Digging for clams is one of the quintessential experiences of the Pacific Northwest. And if you’re going to dig for clams, then you might as well go for the king of the clams: the geoduck (pronounced “gooey-duck”). They’re ugly but delicious in clam chowder, and a prized delicacy in Asia, where they are called “King Clams.” And one of the best places to find (and dig) them is right here along the Hood Canal at Dosewallips State Park.

The geoduck (panopea abrupta) is the world’s largest burrowing clam, although once they are full-grown, they don’t move much. The average size is 1.9 pounds, although they can grow much bigger. They can live as long as 168 years, reaching full size at around 15 years old.

They are usually found buried two to four feet deep in mud, sand or gravel, and can only be found at very low tides (-2.0 feet or more). And before you go digging, be sure you have the appropriate licenses/permits, and have learned the rules and laws related to digging clams in Washington State. If you don’t observe the laws, you can get a hefty fine!

You can get more information about digging for geoducks at the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife website. Clam digging opened at Dosewallips on April 1st, and runs through September 30th. You might want to head over there at the next extremely low tide to watch “expert geoduck diggers” at work, before giving it a try yourself. And if you do try it yourself, be prepared to get wet and dirty while having a lot of fun!

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 17th, 2008 at 4:45 am and is filed under Activities on the Olympic Peninsula, Recreation. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.