BigBendFishing.Net

No scalloping here.
I may fish all winter but when scallop season starts, I just about put the boat up. If you want to fight the crowds and crazies at the ramp be my guest.

What RC said. Yall can have it. Just remember there are huge concentrations of enormous TIGER sharks form Ecofina to SGS. They bite in chunks, too.

Tom Keels wrote:You guys would be much better off waiting a few weeks until they get bigger. They will be very small right now, even if you can find one.

What he said

Reel Cowboy wrote:No scalloping here.
I may fish all winter but when scallop season starts, I just about put the boat up. If you want to fight the crowds and crazies at the ramp be my guest.

Learn the Aucilla. My take is that most of the scalloping crowd goes to a ramp closer to their house or is scared of the rocks. I run it all summer and there is rarely more than a dozen trailers in the lot. I'll be happy to show you a line

SHOWBOAT wrote:Learn the Aucilla. My take is that most of the scalloping crowd goes to a ramp closer to their house or is scared of the rocks. I run it all summer and there is rarely more than a dozen trailers in the lot. I'll be happy to show you a line

Here's a better plan, why don't we just take your boat?

I've never does this. I'm researching it and looking to be east of the lighthouse with my wife and kids Saturday early in the morning. Any advice?

I went looking for some of my old scalloping posts... use the search and you will find lots of info.

Here are a couple:
http://www.bigbendfishing.net/phpBB3/vi ... ng#p190458
http://www.bigbendfishing.net/phpBB3/vi ... ks#p158513
When its good here its great!

You need a dive flag, mask, snorkel, bag to put them in and find some clear water.
I'm curious to see if we have many- drought years are usually better for our area... St Joe is usually predictable.

Just remember they can be scary!

tallykenj wrote:I've never does this. I'm researching it and looking to be east of the lighthouse with my wife and kids Saturday early in the morning. Any advice?

Tallykenj:

Anchor in a comfortable depth for the kids to reach the bottom (how old are they?); 4 to 5 feet is usually good. You will know when you are in an area with scallops; there will be a flotilla of other anchored boats with diver-down flags a fluttering.

A few common-sense tips . . . Keep a competent person in the boat at all times. Train your kids to look up (at the boat) from time to time. Wear a shirt while snorkeling (so not to get sun-burned). There should be little or no current tomorrow, but if there is, I advise working your way upstream, so that the return-to-boat leg is easier. Don't clean and shuck guts near others who are snorkeling (shark attractant ).

Good luck; have fun.

Thanks. I'm going to head to the rock garden (palm island) around 8:30. My kids are 6 and 12. We are looking forward to a good time. I suspect I'll be there as the tide goes out so I know I need to be careful leaving. I hope we find some scallops and fish.

tallykenj wrote:I'm going to head to the rock garden (palm island) around 8:30. I hope we find some scallops and fish.

You have a good chance on both accounts. Good luck.

Well, I was east of the lighthouse today and found a lot of boats but not many scallops. I was in the rock garden near Palmetto Island. I'm going out tomorrow but not sure where I should go. I'm lauching from St. Marks and thinking about heading west. This is my first time scalloping. What's the ideal depth? Anybody have much luck today? Any recommendations on where to focus my efforts?

If you go west go to StJoe... some folks find them of Lanark but most folks in our area go east to the rock garden or further east.

Ive wondered if we would have many with the heavy rains. They like salty water and when we have dry years we have scallops.

Last year I saw lots of boats near Grey Mare Rock. I also saw scallops in the water out from there. They were usually in water about 4-6 feet deep. There is good looking habitat within about 300 yards around Grey Mare. On an outgoing tide it should be pretty easy for the kids to move around there. Lots of resting spots on the rocks.
Good luck yall,
FF

Went to Scallop Hole and Scallop Bar off St. Marks and found zero scallops. Did not take one home. Have heard that the heavy rains reduced the water salinity in that area and they have gone elsewhere. Fun day nonetheless. I read an article that St. Joe is still good as well as Steinhatchee.

Good afternoon,

Anybody ever see any on the bayside of Dog Island?

May be over there this weekend putting on a new roof and will take a dip to cool off.

Any thoughts are appreciated.