By GARRET JAROS/YachatsNews
NEWPORT — With garden rakes and mesh bags in hand, the small band of foragers set off through the low-tide muck of Yaquina Bay.
Meredith Howell of Yachats along with her son, Graham Shields, and friends Leni Ament and Roberta Porter, step gingerly to avoid slipping in the ooze that sucks at their shoes. They make their way to an area called Idaho Flats where in just one hour they proceed to gather their limit of gaper and cockle clams.
The flats, just east of the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport, is a honeypot for clams.
Clamming is a time-honored coastal tradition that combines inexpensive fun for friends and family with the thrill of the hunt and an excuse — for anyone who needs one — to play in the mud while also foraging for food.
“It’s like an Easter egg hunt for adults and every time you get one it’s this big feeling of satisfaction,” says Howell. “It’s silly how good it feels.”
Would-be clammers who have been reticent to give it a try because they don’t know how to get started, where to look, or how to clean and cook the catch, will be all but outfitted by just following along.
Howell, who clams regularly with friends, family and neighbors, took up the hunt eight years ago.
“It was something we hadn’t done and it looked so fun,” she said. “So we went online to figure out how to get a license, then learned about some spots and just took off.”
The hunt
The online one-stop-shop for buying a $10 annual clamming license and learning about all things clamming is the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s website which offers how-to videos; tools needed – which can be as simple as a four-pronged garden rake and a bucket or bag; clam identification; regulations; and maps on where to dig. It is also a crucial stop to check for updates concerning closures for conservation and health alerts.
“You can just feel them under your feet,” says Ament, who lives in Eugene, as she begins carving a four-pronged furrow to pull up cockles while the rest of the group picks their own area to rake.
Cockles can often be felt underfoot just below the surface and are gathered by raking.
Gapers, which are larger, go deeper but give away their position with dime-sized “siphon” holes created by their elongated (about eight-inches) siphons or necks, that ascend to just below the surface.
“Here’s one! I feel one here!” calls out Shields who also lives in Eugene, after sticking his finger into a syphon hole. “These are mom’s favorite.”
He uses a shovel to dig down while also creating a perimeter no bigger than a basketball before switching to dig with bare hands. People often wear gloves to avoid being cut by the litter of broken clam shells layered in the mud and sand. But not Shields, who says he gets a better feel with just his hands.
“Once you get to a certain depth, about two scoops down with the shovel – almost a foot, you want to stop using the shovel so you don’t crack their shell,” he says. “And dig a perimeter circle so mud’s not constantly filling your hole. Then, once you get one finger under it you want to wiggle it back and forth so you can get it out of the suction of the sand without breaking the shell.”
The soft-shelled gapers must be collected once retrieved because they will not survive being put back, broken shell or not, Howell says. And broken or not they are still good to eat.
The hard-shelled cockles can be thrown back which is called “high-grading.” The group tosses back ones they deem too small to keep.
The action is fast and furious between the raking of cockles and the excited “here’s one!” gaper call followed by two-shovel scoops and a drop to the knees for some dog-like digging.
“I’ve got one by the neck!” calls out Ament.
“You can see how this a little more exciting, hunting for the ones you can’t see,” Shields says. “The ones you can rake are everywhere. But getting the gapers is hard work. Sometimes you feel the neck and you’ll start digging but it’s too far down.”
“But it’s fun,” says Howell as she starts after another before giving up. “I can’t find it. We are going to let that one go. The clam won.”
While gapers are fun to hunt, they are much chewier than the cockles and more difficult to clean, so unless you are up for the challenge they are better left in the sand.
There is also a surprise to be found inside each gaper shell, which is revealed when the clams are steamed open before cleaning. And no, it’s not a pearl.
Porter, who lives in Corvallis and is a first-time gaper-hunter, has her fingers under one but isn’t having any luck budging it from the sand. Howell moves in for the assist and between the two they land the pocket-sized beast.
“That’s some kind of mud,” Porter says. “Clamming is dirty business but it’s super fun. It’s not hard work. And you can be outdoors and you don’t have to be in great shape. I do a lot of crabbing and fishing so it’s something different and you can pretty much guarantee success. You can’t say that about fishing.”
It is not long before the group gathers to empty their mesh clam bags and count their catch. The limit is 20 clams, 12 of which can be gapers. Small cockles are tossed back before the group rinses muddy hands and legs from a stream that runs through the two-inch-deep mud of the estuary’s flats.
Despite the muck and water, a pair of old sneakers that won’t come off are all that’s required for those who don’t mind wet feet. Waders are a luxury.
The group pauses to look around before leaving – the sun and wind whips the surface of small pools which shimmer like so many diamonds.
“This is what it’s like at the end,” Howell says. “It’s really hard to give up and go in.”
The group makes its way back to the trail along the edge of the estuary where they come across parents with two young daughters. They are spotlessly clean and have yet to land a clam. The dad is holding a large white tube, which is called a clamming gun and best used for razor clams. Their eyes grow wide when they see the bulging bags of clams the group is carrying.
“Wow!” the dad says before asking for advice. Howell tells them they are in the wrong spot and points them toward the clam-metropolis of Idaho Flats and suggests a rake for the cockles.
“Are they hard to clean?” the dad asks.
Cleaning
Back at the car, the clams are placed into two five-gallon buckets, which Howell fills with seawater at a nearby dock, then drains before filling each halfway once more for the drive home. The soak purges sand from the clams that would otherwise end up in the pan-filled steam bath, which is the first step in the cleaning process once home.
While it is not too difficult to clean the clams, it’s not the fun part either and is definitely made easier with a group effort.
