of the sand.
Tacoma, Washington has long stretches of beaches that are home to many species of clams, including razor clams, cockles and butter clams. Before you go out for a clam dig, check with the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW) to ensure clamming season is open. The clamming season varies every year, depending on the shellfish population. You'll also need a license to legally harvest clams in Tacoma and other areas in Washington state.
Digging for surf clams is considered a recreational sport in many counties. Clams can be used as fish bait or they can be fried, grilled, steamed or used in soups and sauces. Fresh surf clams often wash up on the shore in groups. Check with your local fish and wildlife department for rules and regulations about surf clam digging in your area. Many beaches are closed to recreational clamming. Gaining the correct information before clamming can help you clam in safe, regulated areas.
Most every estuary in Oregon has a species of bay clams you can dig up and enjoy. Common bay clams types include butter, cockle, gaper and softshell. According to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, the 11 most-visited bays for harvesting clams (from north to south) are Necanicum, Nehalem Bay, Tillamook, Netarts, Nestucca, Siletz, Yaquina, Alsea, Siouslaw, Umpqua, Coos and the Coquille.
Clam digging is a popular recreation in Washington State. Razor clams are available almost year round, during the day or late in the evening, depending upon the season. With a permit, a bucket to keep the clams in and a shovel, you can be on your way. For those that enjoy the beach, digging for clams at low tide can be a refreshing way to spend an evening. The beaches are often crowded with clam hunters during the warmer months, while others brave the elements to retrieve clams in the cold season.
Clams are available year round on west and east coast beaches, particularly on Pacific Northwest and New England shores. Warm weather is best for catching clams, however, since the activity requires wading in shallow ocean waters. A delicious, simple meal of steamed clams is especially fresh and rewarding when cooked on the beach directly after a catch.
If there's one thing on your plate that should be so fresh it's practically still moving, it's a razor clam. You can build yourself a clam gun -- for digging razor clams out of the sand -- with the tools in your toolbox and a few items from a hardware store. Clamming doesn't require a significant investment, and it pays for itself with the reward of a tasty meal.
A clam plunger looks like a plunger for the world's tallest toilet. It consists of a long handle with a scoop net on one end, and the familiar head of a plumber's helper on the other. Clam plungers are used for harvesting steamer clams and other species that live within a foot of the surface. A clam plunger offers several advantages over raking clams. You don't need to dig the clams out or worry about breaking the tines on a rock.
Making your own clam chowder is a culinary adventure, and it's even more adventurous if you dig your own clams for it. Digging for clams -- or "clamming" -- is a popular year-round pastime in many coastal areas around the world. Many different species of clam can be used for chowder, but the technique for finding clams and digging them out of the sand is pretty much the same no matter whether you're going for Little Necks in Maine or razor clams in Oregon.
Clams are a staple item of coastal cuisine. For many people, heading to the beach and digging for their own clams is part of the fun. Those who have not mastered the art of clam digging with a shovel may do well with a handy little tool known as a clam gun.
If you love clams, and you love the salt water, then you should take an afternoon and dig for some. They are most plentiful in the waters off New England, but can be found along other U.S. Coastal waters as well. Here are a few ways to dig for clams and harvest your own shellfish.
