# Cleaning your scallops



## Cobiacatcher (Sep 30, 2007)

I have found that the best and quickest way to clean scallops is to soak them in a cooler of ice water overnight. When you wake up in the morning all of them will be wide open. Then you can take you shop vac suck the guts out and will be left with only the meat. I tried this last year because some old guy at the boat ramp shared some of his wisdom with me.. Works great, try it.


----------



## sc23 (Jun 17, 2008)

Okay, never tried that. I'"d never use a shop vac. 



Just my thing.


----------



## AUradar (Oct 1, 2007)

maybe easier, but, doing it on the boat right after you finish catching them in the end is easier to me. You can go through them pretty quick with a knife. Keep the meat, throw everything else back in the water. No real clean up afterward. Don't even have to get your cooler dirty if you keep the catch in buckets.


----------



## LibertyCall (Oct 3, 2007)

Where do you go to find em? I've never harvested them myself, but I sure am game!

Doug


----------



## GAHUNTER (Jan 30, 2008)

I'll bet that's one fine smelling shop vac container! Don't know if there's enough lemon juice and baking soda in the Panhandle to kill that smell.


----------



## AUradar (Oct 1, 2007)

> *LibertyCall (7/26/2008)*Where do you go to find em? I've never harvested them myself, but I sure am game!
> Doug


port saint joe


----------



## scallopman (Oct 5, 2007)

Were you in Port St Joe in the last week? I am going for my second 08' visit in a few days and was curious if anyone was still finding any. We got a bunch over the fourth of July but the majority of them were small and we left them there.

Thanks! Scallopman


----------



## AUradar (Oct 1, 2007)

> *scallopman (7/27/2008)*Were you in Port St Joe in the last week? I am going for my second 08' visit in a few days and was curious if anyone was still finding any. We got a bunch over the fourth of July but the majority of them were small and we left them there.
> 
> Thanks! Scallopman


we were there the 4th weekend. we went out one morning and found a few, but not many and it took a long time. Asked around and that was pretty much the theme among all boaters out there. had a little boat trouble and needed to spend times with the little ones and parents, so we didn't do much after that.

Wouldn't mind trying again in late august though


----------



## Seegul51 (Oct 1, 2007)

Going third week in August, we use the guts for fish bait, redfish love it. So while we are cleaning we put the rods out in the flats.


----------



## ditchdoctor81 (Oct 3, 2007)

We will be there next weekend. I'll let everyone know how we do.


----------



## Scoutmaster (Oct 18, 2007)

Better than a shop vac, try teenagers! You can borrow my 3 any time you go. They find 'em pretty good to. Only problems is they work for food......


----------



## bare bones (Oct 2, 2007)

Iam going today we will be in tents at the state park. I will let you all know how we do.


----------



## bare bones (Oct 2, 2007)

This is a short report. We had rain the whole time we were there didn't even scollop for more than 30 min.


----------



## nextstep (Jun 27, 2008)

i remember way back when we collected scallops here in p'cola when it was legal. i was told that baby scallops grewon the shell of the big ones thats why it was good to put the shells back in the water. does anybody know if this is true or not?


----------



## Voodoo Lounge (Sep 28, 2007)

Just got back from a week in Cape San Blas, and we had a great trip. Found lots of scallops, and ended up with lots of empty beer cans at night! As with any other fishery, what you did last year may not work this year. We didnt have to go far at all to get our tasty treats!! 

Last year the wetvac trick worked awesome, but this year I've got a pretty good system so the vac didnt get used. And BTW, I still use the same vac today I used last year, I just gave it a good wash and there never was any "funk"

Ran into Rocklobster and DKdiver our last night there, and I'm sure they will have an awesome report when they get back.


----------



## nextstep (Jun 27, 2008)

http://research.myfwc.com/features/view_article.asp?id=6287

found the answer to my question. read the link if you are interested. no, scallops shells do not carry baby scallops.


----------

