# Scalloping....



## Hit-n-Miss (Jun 27, 2012)

Who's planning on going? We prob wont go till the 6th.


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## Beehaw (Jun 27, 2012)

We are heading down on Sunday for the week.  i am concerned about what all this rain will do the water.


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## arrow2 (Jun 27, 2012)

I'm headed down Sat for a week and the survey don't look good for St Joesph Bay. Take a look. 10 per 650 square yards is far and few in between, good luck anyway.

The count is in order tha way it's listed
Annual abundance survey

Each spring, biologists assess bay scallop populations, surveying 10 to 20 stations at each of 10 locations along the gulf coast of Florida. At each station, biologists count all scallops within a 600 square meter area (656 square yards). Preseason surveys are usually initiated in June, and areas open to recreational harvest are completed before the season opens. The table shows the average number of scallops observed per 600 square meters during the annual surveys. Dashes indicate years in which surveys were not conducted.

Year Hernando, Crystal River, Steinhatchee, St. Marks ,St. Joseph Bay 
1997 20.2 15.2 25.9 - 27.3 
1998 0.8 3.0 27.4 - 13.4 
1999 8.7 28.6 164.4 - 31.1 
2000 51.8 242.8 218.3 - 3.8 
2001 72.2 299.3 122.8 - 12.1 
2002 6.7 51.8 138.7 - 37.5 
2003 10.8 125.6 61.3 - 28.7 
2004 1.4 5.7 18.8 - 2.4 
2005 27.4 72.3 22.7 - 59.2 
2006 9.1 21.9 11.2 - 35.6 
2007 37.8 48.0 36.8 - 41.2 
2008 98.8 86.2 140.0 170.0 11.3 
2009 9.4 20.7 69.0 8.4 97.2 
2010 32.3 77.0 54.5 5.4 138.2 
2011 137.7 37.9 136.1 19.4 154.8 
2012 * 36.5 28.2 68.3 10.9 

* Not completed yet due to inclement weather. Data will be updated as soon as it is available.

Planning on going scalloping this bay scallop season? Help biologists learn more about how many bay scallops live along Florida's Gulf coast by submitting your bay scallop harvest data through our new Web survey. View the article "Bay Scallop Web Survey Taps Recreational Harvesters" for more information


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## Beehaw (Jun 27, 2012)

Wow, the scallops don't look good.   I will be fishing primarily, but we always do some snorkeling/scalloping.

I will be in a White/Yellow Pathfinder, and their should be 4 people in the boat every day.  Hopefully, we will be the one with the boat riding low from all of the fish!


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## blackmax (Jun 27, 2012)

I plan to head down in August.  I have gone in early July the last few years and am hoping the extra month of growing time will pay off.


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## huntindawg (Jun 27, 2012)

My family and I will be down at SGI the week after the 4th.  I used to live in Thomasville and have been down (in a boat) several times to St. Marks to scallop.  

However, we won't have a boat down w/ us this time, and I was wondering if anyone would be willing to point me in the right direction for areas I could access by foot to find a few scallops.  I'll probably spend most of my time trying to get my nephews their first redfish and trout but thought they might like to find a few scallops if there is access anywhere.


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## aabradley82 (Jun 27, 2012)

Going down to steinhatchee the week of the 9th. First time for us, maybe we can get on them


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## MudDucker (Jun 28, 2012)

I have a troop of scouts wanting to go yesterday, but with all of the fresh water from Debbie, I think we will wait and see.


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## grouper throat (Jun 28, 2012)

The water will probably be slightly murky as we got 10-16 inches of rain here. The reports aren't that great either as already mentioned. You would have to chain me and drag me down there around the 4th as it's normally packed. They will be more plentiful later on in the season normally.


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## B42 (Jun 28, 2012)

i would not go the first week or 2 and let the water clear


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## Mak-n-Memories (Jun 28, 2012)

St. Joe Bay is murky from the storms but clearing daily. Everyone be safe and have a good time.


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## brriner (Jun 28, 2012)

Econfina and west will probably take a long time to clear after all the rain from Debby.  Fresh water is likely to kill a good portion of what was there anyway.  Heard from a friend that St. Marks was LOADED this year too....that'll be a big disappointment.


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## B42 (Jun 28, 2012)

i think steinhatchee will be ok just not the first week or so


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## Lukikus2 (Jun 28, 2012)

Homasassa bound. 

