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[Sterling C]

what store in the states did you find one? I'm probably going to bellingham next monday for the day

Couldn't tell you. It was from a small store down in Oregon.

[vancook]

I picked up a clam gun from Army and Navy a few years back. I've got one of those Alvey pumps which I don't use anymore. The clam gun is bigger, with no moving parts and works like a charm.

I havent seen those at army and navy..but I will have to ask the next time I'm there. how did you like the alvey pump?

[Fish Assassin]

The Alvey is 2" in diameter whereas the clam gun is 4" wide. I find it too much work rinsing it off and getting the sands out between the rubber washers. The gun is only an aluminum tube with a hole at the top and a handle. Takes only a few seconds with a hose to get all the sands out.

[canso]

buy a metal one

I always out fish the pvc guy's.

remember not all holes are created equal, some are definably better then others.
they need to be sucked out in the direction of there dig, or they will all have broken backs and wont last the night.

[vancook]

thanks. I am going to look into a metal one. Probably heading to bellingham on sunday and I hear Big 5 sells them.
Do the shrimp tend to burrow on an angle? show i dig a little out first to see which way the hole is going?

[canso]

don't dig, you only suck holes in the ground. when you walk around, water will push up threw the holes.
don't suck the holes with mounds.

when you suck a good hole, water will suck in all surrounding holes and you will hit a jack-pot with 3-4 shrimp with one pump.

You should average around 15 per half hour. In a good spot you can easily double that.  

[vancook]

ah ok, thanks for the tips.
Im going to have to invest in a metal pump

[superstick]

vancook I have been pumping bugs for over 30 odd years buy far the best pump is the alvey pump. you can spend alot of time and energy making one that may work or not Clam guns are easy to make but do not work in shallow areas plus they are very hard on your back. My alvey lasted me 30 years and thousands of sandshrimp untill i left it leaning up against a parrking meter last year.

[canso]

hey Vancook
If you come out to White Rock I can give you some pointers, and try it out.

I like to go out with 8' or less tide.

[Easywater]

I hit White Rock this evening - must have looked funny with my gear and gumboots to the "strolling crowd".

All I got were small clams - tossed them all back to deeper water.

I think the tide wasn't out far enough as it was only 20 yards from the high water mark.
Probably another 40-50 yards to full low tide.

I've pretty much figured out that the holes with small mounds are the clam holes.

Should I just be looking for level holes or should I look for holes that squirt water when I step near them?
Sounds like they are at a specific distance from the shore?

I noticed more holes in general started popping up the further the tide went out (till it got dark).

[fishfinder]

When I pump at White rock I usually go just as the tide is pulling out. I don't walk out far, maybe just 40 to 50 feet max  from the edge of the beach. I look for a  small pools of water and place my Alvey where the holes are and pump away.

I can't tell you if the mounds are clam holes or not. When I get clams I move away from there and pump other holes. The beauty of the Alvey is that I can pump lots of holes quickly to determine where the shrimps are. When I find the right holes I get nothing but shrimp, three or four per hole, and I get my limit in very little time. Good luck.