Tomales Bay Clamming??

Hi,

I'm planning on going clamming this weekend up at Tomales Bay / Lawson's Landing. I've been clamming before in Oregon and used shrimp pump guns to get gaper and horseneck clams. I was wondering if this technique would work as well? I found a YouTube video that pretty much describes what I did up in Oregon at Coos Bay.


Look around the 3:50 - 4:00 mark and you'll see that you pump the shrimp gun to loosen the dirt/mud around the hole created by the siphon and then you just wiggle your hand down there to get it. I'm wondering if the dirt/mud in Lawson's Landing is similar to this or do I really need PVC pipes and shovels.

Looks like they're clamming at Bodega Bay and the soil/mud composition there is different from Lawson's Landing.  From my experience digging there, the pump gun won't work well here since the soil is firmer.  You can usr the pump for the Mudshrimp though.

Hmm...then are those large PVC pipes absolutely necessary? I don't know where to get them, and even so, aren't they somewhat expensive? I also have no idea how those things are going to fit on my kayak.

If you live not too far from me, you can borrow 1 of mine.  The tube is trapped on either the bow or stern of the yak.
See one of my old report below:

http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,18086.0.html

Darn, I live in San Jose, so Benicia is a little too far for me. I'm thinking about using other things besides PVC pipes, maybe old trash cans with the bottom cut out or other things.

Darn, I live in San Jose, so Benicia is a little too far for me. I'm thinking about using other things besides PVC pipes, maybe old trash cans with the bottom cut out or other things.

I saw someone used 2 of the 5 galon buckets with cut-out bottoms "fastened" together.

I thought of using a trash can too, but you have to make sure that it's sturdy enuf to be pushed down.  A rubber one might not work, but maybe the aluminum ones will?

Good idea with the 2 5 gallon buckets.  My wife loved the clams so I might give that a try!

I had a friend construct a hollow tube made of sheet metal. It's around 25" in diameter and 30" deep, and I have to say, it looks pretty gigantic. Now the only problem is fitting it on my kayak. I have a hobie tandem kayak, so does anybody have any ideas? It has fishing pole holders, so I just thinking about putting some PVC pipes to hold it in place without physically tying it down and then praying that I won't flip.

I had a friend construct a hollow tube made of sheet metal. It's around 25" in diameter and 30" deep, and I have to say, it looks pretty gigantic. Now the only problem is fitting it on my kayak. I have a hobie tandem kayak, so does anybody have any ideas? It has fishing pole holders, so I just thinking about putting some PVC pipes to hold it in place without physically tying it down and then praying that I won't flip.

Lay it down by the front seat of the tandem and bungie it.