Post by Admin on Jun 12, 2015 19:22:14 GMT
Razor Clam Forecast for Agate Beach, the North Jetty and the South Jetty: There was some improvement at the North Jetty for the 2016 - 2017 season. The clams that are being taken were large and digging was productive. However digging productivity has improved at the South Jetty and at the North Jett during the 2016 season. 2017 saw digging productivity at Agate Beach not as good as expected. The 2017 season saw some limits of razor clams taken from Ona Beach north of Ona Beach State Park. No improvement at Seal Rock, Driftwood Beach and the beaches associated with Yachats.
2018 has seen razor clam productivity rebound at Agate Beach and at the south jetty. Click on the images to enlarge them. The photo of bill digging a razor clam from the wet sand tidal surge was taken by Henry Miller of the Statesman Journal.
Bill with a limit of razor clams dug from the wet sand at Agate Beach. Click on image to enlarge.
137.6 Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area is located on the site of a former rock quarry. The term outstanding natural area is an accurate description of Yaquina Head. Yaquina Head was the site of extensive rock quarrying before being purchased by the BLM. The BLM created handicap accessible tide pools complete with by concrete ramps from the former rock quarry. There is an interpretive center and daily tours of Oregon’s tallest lighthouse. The lighthouse, which was built in 1873, is ninety–seven feet tall and was constructed with double tube walls using bricks. The ghost of a worker who fell to his death during construction haunts the Lighthouse and has warned some visitors of danger? The space between the double tube walls was so narrow the worker’s body was not recovered and his body was entombed between the walls where he died? The cliffs and offshore rocks are home to a variety of seabirds and seals. The viewing of migrating gray whales is a major attraction. Refer to the Oregon Sport Fishing Regulation restricting the taking of shellfish or marine invertebrates within the Yaquina Head Marine Garden. Access the Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area by turning west from Highway 101 onto Lighthouse Road and follow the signs to the parking lot at Quarry Cove. Some anglers park at the small parking area ¼ mile outside the Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area to avoid having to pay the five dollar entry fee. The fishing at Yaquina head is renowned for the fish species associated with the rocky shore, i.e. bass, sea trout, perch, cabezon and lingcod.
137.7 Agate Beach is accessed from the pubic parking lot adjacent to Highway 101 just below the Lighthouse Road. The entrance to the parking lot is about one block down the highway from the Lighthouse Road. There is a sign at the south end of the parking lot that identifies the Lucky Gap trailhead to Agate Beach.
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138.4 Agate Beach is located in the northern section of Newport. Traveling from the north turn west from Highway 101 onto Ocean View Drive at mile 138.4, or from the south turn west from Highway 101 onto Edenview Way to the Agate Beach Wayside located about ½ mile down the road. A small parking lot is located on the ocean side of the street. Ample parking for all vehicles is available in the parking lot across the street and north of the smaller parking lot that has picnic tables and restrooms. Agate Beach is renowned for razor clams but the population fluctuates from very few to very high numbers. The clam digging area is several hundred yards north of the Agate Beach Wayside. Fishing for redtail surfperch ranges from poor to fair.
140.5 Nye Beach is located in Newport. Turn west from Highway 101 onto NW 6th Street and drive to Coast Street and turn left. Travel a block and a half turn right and drive to the parking lot at the beach. Parking is limited to passenger cars and light trucks. The fishing for surfperch on this section of Nye beach ranges from poor to fair.
141.3 Nye Beach and the North Jetty of Yaquina Bay are accessed by exiting Highway 101 from either direction just north of the Yaquina Bay Bridge. Stay in the right lane and exit right into Yaquina Bay State Park at the North Jetty section of Nye Beach. Park the car and walk down to the beach. There is ample parking available for all vehicles. Fishing is fair for surfperch from the north jetty and the sandy beach next to it. The sandy beach adjacent to the north jetty is listed by ODFW as a location to dig for razor clams.
143.4 South Beach State Park is located ½ mile south of the Yaquina Bay Bridge and is a full service park. The best razor clam digging is the area just south of the jetty. South Beach is listed by ODFW as a location to dig for razor clams.
Click on Low tides from bar at Yaguna Bay: for tidal projections for the Bar at Yaquina Bay.
On 08/05/16 diggers report limits taken at Agate Beach on day but not the next as the clams fail to show when the surf is rough. Digging at the North Jetty has been good with many limits being taken.
On 06/22/16 my friend Stu reports that his wife has taken limits of clams from the North Jetty on their last 4 trips to the North Jetty.
Not much change in razor clam harvest productivity is expected at Seal Rock but digging productivity should improve on the Tillicum and Beachside State Parks and the sandy beach south to Yachats, However no clams.
Cape Perpetua and Neptune beaches The taking of razor clams is allowed at these marine gardens. However, the population of razor clams varies from low to high densities.
Digging for razor clams is more usually more productive on the front end of the series of low tides rather than the back side of the tidal series.