I think the numbers will be alot better after Debbie rode through. (ie, pushed them up shallower)


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## grouper sandwich (Jun 28, 2012)

Just an FYI, the FWC today permanently extended the Florida Bay Scallop season by two weeks. The new season is July 1- September 24 annually.


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## Hit-n-Miss (Jun 28, 2012)

grouper sandwich said:


> Just an FYI, the FWC today permanently extended the Florida Bay Scallop season by two weeks. The new season is July 1- September 24 annually.


 That'll give us more time to get em. If you can stand the c-c-cold water in late september. Anyone that goes the 1st through the 4th please post a report.


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## O-Country (Jun 28, 2012)

Heading to Steinahatchee tomorrow for the week hopeing to find some scallops.Try to get a  look around some before it opens while doing a little fishing fishing.


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## Shine Runner (Jun 29, 2012)

Probably going some time next week, but hopefully more offshore than inshore.  Will look if on the flats, and if I find some.....they will come home! Will let you know.....if I get to go......I got the email with the new Hot Sheet and was pleasantly surprised with the extended red snapper days and scallop season days.....hope it helps the economy down in the Gulf areas


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## Hit-n-Miss (Jul 1, 2012)

Anybody go?


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## aabradley82 (Jul 2, 2012)

Saw a report that steinhatchee was good. Survey was taken in bad weather. Going next week.


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## pottydoc (Jul 2, 2012)

Heading for Steinhatchee Thursday night. Fishing and scalloping. I'll post up while we're there.


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## Lukikus2 (Jul 3, 2012)

IO haven't been yet due to some carb problems. Here are a few of links to reports though.

http://forums.floridasportsman.com/showthread.php?62554-Homosassa-Scallops-7-2

http://forums.floridasportsman.com/showthread.php?62379-Opening-day-scallops-in-Steinhatchee

http://forums.floridasportsman.com/...ening-Day-Scallops-Crystal-River-to-Homosassa

Be safe and good luck.


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## Shine Runner (Jul 4, 2012)

Looks like I am headed down in the morning.  Hope there are some easy ones left.  Gonna have my two sons (12 & 11) with me.  Don't really want to have to scallop in 8 FOW like last year.  Posting on this site really stinks on my phone.  Don't know if I will get an update posted on here till I get home.  Wish GON would get the TapaTalk app.  Makes posting reports and pictures SO MUCH easier.


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## trubluau (Jul 5, 2012)

We are heading back to Keaton on Friday. Been getting good reports all week. Water was terribly muddy north last week but should be cleared out by Saturday. All reports have been coming in around grassy. I did go 45 miles offshore monday for gags and snapper and it was slowww. But any day on the water is a good day.


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## Hit-n-Miss (Jul 5, 2012)

pottydoc said:


> Heading for Steinhatchee Thursday night. Fishing and scalloping. I'll post up while we're there.


Cant wait to see your report. Going sat.


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## Bryannecker (Jul 5, 2012)

A horde of folks from Bryan county, GA descended on the Gulf on or before the 4th, and cleaned out all the scollops, as I understand it!!!


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## Hit-n-Miss (Jul 6, 2012)

We are going tomorrow to Keaton.


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## pottydoc (Jul 6, 2012)

Tried to get offshore in my bay boat today, but it was a little choppy for my wife. We played with the scallops for a couple hours, got 2 1/2-3 gallons just north of Pepper Fish in 4' or so. The waters still murky, but not too bad.


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## highway (Jul 6, 2012)

We are hooked up and will be in Keaton tomorrow and Sunday.  Headed down to start just south of Big Grassy and work further til we find them.


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## huntindawg (Jun 24, 2013)

Bump for this year...who's going down for the opener?
My family will be down in St Joe bay this Saturday, anyone have any preseason reports, fwc hasn't released their numbers yet.


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## Mak-n-Memories (Jun 24, 2013)

It is going to be a good year. The later you can go the better it will be.


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## fireant21 (Jun 24, 2013)

The reports just came out. Not much better than the bad report for PSJ from last year. It's all about where you go, many limits were still had last year despite the scouting report from FWC. It cost a lot for me to buy them off with that bad report.


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## Jhud (Jun 25, 2013)

We will be down around Stienhatchee/Horseshoe july 3-7. I hear that the scallops are there and unlike last year you can see them. FWC report looks like the count is slightly up in that area, but thats only in their 600m square, hope my 600m square is better. Will post a fishing/scallop report when we get back. Good luck to all, be safe.


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