Saturday there is a -.3 tide around noon after a 6. something high. I am headed to a clam beach to forage bivalves and would like to be well-prepared.

I have done some reading and have heard of clam guns, clam forks, clam rakes, clam shovels, etcetera. I know I will get wet and will dress for the occasion, including dry stuff in the car to change into.

But what tools, gear, should I try to acquire for my first clamming adventure?

I have a couple 5-gallon plastic buckets with handles, but not sure what else to try to bring or what conditions argue for what type of gear.

Thoughts?

Thanks!

It sounds like you have the equipment covered.

The one tip I know is that clams have sand in them when you dig them up. We would always put them in a bucket of salt water for a day or so out of the sun before cleaning them. This allow the clams time to clean the sand out themselves.

Last time I went Quahoging all three of us did was dig them by hand. You will see small breathing holes, dig and there is probably a clam there. We got a bushel and a half at a time you could take a half bushel for personal use, no license. We sold a bushel, steamed the other half.

Of course, this was in July when it was warm, and I was a mere 18 y/o, a day or three ago.

If you want to get technical, get a clam rake.

Go down to the local garden center and get yourself a sturdy wide-tines D-handle 'compost fork (~$18), a five gallon plastic bucket (~$4) and a set of rubber boots (~$16). That's the kit in Florida and Atlantic coast up to Maryland in warm weather. Cold water might persuade you to invest in rubber gloves.

You look for quirts and bubbles to locate a likely spot, bot the fork in, pry up and use the fork to spread the block of mud and sand out a little. Then to set the fork aside and taking a wide stance, tapping your toe is optional, you set to plucking the clams and tossing them into your bucket. Wash, rinse, repeat.

In good clam areas a couple minutes work will collect a meal for two. I've seen semi-professional beachcombers/surfer/bums spend a few hours a day digging clams and selling the results to vacationers, cash goes for beer, wax and suntan lotion. Dig, sell, surf and get by three months a year that way.

Hey D,A 4-prong Pitchfork & Full length Spade Shovel will do the trick!When you get them home,Rinse them Real well with Freshwater,Then Put them in a Pot & Cover them with water,aprox.1" above,Pour 1/3 box of Cornmeal into the Pot stir it up,a bit,Leave it alone ,Till you are Ready to Steam them,When you are,Dump that pot of water it will contain sand,Put clams into steamer&Put a few 1/2 cut Garlic Cloves in The Steam water,Steam water should be about 1" deep,Sprinkle a dash of Lawry's in,Not too much.Usually when the water is on a Rolling Boil,that's what you want,& In about 3-5 minutes the clams will be Opening up,that's when they are done,Pour the remaining steam water into a Large cup,That will be Clam Broth,of which You can drink on the spot or Dunk French bread into, A Bit of melted butter,If your not worried about your diet,otherwise omit that one,Enjoy!A pint of Frothy Guiness or a White wine,Goes Real well with this!(note:You will notice a Dk. brown if not Black color on the tip of the valves,to be safe,Snip the dark part off with scissors,usually about 1/8")I usually dont,but for yourself/Your condition,It's recommended! Welcome to The Delicious World of self Harvested Seafood!

Damn that sounds good.

FTI, there are no admission or other fees for:

Public clamming, with a fishing license, in Drakes Estero, a large shallow estuary on the northwest side of the Pt. Reyes peninsula.

Mushrooming for personal use everywhere in the Pt. Reyes National Seashore, though for all practical purposes is mostly done in the mixed oak-pine forested areas on the east side of the long ridge, away from the ocean.

Edit: if I had a small boat and crab traps or hoops, I know where to go in Tomales Bay to get red rock crab. Tomales Bay forms the eastern boundary of Pt. Reyes, and is separated from Bodega Bay to the north by only a shallow sandbar. Bodega Bay opens onto the Pacific Ocean. Maybe next time out of my kayak.

I will be inside the Pt. Reyes visitor center lobby area from about 0900 to 0920 wearing my goofy green hat and carrying my walking staff. after ranger consult I will head out to try mushrooming and around midday will switch locations to
try clamming. Hope to see several of you there!

Increasing wind and rain, reducing visibility and creating large waves, made actual clamming seem unwise.

Mushrooming results slim; by the day after the rain it should be very good.

Scouted some good access points.