razor clamming at Westport

[crappiemaster]

Hey salties!!!! I am going to try a new experience this weekend. I am going to Westport for opening day razor clamming. I have heard that it is fun and that they are the most delicious clam. I love butters and steamers, but how do you prepare razors? (I guess I should worry about getting them first.) Another question I have is, I know it is not crab season, but I heard that you can get them if you are using a fishing pole. Does any one know if this is true? Last question is, what kind of bottom fish are biting this time of the year, and where in Westport is a good place to fish without a boat. I have never been there so I am really escited about this. I would like to take my family to a nice fish and chip establishment, any suggestions? I live on the east side of the state, so I am absolutely clueless about the ocean, all my marine experience is on the Columbia River. I have a 8 year old that loves oysters. so she is excited abut our excusion. Any info will help. Thanks, mates!!

[Coastfishin]

There are several places to fish in Westport without a boat. There is a boardwalk you can fish from by the marina,
there is a rock jetty at Westhaven state park and I have had good luck fishing Half Moon Bay right by the base of the jetty. Use a drop-shot method for fishing. Weight on bottom, hook up a foot or so. Clam necks and sand shrimp are good baits.
Yes you can catch crabs on a fishing pole. They are sometimes hard to keep off the hook when bottom fishing.
Check the regs. about whether you can keep them or not.

[crappiemaster]

Thanks! I have been looking at the regs, but cannot seem to confirm if you can keep or not or even if you can use a pole. I planned on asking someone up there. Are oysters availabe for harvesting as well?

[gpc]

You can crab all year round at westport. But I believe durring this time you are only allowed to use crab rings, and they rent them for $5 a day. I have heard a lot of ggod things about westhaven state park as well. The fishing board walk is awsome. They only thing I have ever caught/targeted has been dogfish, just for fun. But we ussually catch quite a few. Behind the Harbor resosort on the jetty is ussually pretty packed with people fishing. Go to the Islander hotel for your fish and chips. Reseraunts are kind of slim in westport, dont go to the Asian resteraunt. I have been there a few times and yet to find something I like. But the islander is a restraunt/lounge/hotel/charter boat service all in 1 and is pretty nice. I have never heard about anybody harvesting oysters down there but Bradys is a good place to get fresh sea food. You can get a whole bushel of live fresh oysters for $20

[kzoo]

Razor clams taste a lot better than the other clams manilla and butters. You defininetly need to clean them unlike the others. Tons of recipes, my favorite is to pan fry the bodies with milk----->flour------->egg------->panko(japonese honey breading). Turns out great. Other ways are fritters, I never had good luck with fritters, but I've had other peoples and they're awesome. You can never go wrong with chowder too. Check out the following for recipes: http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/shelfish/razorclm/razor10.htm

I'll see ya there, make sure you get there early and bring a lantern.

[crappiemaster]

Really...like how early. I heard the low tide is about 7:30 am. I planned on getting there around 6:30. Are you saying I should get there even earlier? Thanks for the tips.

[Shad_Eating_Grin]

Really...like how early. I heard the low tide is about 7:30 am. I planned on getting there around 6:30. Are you saying I should get there even earlier? Thanks for the tips.

you don't have to wait till the peak low to start digging. You can start digging 1-2 hours before hand. Double check the WDFW announcement to see if they've set an official time when you can start digging.

Crabbing is open year round in WP. But open for pots only during certain months. Other gear (ring nets, pyramid traps) is open year round.

You can go crabbing using those trap snares, attached to your fishing rod. 100% legal. You can even legally fish one of these rods for crab and another rod for fish, but expect to get questioned by wardens who think you're illegally fishing two rods at the same time.

[kzoo]

Ideally it's nice to start two hours before low tide, but these early morning tides are tough, at least for my wife. We're planning to get there at 6:00am.

[Coastfishin]

Brady's seafood is about the only place you can get Oysters legally. The beds are pretty much all privately owned.
Are you Staying for the weekend? I hope so, because you are looking at aproximately a 5 hour drive from Sunnyside to Westport, maybe a little more.
As far as fishing, I heard they are doing pretty good for surf perch and rock bass.
Down by the marina there are also several short rock jettys that are good fishing if you go out on them. But be careful of the waves they can wash you right off of them.

[crappiemaster]

Yeah, I have a relative that lives across from Hope Island between Olympia and Shelton. The smallmouth are starting to bite down here around Crow Butte. My dad caught four nice ones yesterday so I was kinda torn about heading up there but the conversation on this post has got me hooked. Thanks for the info. I am going to head up there Friday, fish Saturday and clam on Sunday. I am interested in the rock bass. We were up at Orcas Island a couple of years ago and caught some, man they were delicious.

[Reel_Nut]

Curious of how you did? I know that the weather wasnt the best. I was in Grayland on Saturday for my brother-in-laws birthday and it rained all day Saturday. If you know your going to come down and its nicer weather drop me a line and i will show you a few tricks that gets me my limit of rockfish all most every time fishing the boardwalk.

[Reel_Nut]

Curious of how you did? I know that the weather wasnt the best. I was in Grayland on Saturday for my brother-in-laws birthday and it rained all day Saturday. If you know your going to come down and its nicer weather drop me a line and i will show you a few tricks that gets me my limit of rockfish all most every time fishing the boardwalk.

[kzoo]

We didn't too well, wrong places and not enough time to find the right place. Got eight clams between my wife and I. Some people did pretty well. I'm not a big fan of early digs.

[crappiemaster]

Showery, and couldn't get the family out and into the rain early. We stayed at Carlyon point on Steamboat Island and it was a 75 mile drive to Westport and just couldn't get there early enough. By the time the weather broke and we left, tide was too high. Did talk to some locals and they encouraged us to come back on the 19th for the crab festival, promised a good time, but we'll see. We did go back to Steamboat and picked up some nice oysters, and steamers. Went to Hope Island and got some butters, too. Kids had fun, and that's what counts. Butters are huge, whats the best way to prepare them. I don't need any help on the steamer's. Man they are delicious. Beautiful country over there. You guys that live there are blessed. Not to crazy about all the rain, but all the fishing activities probably trump that!!