# St. Joseph's Bay Scalloping 7/20 - 7/24



## Pourman1

*Flora~Bama Fishing Team St. Joseph's Bay Scalloping 7/20 - 7/24*

Rented a House on Pig's Bayou , rained EVERY day but we did manage a brief few hours of Sunshine on Tuesday to get IN the Waters and find some Scallops :thumbup: ... was really easy once we got a clear weather window


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## TOBO

What ramp is that ?


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## Pourman1

We Fished every morning , but the weather was VERY uncooperative to say the least ... the Scalloping was great and easy once the weather cleared long enough to get IN the water  ... my Nephews really enjoyed their first TRUE Scalloping harvest , they had great Coaching in myself and my buddy Phil Harter ... will be going back again very soon :yes:


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## Pourman1

TOBO said:


> What ramp is that ?


 Indian Pass boat launch


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## Safari III

Pourman1,
That looks really close to the cottage we have rented. How deep was Pig Bayou where you were at? We are going over on the August 16th and are staying in the Bay Haven. Last time I was there the water was very shallow on low tide and we had a rough time getting our 16' Cape Horn in and out. Had to push the boat a long way. We were going out of the east end of the bayou. I checked the tide this year and looks like we'll have a high tide around noon each day. Hope we don't have those problems again. Is the Indian Pass launch closer than the park?


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## Pourman1

Bay Haven IS the House we rented !! ... 3 -level , 3 Bdrm , Private Dock , lots of Amenities :thumbup: ... Pig's Bayou was very shallow , a 16 Cape Horn you would have to get IN before Low Tide ... the tidal fluctuation was great though , LOTS of water in & out of Pig's Bayou , especially with all the Rains and Squalls , even on Low Tide the Bayou would fill up with water pushed IN there by the winds around the Squalls , pretty neat ... Indian Pass boat launch is a bit further than the State Park , but at Indian Pass you are right next TO The Gulf  ... Tarpon and Triple Tails IN the Gulf , Reds and Trout inside the Bay at the Pass adjacent to St. Vincent NWR :yes: ... if you are targeting Scallops , from experience , I would drive back around to just South of Presnell's Marina and enter the Bay next to the road at the public access North of the Buffer Preserve ... you can wade all the way out TO the Scalloping area next to some small islands with Black's Island in the back ground :yes: ... they were VERY easy to find when the Sun actually came out ... Best of Luck !!


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## Pourman1

We took Kayaks and a Paddle board out there but there were people Wading out there with inner tubes too ... you can either bring a Mask & Snorkel or just wear Water shoes and "shuffle" your feet along the bottom until you "Bump" into one , and you WILL find them this way  ... there seems to be almost NO Urchins or Razor Clams on this side of the Bay , was very "Kid Safe" :yes:


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## Bodupp

Did you see any tarpon or tripletails? Nice report btw.


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## Safari III

When I looked at the photo of dock I thought it was the Bay Haven cottage at first. But then I saw the screened in room on the 3rd floor of the 2nd photo and I knew that cottage wasn't it. Now looking at your photos again I realize the orientation of your truck in the second photo is looking south and the cottage in the picture is the one next door. I have only been there once the year before last. It took us a couple days to find the scallops but once we did we loaded up. I have several spots marked on my GPS and hope they are still good spots but we will try where you suggested as well. I'm not super familiar with the area but we did have dinner at a marina one night that year. Don't know if it was Presnell's or not. When I was there I saw tons of fish in that bayou but we never caught a one and never positively identified them. I am thinking they must have been mullet since I threw everything in my tackle box at them and never got a bite. I can tell you though we had a blast. One of the funnest things I have ever done. Can't believe I waited till I was 46 to do it. This year I am taking my 18 year old son. He is getting ready to leave for Ole Miss and I wanted to do something fun with him before he leaves. He is really not an outdoor kid at all. He likes to read and study and doesn't do any sports. I am just praying that he will have as much fun as I did and will want to make it an annual event. I am also taking my 72 year old mom. I think she will really enjoy it.


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## Pourman1

We didn't actually get to FISH Indian Pass due to the Weather  ... the day we went to the Pass to check it out before Dinner at The Raw Bar ( a MUST ) , we did see a BIG Tarpon roll on the surface and crush what appeared to be Mullet right next TO the boat ramp :yes: ... a few minutes after that , a BIG Shark rolled in the same spot and did the same thing !! ... was Cool seeing that so close :thumbsup: ... we talked to some Locals we had met there before , having Dinner at The Raw Bar and they told us the smallest Tripletails caught recently were all over 17 lbs.  ... as far as Pig's Bayou , ALL the Fish we saw IN the Bayou were Mullet ( Pinfish too under the Dock ) ... the game Fish were all out in the Bay , there is a spot just East of the mouth of the Eastern Bayou access that several boats were Fishing on every morning bite , some guides too so it must be productive


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## catfever24

Hey Pourman1, where are you reffering to when you say the Eastern Bayou access? I`ve been going for several years, checked all my charts and don`t see that anywhere. Thanks for the help. We are headed that way for our usual 2 wk stay in Sept.


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## Pourman1

I meant the Eastern end of Pig's Bayou that enters INTO St. Joseph's Bay ... we saw numerous Boats Fishing there every morning :thumbsup:


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## TOBO

Thanks for clarifying , that is closer to where we are staying. Ill give that a try .


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## MrPhoShiz

FREDO! gratz on the haul, me and the regulars are heading out tomorrow morning i will DEFF post up. No yaks this time, the ladies got too much sand in their vaginas last time and we had to tow them around with the Hobies. So were doin "Poon" boats this time, happy wife... well you get it.


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## Pourman1

Tien , DEF go to the area I suggested !! ... I have been ALL over that Bay over the years and this was by far THE best and easiest place to find them , good luck !!! :thumbsup:


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## MrPhoShiz

Thanks buddy! im not entirely sure where were launching from but i will have to look into it!


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## catfever24

Thanks Pourman1, I know exactly where your talkin about now. Ya`ll save some scallops for me.


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## MrPhoShiz

Sorry i think we harvested them all... 10 people over 20 gallons w/shells....


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## Safari III

Is there a decent place to go floundering in the bay? My mom used to take me when I was a kid and said she would like to go while we are there. I need a place with easy access that we can park the truck and walk to.


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## MrPhoShiz

i ran into a few flounder in the grass and one in the sand just N of Pigs Island. I couldnt get the drop on them because i was using a hawiian sling. Im not sure where good floundering around there would be. Lots of sandy patches around there but its mostly grass


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