TIDAL SURGE: Razor clam digging is often unproductive during periods of heavy tidal surge. I stay home if the offshore long ocean swells exceed 6.0 feet or when the combination of long ocean swells and wind waves exceed 8 feet in height. The height and interval of the long ocean swells is determining factor if I dig razor clams. If the long ocean swells are under 8 feet with 10 plus second intervals without much in the way of wind waves I go. If the long ocean swell are at 8 feet and building I stay home. The ODFW website recommends the height of 10 feet as the determining factor for digging razor clams. Safety is determining factor when digging razor clams or bay clams. There are guidelines diggers should follow when digging clams and raising the bar to 10 feet is not one of them. We recommend digging bay clams during periods of moderate to heavy surf. Remember, clam digging is most productive during periods of Spring tides and crabbing is most productive during periods of Neap tides.
Razor clams are a public resource. Share your digging experiences with us. Bill
Internet Links of Interest for Razor Clam Diggers
Tidal Projections 2015 through 2016 - Click on the following link to view the tide tables for Yaquina Bay at South Beach to plan future crabbing and clam digging adventures.
Oregon Surf Check Click on the link to view the Oregon Surf Report
Click on Stonewall Bank Buoy Reports to view the length of duration and height of the long ocean swells.
National Buoy Data Center Click on to view the observations from buoys off the Oregon Coast.
NOAA Tidal Projections. Click on the following link to view the NOAA tidal projections for your area of interest.
Click on the following link to view the NOAA tidal projections for the bar at Yaquina Bay.
Click on Marine Weather from Cascade Head to Florence to view the marine weather forecast for coastal waters from Cascade Head to Florence OR out 10 nm.
The following NOAA link is a great source for planning you razor clam digging adventures. Click on the following link to view a detailed hourly forecast for weather and surf conditions on the northern Oregon and southern Washington Coast
The following NOAA link for detailed information for the Southern Oregon Coast is a great source for planning your razor clam digging adventures. Click on the following link to see a detailed hourly forecast for weather and surf conditions on the southern Oregon Coast
Recreational Advisories:
Always call the Oregon Shellfish Hotline at (503) 986-4728 or 1-800-448-2474 toll free outside of Oregon before harvesting clams or mussels for messages listing the areas closed to harvesting shellfish due to high levels of marine toxins.
Always Check Oregon's Beach Monitoring Program. The Oregon Public Health Division conducts several activities to protect people living, working and playing near Oregon's beaches, rivers, lakes and other waterbodies.
Oregon's Beach Monitoring Program helps protect people who play in the coastal waters. The program does regular water testing to look for high levels of bacteria and lets visitors know when there is a health concern.
The Algae Bloom Surveillance program advises the public when a harmful algae bloom has been detected in a lake or river. Not all blooms are harmful, but some species of algae, such as cyanobacteria or blue-green algae, can produce toxins that can cause serious illness in pets, livestock, wildlife and humans.
Please see the Oregon fish consumption guidelines for more information abut the benefits of fish and how to make healthy fish choices.
2018 has seen razor clam productivity rebound at Agate Beach and at the south jetty. Click on the images to enlarge them. The photo of bill digging a razor clam from the wet sand tidal surge was taken by Henry Miller of the Statesman Journal.
Bill with a limit of razor clams dug from the wet sand at Agate Beach. Click on image to enlarge.
137.6 Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area is located on the site of a former rock quarry. The term outstanding natural area is an accurate description of Yaquina Head. Yaquina Head was the site of extensive rock quarrying before being purchased by the BLM. The BLM created handicap accessible tide pools complete with by concrete ramps from the former rock quarry. There is an interpretive center and daily tours of Oregon’s tallest lighthouse. The lighthouse, which was built in 1873, is ninety–seven feet tall and was constructed with double tube walls using bricks. The ghost of a worker who fell to his death during construction haunts the Lighthouse and has warned some visitors of danger? The space between the double tube walls was so narrow the worker’s body was not recovered and his body was entombed between the walls where he died? The cliffs and offshore rocks are home to a variety of seabirds and seals. The viewing of migrating gray whales is a major attraction. Refer to the Oregon Sport Fishing Regulation restricting the taking of shellfish or marine invertebrates within the Yaquina Head Marine Garden. Access the Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area by turning west from Highway 101 onto Lighthouse Road and follow the signs to the parking lot at Quarry Cove. Some anglers park at the small parking area ¼ mile outside the Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area to avoid having to pay the five dollar entry fee. The fishing at Yaquina head is renowned for the fish species associated with the rocky shore, i.e. bass, sea trout, perch, cabezon and lingcod.
137.7 Agate Beach is accessed from the pubic parking lot adjacent to Highway 101 just below the Lighthouse Road. The entrance to the parking lot is about one block down the highway from the Lighthouse Road. There is a sign at the south end of the parking lot that identifies the Lucky Gap trailhead to Agate Beach.
Attachment Deleted
138.4 Agate Beach is located in the northern section of Newport. Traveling from the north turn west from Highway 101 onto Ocean View Drive at mile 138.4, or from the south turn west from Highway 101 onto Edenview Way to the Agate Beach Wayside located about ½ mile down the road. A small parking lot is located on the ocean side of the street. Ample parking for all vehicles is available in the parking lot across the street and north of the smaller parking lot that has picnic tables and restrooms. Agate Beach is renowned for razor clams but the population fluctuates from very few to very high numbers. The clam digging area is several hundred yards north of the Agate Beach Wayside. Fishing for redtail surfperch ranges from poor to fair.
