HARVEST PROFILE: Abundant Manila clams live in the mixed gravel and mud. They can be easily harvested at higher tide heights and there is no need to venture into the sticky black mud in the low tidal zone. Digging clams on this beach can be a very dirty job because of the soft sticky mud. Try the southeast portion of the beach that borders the main tidal channel. The Manila clams are very abundant here and the substrate is not quite as muddy (click here for map). Eastern softshell clams are also available on this beach.

This is an excellent beach for oysters.

DIRECTIONS TO SITE: From Olympia, follow Highway 3 through Shelton then north to the public access just northeast of the Bayshore Golf Club. Watch for a "Public Fishing" sign at the entrance to the parking lot.

From Highway 101 (coming from either the north or south), take the Wallace-Kneeland Blvd. exit, and follow Wallace-Kneeland Blvd. (which turns into Johns Prairie Rd. and then joins Highway 3) about 5.7 miles to the WDFW public access parking lot, located on the right side of Highway 3 just northeast of the Bayshore Golf Club.

From Bremerton, follow Highway 3 south towards Shelton, and look for the public access parking lot on the left, shortly after passing Mason Lake Rd.

A short trail bordering the Bayshore Golf Course leads from the parking lot to the beach. Clamming is good from here southward along the beach until you reach the concrete walls of the old Olympia oyster dikes (a WDFW sign also marks the public beach boundary at this point, click here for map).