Oregon Coast Officials: Good News for Clams, Crabbing

Published 08/22/2014

(Oregon Coast) – Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) just released a series of shellfish, clamming and crabbing reports – and the news is generally good all the way around. It seems likely you can count on this continuing in September as well, when the coast is at its warmest and the crowds have died down considerably. (Above: Newport, where crabbing and clamming are good).

Clatsop County from Seaside northward is still closed to clamming, but all other areas of the Oregon coast are open. Razor clams are still found around Cannon Beach, Cape Meares, Bob Creek, Bastendorff Beach, Coos Bay North Spit, Bailey Beach and Myers Creek. ODFW said the Newport area has the best opportunities and is the most consistent, however.

For clammers of other species, only two more morning low tide series are coming up, ODFW said. Low tides in the plus-one and plus two-feet range are still low enough for many clams, and this range of tidal series is what will be appearing in the evenings.

ODFW suggests bays will be awesome for sport clammers, especially if you're looking to hit your daily limit of cockles, gaper clams and butter clams. You'll find them in Tillamook Bay, Netarts Bay (near Oceanside), Lincoln City's Siletz Bay, Yaquina Bay, Alsea Bay, Coos Bay and several other locations along the coast.

Currently, there are no major shellfish safety issues, although ODFW always says it is not a good idea to consume whole scallops because of biotoxins. However, a scallop’s adductor muscle does not accumulate biotoxins and may be safe for consumption.

When it comes to crabbing, this has been good in most Oregon bays and estuaries, according to the agency. Successful numbers have been reported at Tillamook Bay (including Tillamook and Garibaldi) and Waldport's Alsea Bay, as well as on the southern coast. Biologists report crabbing is better than it was this time last year, in many cases a lot better..

ODFW said the best months for bay crabbing in Oregon are August through November. Ocean crabbing will present decent numbers as well all over the coast. The recreational ocean crabbing season is open through October 15. Charter fishing businesses around the coast are reporting excellent catches and busy tour schedules, often because of the weather.

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