Clues
for successful clamming

If you're willing to invest a little work for a lot of delicious enjoyment, roll up your sleeves and go clamming for Kenai Peninsula razors or Kachemak Bay littlenecks. All you need is a minus tide, some inexpensive tools, a little know-how, and, in the case of razors, some fast action.

Summer's longer days and milder temperatures make for milder clamming conditions, but winter doesn't mean the end of clamming. If you're really hungry for fresh clams, pile on extra layers of clothes, get a lantern for extra light and you're all set to enjoy the juicy, sweet meat.

North of Homer, sandy beaches are where razor clams can be found. Check out Whiskey Gulch just north of Anchor Point, Deep Creek, Ninilchik and Clam Gulch. Littlenecks can be found on the south side of Kachemak Bay.

Before putting the first clam in your bucket, review the Alaska Department of Fish and Game regulations. It describes the limit and size of clams that can be taken and whether you need a fishing license. Regulations are available in grocery stores, tackle shops and some gas stations. The cost of a fishing license varies. For nonresidents, the cost depends on the number of days the license will be used.

Known for their speed, razor clams will test your reflexes and your ability to move quickly. The fastest reported descent of a razor clam is an inch per second, not bad when your only tool is a single foot and you're descending through hard-packed sand.

Whether using a clam shovel or clam "gun," clammers generally end up dropping to their knees and clawing through the sand in hopes of stopping one of these speedy bivalves before it gets away.

When reaching into the sand in hopes of blocking a clam's retreat, remember it got its name for a reason: the shells are razor sharp.

Cook Inlet tides also are fast moving. Keep you eye on the water's edge to ensure you aren't cut off from shore. Also remember to fill in the hole you dug to prevent smothering other clams and intertidal organisms and to be courteous to other clammers.

If littlenecks are your prize, try Jakalof and China Poot bays, as well as Sadie Cove. The ride across the bay is part of the fun. Local water taxis offer transportation from Homer to your destination of choice.

Once reaching your destination, look for untouched areas of beach, frequently covered in algae, and remove the bigger rocks. Using a garden or other type of rake, you'll generally find your prize in the sandy beach just below the surface to a depth of about five inches.

Clams frequently stay in groups. If you find one, others are usually in the neighborhood. Littlenecks are generally white, but can be brown or have brown markings. They grow to about two inches long.

Be sure the clam is alive by inspecting the muscle tissue near the neck. Dead clams may appear whole, but the shell can be filled with sand.

If you take a sub-legal clam, rebury it neck-up. Littlenecks can't rebury themselves and will die if you don't do it for them.

Looking for butter clams? They frequent the same area as littlenecks. Their shells are thick, white and have heavy concentric rings without vertical ridges. Mature butter clams are three-five inches long.

Cleaning is considered the hardest part of clamming, but the prize is worth the work. Razors are delicious in chowder or fried. Littlenecks and butter clams can be steamed and served on the shell with a side of herbed butter for dipping.

For more information, call Fish and Game at 235-8191. For an illustrated guide to digging razor clams, see the Web at www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/region2/pdfpubs/clams.pdf.