140.5 Nye Beach is located in Newport. Turn west from Highway 101 onto NW 6th Street and drive to Coast Street and turn left. Travel a block and a half turn right and drive to the parking lot at the beach. Parking is limited to passenger cars and light trucks. The fishing for surfperch on this section of Nye beach ranges from poor to fair.
141.3 Nye Beach and the North Jetty of Yaquina Bay are accessed by exiting Highway 101 from either direction just north of the Yaquina Bay Bridge. Stay in the right lane and exit right into Yaquina Bay State Park at the North Jetty section of Nye Beach. Park the car and walk down to the beach. There is ample parking available for all vehicles. Fishing is fair for surfperch from the north jetty and the sandy beach next to it. The sandy beach adjacent to the north jetty is listed by ODFW as a location to dig for razor clams.
143.4 South Beach State Park is located ½ mile south of the Yaquina Bay Bridge and is a full service park. The best razor clam digging is the area just south of the jetty. South Beach is listed by ODFW as a location to dig for razor clams.
Click on Low tides from bar at Yaguna Bay: for tidal projections for the Bar at Yaquina Bay.
On 08/05/16 diggers report limits taken at Agate Beach on day but not the next as the clams fail to show when the surf is rough. Digging at the North Jetty has been good with many limits being taken.
On 06/22/16 my friend Stu reports that his wife has taken limits of clams from the North Jetty on their last 4 trips to the North Jetty.
Not much change in razor clam harvest productivity is expected at Seal Rock but digging productivity should improve on the Tillicum and Beachside State Parks and the sandy beach south to Yachats, However no clams.
Cape Perpetua and Neptune beaches The taking of razor clams is allowed at these marine gardens. However, the population of razor clams varies from low to high densities.
Digging for razor clams is more usually more productive on the front end of the series of low tides rather than the back side of the tidal series.
TIDAL SURGE: Razor clam digging is often unproductive during periods of heavy tidal surge. I stay home if the offshore long ocean swells exceed 6.0 feet or when the combination of long ocean swells and wind waves exceed 8 feet in height. The height and interval of the long ocean swells is determining factor if I dig razor clams. If the long ocean swells are under 8 feet with 10 plus second intervals without much in the way of wind waves I go. If the long ocean swell are at 8 feet and building I stay home. The ODFW website recommends the height of 10 feet as the determining factor for digging razor clams. Safety is determining factor when digging razor clams or bay clams. There are guidelines diggers should follow when digging clams and raising the bar to 10 feet is not one of them. We recommend digging bay clams during periods of moderate to heavy surf. Remember, clam digging is most productive during periods of Spring tides and crabbing is most productive during periods of Neap tides.
Razor clams are a public resource. Share your digging experiences with us. Bill
Internet Links of Interest for Razor Clam Diggers
Tidal Projections 2015 through 2016 - Click on the following link to view the tide tables for Yaquina Bay at South Beach to plan future crabbing and clam digging adventures.
Oregon Surf Check Click on the link to view the Oregon Surf Report
Click on Stonewall Bank Buoy Reports to view the length of duration and height of the long ocean swells.
National Buoy Data Center Click on to view the observations from buoys off the Oregon Coast.
NOAA Tidal Projections. Click on the following link to view the NOAA tidal projections for your area of interest.
Click on the following link to view the NOAA tidal projections for the bar at Yaquina Bay.
Click on Marine Weather from Cascade Head to Florence to view the marine weather forecast for coastal waters from Cascade Head to Florence OR out 10 nm.
The following NOAA link is a great source for planning you razor clam digging adventures. Click on the following link to view a detailed hourly forecast for weather and surf conditions on the northern Oregon and southern Washington Coast
The following NOAA link for detailed information for the Southern Oregon Coast is a great source for planning your razor clam digging adventures. Click on the following link to see a detailed hourly forecast for weather and surf conditions on the southern Oregon Coast
Recreational Advisories:
Always call the Oregon Shellfish Hotline at (503) 986-4728 or 1-800-448-2474 toll free outside of Oregon before harvesting clams or mussels for messages listing the areas closed to harvesting shellfish due to high levels of marine toxins.
Always Check Oregon's Beach Monitoring Program. The Oregon Public Health Division conducts several activities to protect people living, working and playing near Oregon's beaches, rivers, lakes and other waterbodies.
Oregon's Beach Monitoring Program helps protect people who play in the coastal waters. The program does regular water testing to look for high levels of bacteria and lets visitors know when there is a health concern.
The Algae Bloom Surveillance program advises the public when a harmful algae bloom has been detected in a lake or river. Not all blooms are harmful, but some species of algae, such as cyanobacteria or blue-green algae, can produce toxins that can cause serious illness in pets, livestock, wildlife and humans.
Please see the Oregon fish consumption guidelines for more information abut the benefits of fish and how to make healthy fish choices.
