An ODFW license is required to recreationally harvest molluscan shellfish for those 12 years or older. Limits and open areas may change. Check for information about ODFW licenses online.
Do you need a clamming license in Oregon?
LICENSE REQUIREMENTS: Everyone 12 years and older needs a license to harvest shellfish. Licenses are available for a day or a full-year and can be purchased online, from an ODFW license agents or at an ODFW office that sells licenses.
Can you dig clams in Oregon?
About: Butter clams are found throughout Oregon’s nearshore areas and larger estuaries. Butter clams are excellent burrowers and abundant in shell, sandstone and even rocky areas. Diggers harvest most butter clams from sandy and muddy substrates where it’s easier to dig.
How much is an Oregon clamming license?
($10)
Buy a shellfish license
And shellfish licenses are quite affordable ($10) for youth and adults 12 and older.
Can you clam dig in Oregon right now?
Clamming is a year-round opportunity on the Oregon coast, but your success will be influenced by the season, the tide and a conservation closure. Clamming through the seasons – Here’s a look at clamming throughout the year.
How many clams can you keep in Oregon?
ODFW regulations limit the daily catch to 20 bay clams (butter, cockle, gaper, littleneck) per person, 12 of which may be gaper clams. Eastern softshell and purple varnish clams are defined as “other clams” for which a daily take of 36 clams/person is allowed.
When can you dig for clams in Oregon?
Get your shellfish license.
Clams can be harvested all year on our coast, but ODFW does require a license.
How much is a shellfish license in Oregon?
$10.00
License, Tag & Permit Fees
| License, Tag and Permit Fees | ||
|---|---|---|
| Description | Resident | Nonresident |
| Annual Shellfish | $10.00 | $28.00 |
| Endorsements and Validations | ||
| Two-Rod Validation | $28.00 |
Where is the best clamming in Oregon?
Oregon’s Best Clamming Bays
- Tillamook Bay Clamming. The Garibaldi Flats on the west edge of town are one of the more popular clamming areas in Oregon, easily reached from a public parking area off 12th Street.
- Netarts Bay Clamming.
- Yaquina Bay Clamming.
- Coos Bay Clamming.
Where can I dig gapers clams in Oregon?
ODFW Digging for Gaper Clams. Gapers can be found in most of Oregons larger estuaries. Coos, Tillamook, Netarts, and Yaquina are favorite bays of these trophy size clams.
Is clamming season open in Oregon?
Crabbing and clamming are year-round activities on the Oregon coast. Clam diggers will want to watch for low tides, when more beach is exposed for digging.
What months are best to dig clams?
However, most digging occurs from April through September. The “table quality” of the clam is generally considered best in early summer, just prior to the July-August spawning. On the northern beaches, razor clam beds are exposed on any minus tide.
What time of day is best for clamming?
The best time to go is on a falling tide, at low tide, or at the early stages of the incoming tide; in other words, when there’s more land than water. As for equipment, all you really need is some form of basket or bucket and a clam fork—a four or five-tine, bent fork with a stubby handle.
What do you need to go clam digging?
Things You’ll Need
- Sturdy shoes.
- Complete change of clothes.
- Shovel.
- Bucket.
- Bowl.
- Washcloth.
- Rake (optional)
- Clam digging license (if needed)
Where is the best place to dig for clams?
They tend to congregate along the shorelines, so I like to look for them in areas from the low-tide mark out to about 4 feet deep (at low tide). Pay attention to the seafloor as you are looking. Once you start finding clams, take note of the bottom type, and look for other similar areas.
Can you dig razor clams in Oregon?
Habitat: Razor clams are found in stable, sandy, surf-swept beaches of the open coast and some coastal bays. Razor clams have the ability of digging up to a foot per minute and have been found more than four feet deep in the sand. The 18 mile stretch of Clatsop beaches account for 95% of Oregon’s razor clam harvest.
Where Can You Dig butter clams in Oregon?
Butter clams can be found as deep as 50 ft below the low-tide. They are most often found in large estuarine systems, such as Coos, Tillamook, and Yaquina bays, and places with few rivers like Netarts Bay, because of their preference for higher salinity water.
Is it illegal to take starfish from the ocean in Oregon?
March 21, 2022 5 a.m. A new administrative rule that went into effect Friday prohibits Oregon recreational fishers from taking home sea stars, otherwise known as starfish.
How low of a tide Do you need to go clamming?
Each beach varies as to how low the tide needs to be to expose the clam and oyster beds. A +2′ low tide (preferably during daylight hours) is the threshold for several beaches. A +2′ may only give you a short window before the tide floods; a +1′ or a 0′ will give you a longer window to forage.
Can I harvest mussels in Oregon?
Mussels can be harvested year-round, provided their home rocks can be safely accessed, although the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife literature suggests meat yields from mussels are typically highest in winter months.
Does Oregon angling license include shellfish?
Any anglers other than Washington residents must have a valid Oregon angling or shellfish license when landing fish or taking shellfish by boat in Oregon. All licenses, tags, and permits are available online, and through license agents, and ODFW offices that sell licenses.