How to Catch Razor Clams with Salt

Razor clams are rare, meaty shellfish, that is abundantly found in sand on surf-pounded or intertidal coastal shores, ranging from California to Alaska. It can also be found in sheltered areas along the shoreline. Adult clams exist in the surf as well as offshore, for up to one and a half miles. In dry sand and shallow surf, the holes of Razor clams are clearly visible and this is the reason that low tide is the perfect time to dig for them.

Beach clams are fun to dig for. Follow the tide going back, as the water recedes, you will observe small holes in the wet sand at the edge of the surf line. As soon as you find a hole in the sand, start digging the sand quickly to catch your Razor clam.

Things Required:

– Safety Gloves
– Table salt
– Ice chest or ice box (to collect the clams)
– Clam gun (optional)
– Clam shovel (optional)

Instructions

  • 1

    Go to a beach and look for a hole in the shallow water. A hole with a 1-2 inch diameter is likely to be a Razor clam's hideout. Be sure that you in an area where a lot of people are not walking around as you will need to dig for these clams and you might look funny or attract a lot of attention while doing this.

  • 2

    Observe the hole you have identified, if it is way too narrow, widen it a bit.

  • 3

    Take a small amount of table salt and pour it into the hole after widening it.

  • 4

    Since Razor clams are highly sensitive to salinity, if one is inside the hole, it should come out immediately to escape the salt. You can easily grab it and put it inside your container.

  • 5

    Catch the clam and place it in the ice chest to keep the meaty shellfish fresh while you search for a few more. The key to clams is to make sure that they remain fresh. Thus, the more ice you use the better it will be.

  • 6

    Search for another Razor clam hole and keep repeating the procedure until you have collected the desired number of beach clams.

  • 7

    If this method doesn't work for you then you can identify the small holes after the tide goes out and start to dig for them using your small shovel. This is also an effective way to catch Razor clams although it might take a little more work then using the table salt. You can have a lot of fun with your friends and family as you catch clams from the beach.

  • 8

    The best time to start clam digging is early in the morning. Razor clams have been named so because of their sharp edged shells. So always wear thick rubber gloves when digging for them. Do not forget to check fishing rules with the Department of Fish and Wildlife, because most of the times there is a limit on how many clams you can dig at a time. Remember broken and damaged clams also count for your number so you should not discard broken clams, they can still be eaten, but cleaning them will be a bit tough.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


+ three = 8