Northwest Fishing Magazine October 2025 Volume 5 Issue 2 - Flipbook - Page 15
sand at 5 o’clock in the
morning didn’t exactly
match up with their
version of “a good time”.
Understandable. The clam
gun is super effective, very
approachable for people
just getting into razor clam
digging, and it’s generally
much easier to use than a
shovel.
A clam shovel consists
of a long, roughly 6-inch
diameter cylinder tube
that has a double-handed
handle on top. These are
typically constructed
out of aluminum or PVC.
At the handle, you will
find a suction hole that
you can plug or unplug
with your thumb. When
left unplugged, it allows
air to escape during the
downward (or digging)
process. When plugged, it
creates suction during the
upward pull that removes
both the sand and the clam
buried inside.
Simply locate your clam
show, put the cylinder on
top so that it's centered
over the hole, tilt it slightly
towards the ocean, and
then rock it left and right
as you put downward
motion on the gun. The
rocking motion will allow
the gun to sink into the
sand quickly. Once you
have the cylinder about 1/2
to 3/4 of the way buried into
the sand, bend your knees
and straighten your back
so that you’re spine is in a
vertical position, straighten
your arms, plug the suction
hole with your thumb, then
lift with your legs. Without
using this proper lifting
technique, you will struggle
to get the clam gun
removed from the sand,
and you can very well injure
your back in the process.
CLOTHING
Assuming you're choosing
not to be the sweats and
tennis shoes person, let's
talk about the gear you
should bring with you to
the beach.
Hip boots or waiters will do
an excellent job at keeping
you dry and protected from
