# Scalloping Fun!



## jjam

Our annual scalloping crew loaded dem' boats and headed east for the week. Hit our first spot and would not need to look any further. Limit of scallops each day (10 gal per boat x 4) and by size you would think it was late September.

By far the best trip in our four years of scalloping!


1st morning - Abi & Brett finds the mother load and are all smiles. 










It became addicting, we had to dump a few gallons back in the bay after discovering we were over our limit.









Shucking party begins









Our favorite scallop shucking sand bar just west of the park launch.

I'll go ahead and say what you're thinkin

******* yacht club invades the Cape!









The sea life is just awesome in the bay. The sea horse swam away after a few photos. 










Jimmy​


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## Kingfish514

Wow thats awesome, I have been thinking about a trip to that area and I think you just convinced me. Are they hard to shuck?


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## FLcowboyFan

Is that St Joes Bay?


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## jjam

King Fish,

It takes a lil effort at first but after the first 10 or so you'll be a pro...Choice of tools are sharpened spoons with electrical tape around the handle for better grip and easy on the hands or a scallop knife that can be purchased from the Trading Post on Cape San Blas for $3.99.
Trick is to slip the tool in the shell while the scallop is open, if not pry them open like an oyster then carefully scrape the membrane from the meat. Also, if prying open face the dark side of the shell upwards. Works much better.

Jimmy


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## spb65

Going in two weeks.


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## johnboatjosh

*Nice*

Looks like ya'll had a great trip. On the shucking, I recently discovered the shop vac technique and will NEVER clean another scallop without one! (Be sure to remove filter from shop vac first)


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## TOBO

Great report Jimmy, glad to see you do so well. Leaving Saturday for my first time. Ant tips on finding them, general area, or anything?


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## jjam

johnboatjosh said:


> Looks like ya'll had a great trip. On the shucking, I recently discovered the shop vac technique and will NEVER clean another scallop without one! (Be sure to remove filter from shop vac first)


We heard of the shop vac technique and will give it a try next trip out...

Any tips how to use it will be most appreciative...dang, 40+ gal of scallops is alot of work in one sitting...

Jimmy


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## Pourman1

Going the 8th - 10th , hope they're more plentiful than last year ... we limited out , but it was work to get it ... great report !!


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## Cobiacatcher

If you let them soak in ice water for a couple of hours they will all be open and you can just pry them open and suck the membranes out with a shop vac. If you do it this way then you won't have to try and slid the knife in between the shells. Discovered this trick a few years ago by accidnent. 

Makes cleaning them a whole lot eaiser and quicker.


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## JoeZ

Awesome job Jimmy.


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## SHunter

Nice scalloping article in Florida Sportman this month.


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## fishn4fun

Cobiacatcher said:


> If you let them soak in ice water for a couple of hours they will all be open and you can just pry them open and suck the membranes out with a shop vac. If you do it this way then you won't have to try and slid the knife in between the shells. Discovered this trick a few years ago by accidnent.
> 
> Makes cleaning them a whole lot eaiser and quicker.


 this sounds like the way to go


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## Fish-n-Fur

Nice Catch! 1st time I saw a protable sunshade in the water with 4 boats hitched 2gether. :thumbsup:

We went to the apalachicola bat this wknd and got a limit both days...plus a busted up prop - gotta watch the rocks in that place! Hope the rocks aren't an issue in Cape San Blas. Didn't realize the scallops were so plentiful there, as we went a couple of years ago and might have gotten a half dozen...so haven't been back, but might have to return...if I can find out where to go there; sure would cut down on some road time, etc.

Gonna try to post some pics here of our adventure...my kids love doing this. :thumbup:

Pics: towing (looking for 'em); fillin' the cooler, cleanin' 'em, cleaned limit. ...lots of fun, and some work.

P.S. - where do you stay, or know of some place reasonable to stay? Thx


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