Scalloping is a well-loved summer time custom in Florida, relying on the harvest area the season runs anyplace from July 1st to September twenty fourth. Scalloping itself is paying homage to an underwater Easter egg hunt. The exercise is without doubt one of the best and most enjoyable issues to do inshore throughout the late summer time. The goal species of this egg hunt is a smaller bay scallop species, the Florida Bay Scallop (Argopecten irradians), a bivalve that grows within the seagrass alongside the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. They filter out algae and natural matter from the water column and have 30 little blue eyes which are gentle delicate and used to detect the shadows of potential predators to allow them to shut their shells. They develop to a max dimension of three.5″ in diameter and stay typically just one yr and spawn solely as soon as within the fall. They’re additionally fairly scrumptious and nicely wanted for that candy meat. So with no plans for Labor Day Weekend, I instructed to my spouse we go right down to Port St. Joe for a quiet seashore weekend and a few kayak scalloping. She mentioned it appeared like a superb time, so I obtained about getting every part prepared final minute. Loading up all of the gear and Hobie on the truck so we might depart Friday proper after work.
After a protracted drive down and checking in on the Port Inn late that evening, we lastly obtained out on the bay late the following morning. Whereas I introduced down my very own Hobie PA 14 to take out on the bay, my spouse wanted to get a rental kayak for this journey. So we went over to Presnell’s Bayside Marina and obtained a rental kayak for her, solely $40 for the total day. After that I obtained to unloading my kayak and ensuring we had every part we would have liked to be on the market. Snorkeling gear for each of us, water, and a dive flag. It’s a must to have a dive flag on the market, it’s the legislation and it’s to maintain you protected. There are loads of boaters on the market and also you wish to have a protected and enjoyable time.
From the marina launch, we paddled our approach down the shore in direction of Conch Island. We had been given some tips about the place to go and what to search for by Capt. Logan of Prime to Backside Fishing Firm. Alongside the best way, we did make a few stops to see if the underside was what we had been on the lookout for however solely discovered tremendous thick and wholesome seagrass on silt backside. Whereas nice fishing backside, we didn’t discover any scallops within the stuff. Although I did see a number of authorized flounder, and now won’t ever return on the market and not using a pole spear. Within the distance, we might see a number of boats with their dive flags out, and after seeing them there our entire paddle down, we knew there needed to be higher backside that approach. As we obtained nearer and noticed the underside change to sandier and thinner sea grass, identical to what Logan had instructed us to search for. So we set anchor, put up the dive flag within the rod holder, and tied the kayaks up, we had been in most likely 3 to 4 toes of water.
We instantly discovered loads of previous scallop indicators at this spot, discovering a ton of previous scallop shells. So we knew had been gonna discover a stay one quickly, and as we snorkeled round we did lastly discover our first scallop. Not an enormous, however after the primary couple of spots being a bust we had been excited to lastly be on the scallops after that lengthy paddle right here.
After discovering that first one it was clean crusing from there. We spent the remainder of the afternoon simply slowly going throughout the seagrass and sand rigorously on the lookout for the scallops. Some had been extra silted in than others. Some scallops would react to our shadows and shut their shells, freely giving their location. Often you’d discover a pink herring of a lifeless scallop shell, the place as an alternative of a scallop a little bit crab made their house in an empty shell and gave you a pinch whenever you picked them up.
As we had been scalloping and clearing I made certain to tug alongside the kayaks and reposition the anchor to ensure we had been nonetheless shut by to the dive flag for security. Normally, once I went again to do that I might additionally discover some extra scallops proper beneath the kayaks. There all the time appear to be some that you just missed proper beneath the boat in terms of scalloping. I even chased down a few blue crabs whereas I had the fins on to take house as an additional bonus catch whereas transferring the kayaks.
Whereas we had been having a good time of doing this, after 4 hours on the market we had a couple of gallon of entire scallops and he or she was getting a bit drained and hungry so it was time to name it a day. So we loaded again into the kayaks and paddled again to the marina with our catch. A a lot more durable paddle again I’ve to say than the one we took out. Being drained and hungry from snorkeling all day together with the seagrass being proper to the floor with low tide make for a gradual paddle again. In accordance with the spouse, we’re not coming again out right here and not using a boat, and he or she doesn’t like kayaks.
As soon as we lastly made it again to the marina, I returned her kayak and loaded mine again onto the truck, about keeled over from attempting to load it on uneven terrain. I’ll speak extra about that once I end the evaluate on the kayak rack although. It was time to shuck and clear the entire scallops. Whereas the authorized restrict of entire scallops per individual is 2 gallons, we solely obtained one gallon in whole. Whereas horrible in comparison with the final time I did this a decade in the past, apparently the bay has had a tricky go of it since Hurricane Michael and we did higher than most scalloping.
Cleansing them is fairly easy, get a knife and lower the kidnapped muscle off the flatter high shell of the scallop, then pull off all the center, and take away the remaining abductor muscle from the underside shell. Be sure that to maintain all of them chilly, scallops can go unhealthy rapidly within the warmth. I actually advocate you attempt your hand at scalloping should you occur to be within the space, simply make certain to have your fishing license and dive flag should you exit. Additionally, sunblock is a should, simply since you’re within the water doesn’t imply you gained’t roast on the market.
