The switch to stormy fall weather did little to dampen the enthusiasm and success rates for razor clam diggers over the first two weekend openings of the 2021-22 season.
Incessant rain and driving winds did all the dampening you’d expect.
But diggers still discovered clams, with an estimated 55,700 diggers harvesting more than 1 million, and many of those harvesting the temporarily expanded limit of 20 razor clams, according to state Department of Fish and Wildlife Coastal Shellfish Manager Dan Ayres.
“I don’t think we could’ve asked for a better first round of digs,” Ayres said. “Some days nearly every digger was getting their 20 clams, and we came very close to what we projected the catch would be.”
And after marine toxin tests by the state Department of Health found clam samples within allowable limits and safe to eat, a fresh batch of dig dates has been approved.
A.M. tides
• Sunday, 4:52 a.m.; 0.2 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis.
• Monday, 5:33 a.m.; 0.0 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks.
• Tuesday, 6:12 a.m.; -0.1 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis.
P.M. tides
• Wednesday, 7:20 p.m.; -0.3 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks.
• Thursday, 8:04 p.m.; -0.8 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis.
• Friday, 8:50 p.m.; -1.1 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks.
• Saturday, 9:38 p.m.; -1.1 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis.
• Sunday, 10:32 p.m.; -0.8 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks.
• Monday, 11:32 p.m.; -0.4 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis.
20-clam limit
All open beaches (Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks and Copalis) have increased limits through the end of 2021, with diggers allowed to keep 20 clams instead of the usual 15.
Each digger’s clams must be kept in a separate container and all diggers must keep the first 20 clams they dig, regardless of size or condition.
Opening clam harvests
• At Long Beach, 22,044 diggers Sept. 17-25 took home 428,861 razor clams for a 19.8 clam-per-person average.
• At Twin Harbors, 14,226 dug up 263,377 for an 18.5 average.
•At Copalis, 10,193 on Sept. 18, 20, 22, 24 and 25 had 193,327 clams for 19.0.
• At Mocrocks, 9,256 on Sept. 17, 19, 21, 23 and 25 had 160,896 for 17.4.
Across the four beaches, 55,719 had 1,046,462.
Ayres said clam checkers found that diggers who missed out on the 20-clam limit were digging in spots with smaller clam populations. Some also encountered high surf during last Sunday’s evening dig. And some others said 20 clams is too many to harvest and only took what they could consume.
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Sports reporter Michael Carman can be contacted at 360-406-0674 or mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.
