# Scallop Season Is Just Around The Corner!!!!|!



## Hawg "Rooter" (Jun 4, 2008)

Scallop season is going to be upon us in just a matter of weeks!! Lets hope this season is as great as last years was.
I hit them every chance I got off of St Marks last year and was able to limit out on every trip in a short amount of time.
Has anyone been scouting themout yet? 
If so how are the size & numbers?


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## Mako22 (Jun 4, 2008)

I do not scallop but I saw some west of Saint Marks Light house about two weeks back. I couldn't even tell you if they were big or small but they were there.


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## Limitless (Jun 4, 2008)

They're there!  Still small, but they grow amazingly fast.  A buddy was out of St Marks last weekend and saw large amounts on both flats.


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## Redbow (Jun 4, 2008)

Man I hope they have a Scallop season in NC this year,,I know where a big bed of them are,,if the Cow Nosed Rays haven't cleaned them out that is!!


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## wranglerjoe1968 (Jun 4, 2008)

Where can you go and how how do you scallop?


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## Hawg "Rooter" (Jun 4, 2008)

I shuck them myself .It isnt too bad of a job if you have beer to drink ! As far as how to scallop thats pretty easy depending on your location and the depth of the water. In some areas like around St George island and cedar key you can find some spots shallow enough that you can walk out in knee deep water and just pick them up off of the bottom.But I prefer snorkeling for them and usually what im looking for is water that is clear as can possibly be about 3 to 4 ft deep with a sandy bottom and lots of grass patches the scallops love to get down in this grass and feed because the are protected from predators and the current trying to drag them. 





wranglerjoe1968 said:


> Where can you go and how how do you scallop?


In florida there is only a five county area around the big bend of the gulf that it is legal to harvest Bay scallops that extends from mexico beach to the pasco-hernando county line


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## Hunting Teacher (Jun 4, 2008)

It is a lot of fun, but kind of a downer for me cause I know that means no more fishing trips to Steinhatchee, because there are just too many people and everything costs too much during scallop season.
Teacher


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## Parker Phoenix (Jun 5, 2008)

Hunting Teacher said:


> It is a lot of fun, but kind of a downer for me cause I know that means no more fishing trips to Steinhatchee, because there are just too many people and everything costs too much during scallop season.
> Teacher



Sounds like you have been through a season or two......


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## Georgiagator (Jun 5, 2008)

yep if ya wonna fish you better go on a weekday


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## Hawg "Rooter" (Jun 5, 2008)

well theres plenty of room in the gulf for everyone except the boat ramps at steinhatchee and to be honest with ya i would rather go out st marks or ecofina if i can find scallops because its a lot shorter drive for me. Steinhatchee has the reputation for scalloping and even for those of us who like to go and stock the freezer with scallops I aint going to steinhatchee for the simple reason that you have a million other people trying to get to the same scallops


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## Parker Phoenix (Jun 5, 2008)

Georgiagator said:


> yep if ya wonna fish you better go on a weekday



Unless you go offshore........


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## Black Crowes (Jun 5, 2008)

I SURE would like some to eat.


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## grim (Jun 5, 2008)

Parker Phoenix said:


> Unless you go offshore........



Its always been more about parking and traffic at the landings than room on the water.


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## W4DSB (Jun 5, 2008)

the locals in Steinhatchee call it "Idiot Season"
they say there are more things torn up that have to be towed back to shore than any other time of the year!


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## Parker Phoenix (Jun 5, 2008)

grim said:


> Its always been more about parking and traffic at the landings than room on the water.



I don't know about that. I fished there for a couple years now. The scallopers keep the water stirred up and the fish spooked. I don't know about the public boat ramp, I don't use it. However I have seen some funny things go on there.


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## rapid fire (Jun 5, 2008)

You don't want to be out there during scallop season when a storm rolls in.  Boats will get sunk by all the idiots trying to funnel back into the river at the same time.


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## highway (Jun 5, 2008)

I am planning to try the scalloping at Cape San Blas July 5-12.   Been to keaton and Steihatchee in the past.  If the Cape doesn't work out will try Appilachicola Bay


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## MudDucker (Jun 5, 2008)

I looked when I was fishing last weekend at St. Joe Bay (behind Cape San Blas).  Didn't see many scallops at all.  I'm going to be down there for the 4th and I was planning on getting me some.  Apalach really isn't for scallops...closest alternative is Lanark Village.


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## grim (Jun 6, 2008)

Parker Phoenix said:


> I don't know about that. I fished there for a couple years now. The scallopers keep the water stirred up and the fish spooked.



Go deeper or go shallower.  Not too many people scallop in the 7-9 ft depths and the fish are still there.


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## grouper sandwich (Jun 11, 2008)

This is from just in front of the St. Marks Lighthouse, Memorial Day weekend.


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## Hawg "Rooter" (Jun 11, 2008)

cool it still looks small but it will be perfect by the time august gets here!!!


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## grouper sandwich (Jun 11, 2008)

It's just the right size for late May.  It'll more than double by the time the season opens in a few weeks.  The good news is that that small guy means they had a good spawn this last fall/winter and the season should be good.  There are a bunch of big ones out there also, but those are leftover from last season and many will be dead by August as their lifecycle winds down.  You want to see LOTS the size of the one in the picture in April and May if you have any hopes of having a productive season, and that is EXACTLY what we've been seeing.


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