Razor clam digging starts Oct. 8

Razor clam season will be open Oct. 8 and 9 on the Long Beach Peninsula, the first of five fall digging periods announced by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

In October, all five razor clam beaches will be open Oct. 8-9, while Twin Harbors also is open Oct. 7 and Oct. 10. Low tides are at 7:42 p.m. (-1.4 feet) on Oct. 8 and 8:28 p.m. (-1.5 feet) on Oct. 9.

All diggers age 15 and older must have a 2010-11 license to harvest razor clams. An annual (valid April 1-March 31) razor clam license is $9 for state residents and $15.60 for non-residents. A three-day razor clam license costs $5.40

Digging should be good this season, but higher numbers of small clams will be encountered than last year, said Dan Ayres, coastal shellfish manager.

“The good news is that the smaller clams will continue to grow through the season,” he said. “In the meantime, diggers will likely be taking home some three-inch clams along with larger clams as part of their daily limit.”

Here is the rest of the tentative digging schedule announced by the Department of Fish and Wildlife including low tide:

Nov. 5, Friday, 6:41 p.m., (-1.4 ft.), Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks, Kalaloch.

Nov. 6, Saturday, 7:26 p.m., (-1.6 ft.), Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks, Kalaloch.

Nov. 7, Sunday, 7:11 p.m., (-1.5 ft.), Twin Harbors.

Nov. 8, Monday, 7:55 p.m., (-1.2 ft.), Twin Harbors.

Nov. 20, Saturday, – 5:39 p.m., (-0.4 ft.), Long Beach, Twin Harbors.

Nov. 21, Sunday, 6:17 p.m., (-0.7 ft.), Long Beach, Twin Harbors.

Dec. 3, Friday, 4:43 p.m., (-0.8 ft.), Twin Harbors.

Dec. 4, Saturday, 5:59 p.m., (-1.2 ft.), Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks, Kalaloch.

Dec. 5, Sunday, 6:14 p.m., (-1.3 ft.), Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks, Kalaloch.

Dec. 6, Monday, 6:56 p.m., (-1.2 ft.), Twin Harbors.

Dec. 31, Friday, 3:40 p.m., (0 ft.), Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks, Kalaloch.

Jan. 1, Saturday, 4:31 p.m., (-0.4 ft.), Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks, Kalaloch

Jan. 2, Sunday, 5:18 p.m., (-0.7 ft.), Twin Harbors.

Final approval of the digging periods depends on the result of marine toxin tests showing the clams are safe to eat.

Fall digs are between noon and midnight. The limit is the first 15 clams dug.