Clams fall into two categories. There are razors and the bay species. They all make delicious chowder except the razors and they are best fried.

I will try and tell you what each one is good for and the best place to find them.

Soft shells are the favorite of most diggers. They have a liberal limit and are easy available. Unlike the other four common species of bay clams they are found not only in the lower estuary, but fairly high up as well. They tend to be most accessible for this reason.

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• Daily Limit 36
• Use chowder, steamed, steaks
• Digging Method shovel, clam gun
• Habitat Brackish, muddy areas
• Where to dig Nehalem, Tillamook, Netarts, Nestucca, Yaquina, Alsea, Siuslaw, Umpqua, Coos and Coquille

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• Daily Limit 20, in aggregate with other bay clams
• Use chowder, steamed
• Digging Method rake, hand or a shovel
• Habitat They're found in sandy mud, just beneath the surface or even on the surface.
• Where to dig Nehalem, Tillamook, Netarts, Nestucca, Yaquina, Alsea, Siuslaw, Umpqua, Coos and Coquille

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• Daily Limit 20, in aggregate with other bay clams
• Use chowder, steamed, steaks
• Digging Method shovel, potato fork
• Habitat sandy mud and gravel, from six to 12 inches below the surface
• Where to dig Nehalem, Tillamook, Netarts, Yaquina, Coos

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• Daily Limit 12, out of a total of 20 bay clams
• Use chowder, steaks
• Digging Method shovel
• Habitat high salinity sandy and/or muddy areas
• Where to dig Tillamook, Netarts, Yaquina, Siuslaw, Umpqua, Coos

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The razor is the prime prize on the Oregon Coast. They were named because their shells are razor sharp. They are found on the sandy beaches and a calm surf is essential. They are the easiest to clean and I think the best tasting of all the clams. The only problem is they are the hardest to locate and dig. They can dig up to two feet per minute so you had better be fast.

Most people prefer to fry them. You can either bread them with flour or cracker meal and cook in a hot skillet or deep fry. Cook them for one or two minutes because additional cooking time will cause a loss of flavor and then they tend to become tough.