Next round of clam digging begins Friday

Posted: 12:00am on Nov 20, 2011; Modified: 12:38am on Nov 20, 2011

The next razor clam dig will open on an evening tide Friday.

Digging will be allowed after noon Friday at Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis and Mocrocks. On Saturday, just Long Beach, Twin Harbors and Mocrocks will be open after noon.

The best digging is an hour or two before low tide. On Friday, the low tide of -1.9 feet will take place at 6:27 p.m. On Saturday, the low tide will be -1.8 feet at 7:14 p.m.

State officials remind diggers to be aware that the popular Copalis beaches are closed Saturday. Kalaloch also remains closed to digging. Staffers from the state Department of Fish and Wildlife and Olympic National Park are discussing the possibilities of opening the beaches in that area. There is a concern over clam populations levels at Kalaloch.

Mocrocks beaches are north of the Copalis River and includes Iron Springs, Roosevelt Beach, Seabrook, Pacific Beach and Moclips. Copalis beaches are south of the Copalis River and includes Ocean Shores, Oyhut, Ocean City and Copalis.

All diggers, 15 or older, must have an applicable 2011-12 fishing license to harvest razor clams on any beach. Licensing options range from a three-day razor clam license to an annual combination fishing license, which can be purchased on the department’s website at fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov and from license vendors around the state.

To avoid waiting in line at a beach location, it’s a good idea to get your license before you leave town.

Under state law, diggers can take 15 razor clams per day, and are required to keep the first 15 they dig. Each digger’s clams must be kept in a separate container.

Looking ahead to next month, the department has scheduled two more digs.

The first would be a one-day dig on Dec. 10 (6:30 p.m., -0.5 feet) at Long Beach, Twin Harbors and Mocrocks.

The second would be Dec. 22-23. Long Beach, Twin Harbors and Mocrocks would be open Dec. 22 (4:40 p.m., -0.9 feet) and Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks are scheduled to be open Dec. 23 (5:29 p.m., -1.4 feet).

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