Advice Please: St. Marks or Keaton for Scallops?
Moderators: bman, Chalk, Tom Keels
-
- Posts: 31
- Joined: July 26th, 2009, 1:56 pm
Advice Please: St. Marks or Keaton for Scallops?
I am planning my one and only scallop trip this weekend with my wife, son, and his GF. He loves scalloping. I am 50 min from St. Marks and 1.5 hours from Keaton. Are they still a plenty at St. Marks? I have never scalloped there - only at Keaton. Any hints on where they are out of St. Marks? I prefer the closer trip.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Tight Lines . . . .
Any advice would be appreciated.
Tight Lines . . . .
- Ted in Tallahassee
- Posts: 115
- Joined: June 13th, 2015, 7:07 am
Re: Advice Please: St. Marks or Keaton for Scallops?
Get thee to St. Marks, hang a left as you exit the river mouth/lighthouse channel, head that direction (east) for a spell until you see what looks like what the Germans saw when they looked on the horizon of the English Channel as dawn broke on June 6, 1944, go to that general area, and if you don't get into scallops right away move a little and try again. Rinse, repeat. Go early--it's lots nicer when it's not windy yet. Be in the water scalloping by 10 am at least. Good luck!
Re: Advice Please: St. Marks or Keaton for Scallops?
They are much more abundant in Keaton.
To fish, or not to fish, . . . those are the answers.
- FishWithChris
- Moderator
- Posts: 1402
- Joined: March 6th, 2009, 3:38 pm
- Location: Inshore
Re: Advice Please: St. Marks or Keaton for Scallops?
best description I've ever read...Ted in Tallahassee wrote:....until you see what looks like what the Germans saw when they looked on the horizon of the English Channel as dawn broke on June 6, 1944....





Re: Advice Please: St. Marks or Keaton for Scallops?
That's awesomeTed in Tallahassee wrote:Get thee to St. Marks, hang a left as you exit the river mouth/lighthouse channel, head that direction (east) for a spell until you see what looks like what the Germans saw when they looked on the horizon of the English Channel as dawn broke on June 6, 1944, go to that general area, and if you don't get into scallops right away move a little and try again. Rinse, repeat. Go early--it's lots nicer when it's not windy yet. Be in the water scalloping by 10 am at least. Good luck!

2008 Key West 196 Bay Reef
2008 Yamaha 150
2008 Yamaha 150
-
- Posts: 31
- Joined: July 26th, 2009, 1:56 pm
Re: Advice Please: St. Marks or Keaton for Scallops?
Thanks for the advice guys. I have managed to get access to a private ramp near Keaton tomorrow so that is where we will try. Keeps us away from the crazy public boat ramp scene at Keaton. My guess is it will resemble the English Channel when I find the scallops there also!
Tight lines . . .
Tight lines . . .
- big bend gyrene
- Moderator
- Posts: 2459
- Joined: August 8th, 2005, 9:30 am
- Location: Monticello, FL
Re: Advice Please: St. Marks or Keaton for Scallops?
There is an option C if you want to avoid the D-Day landing crowds... scallops fairly easy to come by out of Econfina this year, and when I took family visiting out the Saturday before the 4th the boats congregated together out of Econ counted at about a dozen versus in the hundreds. Go during the work week and you may even find yourself alone.



"The Marines I have seen around the world have the cleanest bodies, the filthiest minds, the highest morale, and the lowest morals of any group of animals I have ever seen. Thank GOD for the United States Marine Corps." Eleanor Roosevelt, 1945
-
- Posts: 31
- Joined: July 26th, 2009, 1:56 pm
Re: Advice Please: St. Marks or Keaton for Scallops?
Had a great scalloping trip to Keaton! Picked them up in 2' of water off of Sponge Point. Then went out in front of Grassy Island near the bird rack and finished them off in about 4' water. The four of us almost got our limit - but we got what we wanted. Cleaned them on the water which is much better than the garage! We fried up half of them tonight and they were delicious! The private boat ramp access made it a good day. The public ramp at Keaton was NUTS when we drove by.
Tight lines . . .
Tight lines . . .
- Flint River Pirate
- Site Sponsor
- Posts: 3639
- Joined: August 23rd, 2007, 12:35 pm
- Location: Lynn Haven, FL
Re: Advice Please: St. Marks or Keaton for Scallops?
Glad you had a good trip Rob!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Team Jolly Mon
Re: Advice Please: St. Marks or Keaton for Scallops?
i don't know why I never thought to fry them. Got a recipe?
850-273-8818
- Hit-n-Miss
- Posts: 3531
- Joined: May 20th, 2004, 12:15 pm
- Location: Boston Ga.
Re: Advice Please: St. Marks or Keaton for Scallops?
. Louisiana fish fry.(blue bag) hot almost smoking grease and only cook a handful at the time for exactly 1 min. If you try more at the time they will be soggy not crispy.lonesouth wrote:i don't know why I never thought to fry them. Got a recipe?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Re: Advice Please: St. Marks or Keaton for Scallops?
I fish Ecofina regularly but have never scalloped any where and have my granddaughter this coming week anyone have any suggestions about where to go at Ecofina
- Hit-n-Miss
- Posts: 3531
- Joined: May 20th, 2004, 12:15 pm
- Location: Boston Ga.
Re: Advice Please: St. Marks or Keaton for Scallops?
. Sent you a pm.Bluewave wrote:I fish Ecofina regularly but have never scalloped any where and have my granddaughter this coming week anyone have any suggestions about where to go at Ecofina
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk