Florida Scalloping- a beginners guide

PDF | Print | E-mail

Tuesday, 29 June 2010 15:42

Summertime, and the livings easy...

The kids are out of school, the water is warm and the hot weather beckons Florida locals and visitors alike to jump in.  One popular Florida fishing outlet which ranks highly for its family-friendly enjoyment and the culinary result is scalloping.

Bay scallops (scientific name: Argopecten irradians), which typically fit into the palm of your hand, are easily gathered by snorkelers on the lush coastal grass flats of the Nature Coast and the Panhandle.  These are much smaller and differ from the commercially gathered sea scallops, dredged from deep water and sold in restaurants across the world.

(Above Photo) Florida Scallops are fun for Florida recreationalists. Notice the Blue dots that follow the hard exterior shell. These dots can be be a dead giveaway while looking for this tasty treat.

Just about any person can partake in the fishery, from young children on up to Seniors.     All you need in order to gather scallops is a sense of adventure and a Florida recreational saltwater fishing license (consult the Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission for license requirements and exemptions).  However, a comfortable diving mask and snorkel make the effort more enjoyable.  SCUBA apparatus, generator-powered hookah rigs and even dip nets also provide a great means to catching your dinner, whether you are embarking via boat, paddle craft, or wading shoe.

Traditionally, scallop season kicks off July first, just in time for the Fourth of July, and lasts until mid-September.  In 2010, the start date moved up two weeks, so now's the time to get in on the action, but scalloping will remain open until September tenth.  Though scallops may be found throughout many of Florida's coastal waters, legal harvesting areas include the west bank of the Mexico Beach canal in Bay county, south to the Pasco-Hernando county line.  Note that while on the water or when landing your vessel it is only legal to possess scallops in areas open to harvest.

Three great areas to try your luck are in the Gulf just off Homosassa, Crystal River, and Steinhatchee.  If you head out in these areas on a weekend, do not worry about finding a likely spot to begin your search; all you'll need to do is look for the fleet.  Remember to be courteous and keep your emphasis on safety.  A dive flag is a must.  If you're scalloping out of a boat, a flag must be 20 by 24 inches in size, and a stiffener is required to keep the flag unfurled.  You can get away with a flag 12 by 12 inches if it is on a float trailing behind you as you swim out from shore.  Buying a dive flag at a dive shop or similar establishment practically ensures your flag will be in compliance with the law.  You have to do your best to stay within 300 feet of your flag while in open water, and stay within 100 feet of the flag if you are in or very near a marked channel.  Likewise, do not run your boat within 300 feet of a dive flag in open water.  Given the nature of scalloping in popular areas, you'll want to remain as close to the boat as possible to make sure everybody in the water is safe.  If you must operate your vessel close to divers or a flag, do so with extreme caution and at idle or very slow speeds.  Scalloping is about fun, not competition, and if there are scallops present there will be enough to go around.

(Above Photo) Three great places to look for scallops are all on the west coast of Florida. Try the scallop flats just west of Homosassa, Crystal River, and Steinhatchee. When you see a Flotilla of boats, it is time to jump in and start searching!

If you are in a less traveled area, or have the fortune to dodge the crowds in a popular spot, consider beginning your search in five feet of water, but be prepared to journey out to eight or even ten feet.  Though scallops can be found in only inches of water or in deeper depths, this depth range tends to produce the highest concentrations of scallops while allowing your party to easily access the bivalves.  If the water is clear, as is often the case, one strategy is to slowly idle along with an observer scanning the seabed for signs of scallops.  Finding a row of tiny blue eyes, or else the white portion of a scallop shell against the green background of seagrass indicates you're in the right spot.  You may also spot one on the move, scuttling along a foot or so off the bottom.  In general, if you find one scallop there will be several more nearby.  It is not unheard of to dive down and scoop seven or eight of the tasty bivalves of the bottom in a single breath.  Sections of grass bordering a sandy 'pothole' or prop scar can be especially productive.  Scallop shells are countershaded, meaning one side is light in color and the other is much darker.  Most scallops orient themselves with the light side against the bottom, often making them difficult to spot from the surface if the water is deep or a bit murky.  Once you are on the bottom, though, they are much easier to spot.

Actually grabbing the scallops requires little effort of precaution, though the edges of the shells can be mildly sharp.  Some people prefer utilizing gloves or mesh nets to scoop the scallops up, but bare hands work well too.  It is a good idea to bring a mesh collection bag with you in the water so that you can comfortably collect several before climbing back into the boat.  Once you are satisfied with your harvest, place the scallops on top of the ice in your cooler.  Try to prevent covering them with ice or allowing them to submerge in the water.  Keeping them on top of the ice results in scallops which will, after a time, open their shells slightly.

(Above Photo) The things you need to be successful is pretty simple. A mesh bag for collecting your quarry, mask and snorkel, plenty of sunblock, and a small bucket will get you started!

Once this has happened, they will be easy to handle and clean.  Though there are various methods to procure the meat, one of the easiest is to use a dull butter knife.  Slide the knife blade into the scallop's opened shell, and cut the adductor muscle, or pearl of meat, from the shell.  This is the part you will eat.  You want to scrape the muscle off the shell, rather than cutting it apart.  Once the adductor is free from one side of the shell, the scallop will open completely.  Pick out the entrails and scrape the meat from the other side of the shell.  Keep the meat cool, and you are in for one of the finest fresh seafood dinners the Sunshine State has to offer.

(Above Photo) It is important to make sure you clean the entrails from the inner shell. The final product will leave you a tasty morsel of meat that is great baked, grilled, or removed and placed in soup.

There is really no wrong way to cook a scallop, and they require very little seasoning in order to taste delicious.  The individual bag limit is two gallons of whole scallops, in the shell, or one pint of meat.  The vessel limit is ten gallons whole or five pints of meat.  They do not freeze especially well, and cleaning a full bucket can be a chore, so take what you feel like cleaning and what you can enjoy eating within a few days of harvest.  Despite the recent oil spill, there appear to be healthy numbers available for harvesting, so don't be hesitant to get out there and take part in this unique Florida fishing experience.

QUICK CLEANING TIPS!

If you find yourself with a group of successful scallopers, you may want to consider using a wet/dry shop vac to aid in the clean up process. Here are the steps involved in cleaning your catch:

Step 1- Put your scallops on ice to ensure that the scallops open up. ( The cold temperatures force the scallop to open up. This is a huge time saver when it is time to prepare them for the table.)

Step 2- Fire up the shop vac, and proceed to suck all of the entrails from around the muscle. ( Don't worry about sucking the meat from the shell. This can and will happen, but typically the muscle is strongly attached to the inner shell.

Step 3- Lastly, you can leave the muscle in place to grille or bake the entire shell, or you can use a spoon or fork to remove the tasty morsel.