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A favorite thing to do in the PNW is clam digging. There are a lot of clams to dig, but digging for Razor clams with kids is the best! It’s fun! And outdoorsy! And educational! The trifecta of family activity.

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What’s next? Well, before you even hit the beach, you need a shellfishing license. In fact, anyone over the age of 15 must have a license. Kids under 15 can dig “a limit” (currently 15 clams) without one but must be accompanied by an adult with a shellfish license (be sure to specify that you want one for “shellfish”). Officials from the Fish and Wildlife Department are on beaches checking! You can order one online here or stop off at an authorized dealer. If the store sells fishing equipment, they probably sell licenses too.

What You Need

Really, all you really need is a shovel and a bucket or closed net to carry your clams. It’s more difficult without specialized clamming tools, but not impossible. People have done it that way for thousands of years. With kids, though, it’s a lot more fun with some specialized tools. No need to go all caveman, however.

There are specialized shovels traditionally used for clamming. I like to call the people who use them ‘wet’ and ‘sandy’. They require some fast digging in the sand. 

We are unrepentant ‘Clam Gun‘ users. This is basically a large tube with a handle. It’s easier to get dig up the clams – especially – if you’re trying to keep an eye on small children at the same time. With a couple of old buckets, you are almost ready to hit the beach!

 

 

Heading Out To Dig

Digs are held during low tide, either in the evening or morning. As a parent, I really recommend digging during the daylight hours. With almost no ambient light (street lights, house lights, etc.), the beach is really dark. Managing your gear and traffic, plus small children in the dark? That doesn’t sound even slightly fun.

Weather reports are not always correct. Prepare for the worst. Bring extra clothing, extra socks, rain jackets, heavy jackets, extra shoes, heck – extra underwear. Digging is wet, sandy and chilly! Pack some blankets to wrap kids up in for the ride home. If you never use them, great. If you need them, you will be thankful for the extras.

Your First Clamming Tide

Once you’re on the beach, walk down to the water and start looking for ‘shows’. These are basically dimples in the sand that ‘show’ where something dug down into the sand. 

There are many kinds of shows and kids have a great time finding them. The live clam shows you are looking for are close to the water. You may see some higher on the beach, but those are probably ‘sand shrimps’. Don’t bother digging them up. They aren’t editable and not worth the effort to dig up for anything but entertainment. The Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife has a great page describing how to dig for clams using a clam shovel or clam gun. 

Using a Clam Gun

As I said, a “clam gun” is a pipe with a handle. Next to the handle are two small holes. To get the clam, you would place the open side of the pipe over the show and use the handle to push down while holding the fingers over the small holes. This creates a vacuum that will allow you to pull the clam gun up with the pipe full sand. Once it’s up, take your fingers off the small holes and shake the sand out. The clam should be somewhere in the tube of sand.

Rules

According to regulations, kids can dig with “assistance” – this means, you can use the clam gun and have them search the tube of sand you pull out for the clam, or putting the clam in the bucket or at least, carrying the bucket off the beach. If your child is too young to do any of these, they are too young to count as a ‘clammer’. Your child is able to get a full “limit” (the legal amount of clams you can take). You must take every clam dug up, even if they are small or broken up from the clam gun.

Don’t be afraid to ask other ‘clammers’ for help or advice. Most are happy to share their knowledge with you, along with some really funny stories.

A word of warning: NEVER turn your back on the ocean waves when digging! Rogue waves are not uncommon. A rogue wave is one that larger or stronger than the normal wave. On the Washington coast, the rip current is very strong and the water is VERY cold. A child who gets caught in a wave will succumb to the coldness very fast and the current will pull them away faster than you can think. Not kidding.

Cleaning clams are not very hard but it is necessary. Before you start, dump the clams into a bucket with clean water. A lot of grit will wash out while you prepare everything else for cleaning the clams. Step by step instructions are on the WDFW website. If you’re camping in the area, you can also ask a neighbor for help. Again, most are more than happy to show you and you can make some new friends! Once the clams are cleaned, they’re ready for the fryer or soup pot! Yum!

Digging for razor clams is a great family activity for anyone!

Fried Clams

Freshly cleaned clams; washed and dried
1c. all-purpose flour
2 eggs
1 c. panko
1/2 c. vegetable oil
Garlic powder, black pepper, paprika and salt to taste

Heat oil in frying pan. Place flour on the plate, and whisk eggs together and place in the bowl. Mix spices and panko together and place in on the plate. Dip each clam into flour and shake off excess. Dip into eggs and then into panko and spice mixture, making sure to coat each side.

Place coated clam into frying pan and fry until golden brown. Remove from pan and place on paper towel to drain. Serve with lemon wedges and tartar sauce.