I would add that my normal approach is to hit the beach 1.5 to 2 hours below low tide and focus right at the edge of the surf, looking for 'wet donuts', 'volcanoes', and 'ant hills'. Some days the clams show early, some days later. Closer to low tide is when I might be checking back in the dry sand or out in the shallow surf. And don't overlook bumpy beach areas that I call "bumps and puddles", as the flat tops of the 'bumps' get dry, round dime size sand drops often appear, tap your foot beside one and if the sand collapses more or, even better, a squirt of water comes out, it's not a sand crab, it's a razor for sure.