geoducking

[Echo]

Had anyone here ever gone geoducking?

[WaGigKpn]

I have tried numerous times. I was told by an old timer that its really easy...Just tap their head and follow them down with your hand till they stop, then dig around em and pull them up...Easy he said...I have had no luck trying that method...I am a large individual so that might have something to do with it.

If you had the right tools I think it would be easy enough. You would want to have a current present so that you can keep the muck out of your way as well as some resistance to keep your body pushed to the ground while you dig.

[CaptnJack]

Had anyone here ever gone geoducking?

Recreationally on scuba? They can dig WAAAAY faster than you can, but feel free to give it a whirl. You might want to try digging by hand at low tide first to undersand what you are up against.

The commercial guy use a hydraulic dredge to blast the sand away before scooping them out of the water.

[Nwbrewer]

Had anyone here ever gone geoducking?

Recreationally on scuba? They can dig WAAAAY faster than you can, but feel free to give it a whirl. You might want to try digging by hand at low tide first to undersand what you are up against.

The commercial guy use a hydraulic dredge to blast the sand away before scooping them out of the water.

I've seen video of the Squaxin tribe biologists collecting them on SCUBA. He grabbed the neck that was sticking out of the muck with his left hand, and fired his right into the mud up to his shoulder to grab the base, and pulled it out. It did not look easy or fun to me.....

[jerryehrlich]

Had anyone here ever gone geoducking?

There is a DNR recreational harvest area at the mouth of Budd Inlet. For many years the Kelp Krawlers did an annual duck dive and then we had chowder and stuff at Burfoot Park afterwords . This is a boat dive.

The digging was not that difficult, but VERY MESSY. Do not wear your best dry gloves, and expect to get one arm of you suit real dirty. I preferred holding the goody bag

Good diving,

Jerry

[Echo]

I've razor clammed for years, I assume geoduck works on the same, but much larger, system. There's a video on youtube with one guy digging and another diver using some sort of hand pump. I'm just curious if there was a method to this. The thought of a giant pile of tenderized, fried, geoduck strips sound more than worth the trouble.

[ljjames]

if you do decide to try your hand at it, try it on a good slope and start digging "in" downslope of the geoduck.

[RoxnDox]

Had anyone here ever gone geoducking?

Recreationally on scuba? They can dig WAAAAY faster than you can, but feel free to give it a whirl. You might want to try digging by hand at low tide first to undersand what you are up against.

The commercial guy use a hydraulic dredge to blast the sand away before scooping them out of the water.

My understanding has been that 'ducks don't dig - their body remains pretty much stationary - but they just retract that 3 foot siphon down below the surface. Your target stays still, you just have to go shoulder-deep to keep hold of the handle

Jim

[CaptnJack]

Had anyone here ever gone geoducking?

Recreationally on scuba? They can dig WAAAAY faster than you can, but feel free to give it a whirl. You might want to try digging by hand at low tide first to undersand what you are up against.

The commercial guy use a hydraulic dredge to blast the sand away before scooping them out of the water.

My understanding has been that 'ducks don't dig - their body remains pretty much stationary - but they just retract that 3 foot siphon down below the surface. Your target stays still, you just have to go shoulder-deep to keep hold of the handle

Jim

True, more like the hole collapsing around them. So they seem to stay the same distance away from you!

The WDFW page about digging for them (at low tide) is pretty good. I have no idea how divers are putting their arms 3ft into the sediment.
http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/shellfish/ge ... o_dig.html

[WaGigKpn]

I have put my arm in up to my shoulder before. No small feat...I am 6'7'' tall...that time i was digging for a clam...It got away...