18-24" pvc pipe for clamming

Hey guys,

I've been watching videos on clamming at Bodega and Tomales and have seen people using 18 to 24" diameter pvc pipe about 3 feet long.  They work this down into the sand/mud to keep it from caving in, as they dig with a shovel.  Any idea where one can buy this size pipe? 

The only available place is Lawson Landing store.

I use a 6'' x 24'' PVC tube you can buy at home depot.  They are located in the outdoor section, not the PVC aisle.  Around $9.

I drill 2 holes and add a piece of string to help carry it.

Basically I use it just like you would a larger tube, but I use my hands to dig.  You definitely need gloves or you are going to get very cut up from the broken shells.

I can get to a clam in just a few minutes, way faster then I see people who are using the wide ones.  Also I don't need a shovel as I use my hands to dig and to fill the hole back up.  The downside to this tube is that if the clams are super deep you either need to give up or dig deeper around the tube so you can push it farther into the sand.  I generally give up if I can't feel at least the siphon at some point and move on to the next one.  The trick is to find a spot where they are shallow and you can get a bunch very fast.  I'm going to bring a thin wood rod next time and see if I can tell how deep they are before digging.

I also bring a homemade shrimp pump but rarely use it.  Mainly if I'm digging where the tide is still up and need to clear out some water from the tube.

You can get those specailty sizes online from plumbing supply companies but the cost seems really prohibitive. $50-75 per foot plus $100 shipping.

$300 buys alot of clams.

Where are you rotorhead, and what do you want to spend? THere's a guy in Sacramento who advertises on CL with a bunch of old big-diameter pipe.
The 24" pipe is only necessary if you're going really deep for geoducks.. which are extremely rare in Bodega.  90% of the folks I see are using shovel or shrimp pump to dig.  Go clamming and see what others are using.

Search the forum for "Clamming at Lawson" for tons of information and pictures.  Below is an old thread of mine:

http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=64311.msg724021#msg724021

Just take a bucket and cut off the bottom.

I may have something like that in my pile of stuff.  Where are you located?

Just take a bucket and cut off the bottom.

We use a 5 gallon bucket and cut the handle and bottom off and it works just fine. Buying a large diameter pipe isnt cheap so if you do that find a couple guys to split it with. All you are trying to do is keep the sand out of your hole so you dont need to get all fancy.

Just take a bucket and cut off the bottom.

We use a 5 gallon bucket and cut the handle and bottom off and it works just fine. Buying a large diameter pipe isnt cheap so if you do that find a couple guys to split it with. All you are trying to do is keep the sand out of your hole so you dont need to get all fancy.

I leave the handle on.

Only reason to go bigger is if the clams are routinely that deep where you clam, or you are geoducking.

The only available place is Lawson Landing store.

Got mine from there and picked up another one on Craigslist.

Ive seen people make ones from garbage cans and they always fail and I see them in the garbage can afterwards.

Clamming the Loose Screws style 

http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=37156.15

Clamming the Loose Screws style 

http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=37156.15

We went out and got em the last low tide, but it wasn't the same without our LS family.  When can we get another mud play date together going?  Miss those days!

I may have something like that in my pile of stuff.  Where are you located?

Anyone besides me think its weird that Rotor head got 13 helpful responses and didn't answer any of them?