Scallop Reports

[Bigdog]

Please post any scallop reports from anywhere good or bad. Trying to make game plan for next week.

Thanks Bigdog

[Warrior]

Keaton was terrible looked all the way to Steinhatchee they are a few there but really scattered.

[t-man]

that's disappointing. were you in the water or looking from the boat? we've been scalloping there for years and have always done well around keaton - sometimes a little north, sometimes south. we normally fish in the a.m. and scallop later. our trip is in early august so hopefully they'll migrate into the general area by then (and increase in size). if it takes a little longer to get our limit at least we'll be in the water. hope to scare up a flounder or two also.

[Reel Cowboy]

It's still very early, I'm sure they'll be there but there aren't any in Carrabelle or Econfina. Especially July 9th.

[lonesouth]

We went out of St. Marks. Put in around 10am, weather was looking iffy and the forecast wasn't much better. There were some storms off to the west and we could see rain a little south and west. It was a little bit choppy, at least for me, on the way out. We pulled up a little short of the rock garden, maybe 1/2 mile west. There were plenty of boats around and we picked a spot on the fringe. Couldn't see the bottom from inside the boat, there just wasn't enough light. Once we got in, we were able to see the grass enough to find the scallops. They certainly weren't littering the bottom, but we were able to pick up about 1/minute, that's just a guess. We pulled anchor and moved a couple of times, shallower and deeper. We found the most density in ~ 4-5'. Visibility in the water started at about 20' and cleared to about 30' by 3:00 when we headed in. All in all it was a good trip out. We got a little bit crispy, but nothing a little aloe didn't cure. Combined the scallops with some shrimp, garlic, butter and noodles. Had enough to feed 7.

BTW, I've found the fastest cleaning method to be cracking open with a light tap from a hammer, separate from the light side, remove light shell, and then use a grapefruit spoon to remove the guts. The grapefruit spoon does a good job of grabbing the guts without ripping into the meat.

[Warrior]

Was in the water you can get limits just not very quick.

that's disappointing. were you in the water or looking from the boat? we've been scalloping there for years and have always done well around keaton - sometimes a little north, sometimes south. we normally fish in the a.m. and scallop later. our trip is in early august so hopefully they'll migrate into the general area by then (and increase in size). if it takes a little longer to get our limit at least we'll be in the water. hope to scare up a flounder or two also.

[red_yakker]

We looked from Grassy Island all the way to Spring Warrior all morning with 14 scallops to show for it. That was spending 10-15 minutes a drop on about 10 different drops. Fortunately, the redfish were more cooperative

[packer]

NO scallops in the St. Marks area. Lots of boats, circus at the refuge landing. Went as far east as you can go, found NONE..............

[SHOWBOAT]

NO scallops in the St. Marks area. Lots of boats, circus at the refuge landing. Went as far east as you can go, found NONE..............

Sounds like you should have followed LoneSouth. Certainly a ton of boats out there, some of which I recognized. I was trying to put my HHA anglers on some fish, and we were plucking slot sized trout from all around the outside of the scallop herd. We saw Grasshopper's Xpress full of young folks tied up to a couple others I recognized. Think I saw Chill N Grillz Skeeter too. Hope ya'll found 'em.

[captkeyser]

Went East of the Lighthouse on Saturday and found about 100 in 45mins. Not huge, and we could have gotten a limit but had to leave to attend a scheduled party.

They are there, and if you spend 2 to 3hrs then you should have no problem finding a limit.

[scottgor]

Was a fun day Capt Eric. Thanks again for the invite.

[Charlie P]

Hit St. Joe Saturday and Sunday. Found plenty on extreme South and West end of Black's Island, not many on East side between island and Presnells. Counted over 100 boats on East end and figured they were on em, only found a handful in between masses of drunk AL rednecks. Headed to south end where only 10 or 12 boats were searching and bingo. Most were meduim sized, good sized meat.

[Muddiver]

We went out of St. Marks. Put in around 10am, weather was looking iffy and the forecast wasn't much better. There were some storms off to the west and we could see rain a little south and west. It was a little bit choppy, at least for me, on the way out. We pulled up a little short of the rock garden, maybe 1/2 mile west. There were plenty of boats around and we picked a spot on the fringe. Couldn't see the bottom from inside the boat, there just wasn't enough light. Once we got in, we were able to see the grass enough to find the scallops. They certainly weren't littering the bottom, but we were able to pick up about 1/minute, that's just a guess. We pulled anchor and moved a couple of times, shallower and deeper. We found the most density in ~ 4-5'. Visibility in the water started at about 20' and cleared to about 30' by 3:00 when we headed in. All in all it was a good trip out. We got a little bit crispy, but nothing a little aloe didn't cure. Combined the scallops with some shrimp, garlic, butter and noodles. Had enough to feed 7.

BTW, I've found the fastest cleaning method to be cracking open with a light tap from a hammer, separate from the light side, remove light shell, and then use a grapefruit spoon to remove the guts. The grapefruit spoon does a good job of grabbing the guts without ripping into the meat.

That's the same for my daughter and I. You must have been right in front of us in and out. No problems at the refuge landing didn't have to wait either time. We had just under 4 gallons measured in a 1 gallon oil dri bucket and wound up with almost 2 full sandwich ziploc bags of meat so the size was pretty decent for this early. Talked to a friend that went to Blacks Island and got a bunch pretty quick but he said they were small.

[t-man]

sounds like there are enough scallops there to make it interesting, plus they'll probably all converve on the area the day we get there... nice to see reds still being caught. we usually get plenty of trout, macks, flounder, blues, and seabass but it'd be nice to snag a few reds. also have cobia on our checklist for this year. regardless we'll have a great time - being out on the water, fishing, scalloping with friends. can't beat it.

[fishinfool]

Purty fish there Yakker.
FF