Fifteen clams. Keep the first fifteen. Separate containers. That rule is not bureaucracy — it is the reason there are clams next year.
The best digging is usually one to two hours before low tide, and every opening depends on marine toxin testing. Fall 2026's tentative schedule already showed reduced opportunity on Copalis and Mocrocks.
Check WDFW and Department of Health results before you plan a trip around a dig. The guide teaches the dig; the agencies open the beach.