Tillamook Bay report 31-May-2021

Hit Tillamook Bay today with SD2OR.

After dropping crab traps in Crab Harbor (not the cove to the left of it where I originally escorted us to), we hit the beginning of the south jetty for limits of small Black Rockfish.

Back to Crab Harbor for one keeper in 5 traps.

Not exactly sure where Captain Redbeard rounded out his trifecta, but we landed on the first piece of exposed sand we came across.  I never even took the rake out of the yak, because we saw lots of Gaper Clam shows.  Armpit deep for as many as you had the endurance to dig up.  I've got my 12 soaking in seawater overnight and will try and figure out how to clean them in the morning.

Smallest Black Rockfish omitted from picture to try and save myself from embarrassment.

The mud at the landing was not fun.  Now I know why Redbeard used the boat ramp.

Great haul of gapers! If you ever halibut fish and have one or two too many toss em in the freezer until you go again, they make an excellent addition to your bait for em  bonus crab is always good! definitely the slow time of the year for them. And I agree, the mud situation sucks! can't wait till we get a ramp/dock at the kayak launch.

Actually......3 crabs for 5 traps.
I took home two reds.
Still a fun day, (except for mud!)  and some great eating.
Thanks again Deptrai!

Well done! You need to wash the salt off of your stuff anyway, a little mud won't hurt!

Awesome haul! Glad you were able to make it out and bring home a bunch of excellent food.

That is a really impressive haul of gapers. I have never had the patience and endurance to harvest that many - props to you!

Agree with the above: crabbing is going to be pretty slow for a while. I think getting a few keepers is not a bad outcome. Also, it's great that you're taking advantage of the red rock crabs - I don't know why those get so overlooked but they're delicious.

Honestly, my wife and I think the reds are a lil sweeter and firmer meat.
For anyone else planning on going for gapers, a shovel seemed to be way more efficient and than a clam gun.
Deptrai got 12 with a shovel, in the time it took me to get 6 with the gun. Always gotta get down and dig by hand, either way.
I have to say, it was a lil comical seeing Deptrai peddle around with a full size rake and shovel, sticking out of his rear rod holders, but as I said, the shovel was way more effective....
Probably my best catch of the day, was finding a trenching shovel, on the lil sandspit we were diggin on. Looks like it had been there for several tides, but still solid and usable, so I ended the day with a shovel sticking out of my rod holder too.

Also, the single cockle I got, was WAY easier than the gapers, not only to obtain, but to clean n prep as well.
Also managed to score some good size sand shrimp, to use for sturgeon bait later.

“Gaper clams” - huh.  We always just called them Horse Clams up here.  Reckon I have learned my one new thing for the day.

“Gaper clams” - huh.  We always just called them Horse Clams up here.  Reckon I have learned my one new thing for the day.

Blues or Gapers is what I've always heard em referred to as. Horse clams certainly makes sense though

Congratulations on an awesome catch... Those are some huge clams