Bay Scalloping at Keaton

[SS-342]

Bay Scalloping at Keaton 2010

It had been awhile since we had scalloped. Back in the 1970 was possibly the last time and then we walked/waded off shore from Hagen’s Cove. We never got many and what we got was hard if not impossible to open and clean. Scalloping was not high on my list of priorities.

Then 2010 rolled around. By then we had purchased a boat, raised a family and was doing things we had never done or done only a few times in our lives. It may be called a second chance at living? Some call it retirement!

Fishing out of Keaton, it fell natural to do what is in season. Scalloping season opened early because of the gulf oil spill and politics this year. We avoided opening days but when the 4th of July came, our grown family and grandchildren wanted to scallop.

Older, wiser and read up on scalloping, we ventured out amongst the crazy crowd the 4th of July weekend. Taking along more experience scallopers, my son and nephew, the families scalloped the 3rd of July.

The older grandchildren and cousins had a blast! They were like ducks in the water and found so many interesting sea creatures, plants, fish, and yes scallops by the net full. Between all of our families we brought home 25 gallons of the nasty little things.

My studies had revealed the “Best” ways and methods of scalloping so I contributed to the notions of more experienced scallopers of the family. Insisting on pouring sea water into the iced cooler of scallops so they would open for easier clean. It worked! Nearly cost me the farm in cooling down 86 degree sea water but it worked.

Then the next weekend rolled around and my son and his family went with us fishing and scalloping, Saturday the 10th of July. We were up early, the second ones unloaded at the lift and headed out hunting fish. We fished all morning looking for Sea Trout but found sharks and a few under sized Black Bass. By early afternoon, my son was ready to scallop.

He was the only one to go into the water but had our limit of eight gallons in around two and a half hours. Seems the scallops were larger than a week earlier?

We then went back fishing. My wife hung a shark that gave her a good pull before breaking off. Then she hung another one and got it up to the boat begging me to take her rod all the time. My son managed to help it escape using an undersized net to catch it. Thank goodness for little favors!

We were in the channel going to the barn when called in by the Marina. Seems they have enough by seven. We left the eight gallons of scallops in the live well, the boat was loaded on the trailer and headed home. Stopping in Perry to grab a quick fast food supper, I checked the scallops and wanted to get ice on them but my son insisted they would be fine.

Arriving home after nine, I flushed the engine, quick rinsed down the boat while my son and his wife set up to clean scallops, uniced! Most were still clapping at us and all seemed alive. Using a kitchen teaspoon, the scallops were opened with the handle end of the spoon, the top muscle cut off with the spoon end, the top shell pulled off and discarded. Using the spoon and thumb all the black stuff was pulled away and the muscle scooped out of the lower shell into a collecting bowl.

We were finished before eleven.

Even though pouring sea water into iced scallops works, I felt a little richer and wiser following the advice of my son.

.......But, I ask all of you knowledgeable fishermen. Where the heck are the Sea Trout!

[Hit-n-Miss]

I wish I could help you with the trout. But I cant find them either. But I can find scallops! You should take the kids out to the nine mile sand bar after scalloping. They will love it. Go at low tide though, and only on a calm day.

[SS-342]

Hit-n-Miss:

We went last Saturday. It was rough on the gulf side. My son was fishing the bow and got thrown down. We caught sharks but it was too rough. We saw other boats. Seems they were anchored. Do you think they were anchored and fishing the deep water? I've caught small trout, sharks, blue's and a Lady Fish there but have not fished it much.

Tell me more. What is it good for?

Thanks

[Hit-n-Miss]

Hit-n-Miss:

We went last Saturday. It was rough on the gulf side. My son was fishing the bow and got thrown down. We caught sharks but it was too rough. We saw other boats. Seems they were anchored. Do you think they were anchored and fishing the deep water? I've caught small trout, sharks, blue's and a Lady Fish there but have not fished it much.

Tell me more. What is it good for?

Thanks

The sand bar is just a cool place to play and find hermit crabs and sandollars. As far as fishing this time of year you have to go deep where there is grass 10-11' fish sraight jigs or a strip of pinfish on a carolina rig. If boats are anchored in 15' or so they may be chumming for spanish.

[CSMarine]

You can still catch plenty of trout in shallow water right now. I anchor up on oyster bars with a large piece of cut bait under a cajun thunder, or live pin under cajun thunder. They won't be on just any oyster bar. It has to have large rocks, a sharp drop onto grass flats to be consistent. They almost always bite on falling tide. Those places are hard to find on your own if your not familiar with the water. They are there, the key is to look for large rocks.