That was the easiest dig I've had all season!

Thanks to doc for digging my dinner.



fp

Just finished cleaning mine.

Went out with FleaFlickr02 and had to work HARD for 2 limits of clams. It was a 100% pound'em up show. Tide wasn't nearly as low as two nights before, and water was a bit more "surgey". Had a pretty good start with lotsa nice clams... but then they sorta "clammed up" and quit showing. It was pretty demoralizing when at one point we pounded THREE consecutive draws WITHOUT a single show.

Quite a few dinks in the mix making our way through the second limit, but had a strong finish with some nice BIG mossbacks on the last two draws.

Beautiful night on the beach. It was a veteran's game last night, but I'm a better digger today than I was yesterday because of it, and I really enjoyed the challenge. Had I been alone, I would have given up early. Thankfully, the Doc knows the pounding game well, so we ended up successful (although I think we spent over two hours getting there).

Another shout out to fp's clam tube design; without that tube, we agreed we wouldn't have been very successful, and I think an old school tube would have killed my back. Having dug clams like the pros do it (and having had a chance to compare it to the way I had been doing it), I think I'll be more successful, more often in the future.

Looking forward to frying some up later today.

Amazing how much different 0.6 feet can be! Easy dig on Saturday, had my 7 and 5 year olds out there with easy limits. I got mine in the surf early, then went up on the dry beach with the kids. And then on Sunday...totally different story. Not a show on the beach, took the kids home and had to work for mine in the surf. Even then, they weren't showing well. But got it done, and a very nice grade. Grade from Saturday was fantastic when we could pick and choose which holes to dig.

That's some big fat Mossbacks right there salty, cept that
green one, as it's a little thin nowadays!

fp

The upcoming dig is approved on the following beaches, dates and evening low tides:

Jan. 27, Friday, 6:26 p.m.; -0.5 feet; Copalis
Jan. 28, Saturday, 7:01 p.m.; -0.6 feet; Copalis
Jan. 29, Sunday, 7:37 p.m.; -0.5 feet; Copalis, Mocrocks
Jan. 30, Monday, 8:13 p.m.; -0.3 feet; Copalis, Mocrocks
Jan. 31, Tuesday, 8:50 p.m.; 0.2 feet; Copalis, Mocrocks

The fp/eyeFISH crew gotter'dun tonight. Couple of us finished before sundown, but lanterns were eventually required to top off every bag of the 6-man crew.

As usual, Mrs fp had to show everyone how it was done.

Anyone wanna bet fp has a glory shot by lantern light? That's if'n he didn't "accidentally" delete them from his camera... again.

I'll take that bet!

What a great dig tonight. Dr. Macs, Dr. eyeFish, Butch, Robbie, Mrs. fp and yours truly fp. Very nice batch and will probably do it again tomorrow.

fp

Got a few of Mrs. fp's family out tonight. 7 limits about a hour.

It was a great day!

fp

Never have seen this before while cleaning. 3 similar damaged Clams with healed shell scars.

Anybody have an idea?

fp

Based on the location and geometry of the fractures, I would presume the damage was cause by shovel diggers.

They were either abandoned due to the digger knowingly having cracked the clam and moving on... OR... the digger was unable to retrieve the clam due to a large incoming wave/surge causing the digger to abort and retreat upbeach.

Most of those clams are toast, but obviously some survive the injury and heal their shells. The big key to survival is how much internal damage is done to the clam.

Biggest average I've seen in a 30 year career of chasing these bivalves. I didn't even touch anything under 4 1/2 inches. Wow! Managed to get em before dark last night and passed a steady stream of cars headed home around 6. Hopefully the tests south continue the decline those guys really need a $$ influx that the diggers bring. I stopped into the Local 3 weeks ago after digging the north beach.......there was 1 person at the bar. Me. Keep you fingers crossed.

deebow84 and Dr Macs rode out with me on the drizzly drive to the ocean. A little more breeze tonight but the clouds parted by the time we started with otherwise lovely conditions for another lantern dig.

Three limits in short order for my crew using solid teamwork to gitter'dun... all THREE pounding for shows, with only TWO doing the actual core extraction, while ONE held the lantern to make it all visibly possible.

Robbie and I got out there looking for eyeFISH and his crew. But, couldn't find them so we did our own thing and it was great. 1 digger and 1 oldguy with a stick.

fp

Good digging for us Friday, although we were a bit early and had to wait for the water to get out a bit more. But we JUST beat the need for a lantern, finishing with minutes to spare.

Word on the street is the south beach DA levels are on the drop(rumor only) Hope to see them open as the spring digs begin.

Then the Hillbillies might come out to play.

The upcoming dig is approved on the following beaches, dates and evening low tides:
Feb. 7, Tuesday, 3:53 p.m.; -0.1 feet; Copalis, Mocrocks, Twin Harbors
Feb. 8, Wednesday, 4:46 p.m.; -0.6 feet; Copalis, Mocrocks, Twin Harbors
Feb. 9, Thursday, 5:33 p.m.; -0.9 feet; Copalis, Mocrocks, Twin Harbors
Feb. 10, Friday, 6:16 p.m.; -1.0 feet; Mocrocks, Twin Harbors
Feb. 11, Saturday, 6:57 p.m.; -0.8 feet; Mocrocks, Twin Harbors
Feb. 12, Sunday, 7:34 p.m.; -0.5 feet; Mocrocks, Twin Harbors

fp

Great night to be a Clam digger! Monsters that Mrs. fp dug up.



fp

Just had to go one more time with this beautiful weather. eyeFish, Robbie and ol'fp put the hurt on'em.

fp