Everyone gathers in Howell’s kitchen where they take handfuls of clams and place them in the steam bath, which cooks the clams and effortlessly opens their shells. Tongs are then used to pluck them from the shells and place them atop ice, which keeps them from cooking further.
“We figured out the cleaning by watching videos and doing it,” Shields says.
“This is the easy way,” Howell adds. “Before we knew what we were doing we were prying, trying to wrestle them open.”
The cockles open quickly, the gapers taking a bit longer – but then there’s the surprise inside, which is at least one and occasionally two, nickel-sized gaper pea crabs.
The name gaper comes from the shell always leaving a gape to allow room for the siphon, which never fully retracts and allows the crab to gain access. Once settled, a mature female crab will grow too large to leave the clam and will live out its life inside the shell with the clam.
After the steam bath and ice cool down the real fun begins, which is using a paring knife to fillet the clams and clean out the algae-filled stomach and other organs.
“We’re pulling off all the green and the brown,” Howell says. “The brown are the gills. The little valve is the clam noodle. You squeeze out the dark innards with your fingers.”
“It’s definitely a learn-as-you-go process,” Shields says.
“It’s way easier than bay clams,” Ament adds.
“Way easier,” Howell agrees.
After the innards are out, it’s rinse and make a favorite clam dish (just be careful not to overcook as they are already steamed) or store in the freezer for later.
Clamming tools, results
Gaper: All you need is a shovel and hand. They’re a little tough and chewy but a lot of meat.
Cockle: Use just a rake. “Great flavor, clammy and a little more tender.” They are Howell and Shields favorite to eat. Ament is split between cockle and razor.
Razor: You’ll need a clam gun or shovel. “They call them sweet and that’s what everyone fries. They are the most tender if you do it right.” Porter’s favorite.
Unlike cockles and gapers, razor clams are found in stable, sandy, surf-swept beaches and some coastal bays. When they are “showing” (which resembles a bite-sized doughnut formation on the surface of the sand) they are easily found and best caught with a gun. If they are not showing “you will never find them,” Howell says.
An excellent spot for razor clams is where Vingie Creek hits the sandy beach north of Yachats.
Asking the group to suggest a clam dish beyond clam chowder is akin to asking the character Bubba from the movie Forest Gump to suggest a shrimp dish. “There’s fried clams, clam cakes, clam fritters, clam alfredo, clam strips, white beans and clams, clam kabob, smoked clams, clam ceviche, tomato-based clam bisque…”
Just for fun
There’s nothing better on a nice, sunny day, Ament says with a laugh. She has been clamming since she was 3 when she had to be rescued from getting stuck in the mud.
“I love foraging and scavenging for food from the wilderness and clamming is one of the easier ways to do that,” she says. “If I lived here on the coast I’d go out and get cockles in 20 minutes and then be done. If you like being in the mud then clamming is for you.”
Shields also enjoys the foraging aspect of it.
“It’s kind of like mushrooming,” he said. “It’s very satisfying. I really like the challenge of digging in the sand. And it’s really fun with a group of people.”
Howell enjoys clamming rain or shine and that Easter-egg-hunt feeling and getting outside with others — especially with her son.
“This is kind of what we do together,” Howell says. “He’ll come over for the weekends and we’ll go mushrooming or clamming together. It’s great fun.”
- Garret Jaros is YachatsNews’ full-time reporter and can be reached at GJaros@YachatsNews.com
To learn more
To buy a license and learn more about all things clamming go to these ODFW websites:
Always check for conservation closures and be sure to keep abreast of biohazard warnings. Call the shellfish safety hotline before heading out at 1-800-448-2474.
Shellfish are susceptible to domoic acid, a type of neurotoxin that is poisonous. The entire Oregon coast was closed to razor clamming last September due to domoic acid. On May 6, the area from the Washington border to Tillamook Head was reopened after acid levels dropped to a safe level. On May 26, the beaches and estuaries between the Siuslaw River’s north jetty in Florence to Seal Rock were reopened. The rest of the coast remains closed.
Thank you Garret Jaros!
I wanted to express my heartfelt appreciation for the captivating story on clamming that you recently shared. It was an absolute delight to read, and it took me on a vivid journey through the world of clamming along the stunning coastal landscapes.
The article beautifully captured the essence of clamming as a time-honored tradition that combines fun, adventure, and the joy of foraging for food. The way it was described as an “Easter egg hunt for adults” immediately sparked my imagination, and I couldn’t help but feel the excitement and satisfaction that come with each successful clam find.
The detailed accounts of the hunt, from using simple tools like rakes and shovels to the techniques for identifying and capturing different types of clams, transported me to the mud-filled estuary flats. The camaraderie and shared enthusiasm among the clammers added an extra layer of enjoyment to the experience. It was evident that this was more than just a recreational activity; it was a chance to bond with loved ones and create cherished memories.
I particularly appreciated the inclusion of practical tips and resources, such as the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s website, which provides a wealth of information for both beginners and experienced clammers. It’s encouraging to know that there are accessible resources available to guide newcomers through the process of obtaining licenses, learning about different clam species, and staying informed about regulations and closures.
The descriptions of the cleaning process and the surprise treasures hidden within the clam shells, such as the gaper pea crabs, added an element of curiosity and intrigue. It was fascinating to learn about the various techniques for cleaning clams and preparing them for culinary delights. The article truly captured the satisfaction and fulfillment that comes with turning a freshly caught clam into a delicious meal.
The story left me with a sense of wonder and a deep desire to embark on my own clamming adventure. It reminded me of the simple pleasures that can be found in nature and the joy of discovering and foraging for our own food. Thank you for sharing this enchanting tale and inspiring us to explore the coastal treasures that clamming has to offer.
Great report, Thanks again.