Scallops

[fishshooter]

My daughter and i dove the crystal river area today and got our four gallon limit of scallops. 8 fsw and viz was top to bottom. water temp 82 degrees. seemed the closer we got to shore the less scallops we saw. there were close to a hundred boats out between crystal river and homossasa.

 

[Li'l38]

My daughter and i dove the crystal river area today and got our four gallon limit of scallops. 8 fsw and viz was top to bottom. water temp 82 degrees. seemed the closer we got to shore the less scallops we saw. there were close to a hundred boats out between crystal river and homossasa.

So, tell us more about these scallops. How long does it take to get a four gallon limit? Is it a two gallon per diver limit? How do ya fix 'em? How many people will four gallons feed? I've never done this scallop thing.... details, please!

 

[fishshooter]

scalloping is easy. motor out to some grass beds in six to eight feet of water. jump in and drift next to and around the boat dive down and grab the scallops as you pass over them. scuba is needed in over ten feet of water otherwise just snorkle fins mask and a mesh bag to put your scallops into. after the diving is over cover your scallops with ice. by the time you get home most of your scallops will have popped open and will be easy to clean. you only eat the muscle that holds the shells together. use a butter knife to pry shell partly open, cut one muscle from one of the shells. fully open scallop and use blount end of knife to scrape guts out and off of the mucle. you should now be holding half a shell and a white muscle still attached. cut muscle off shell and let it drop into a bowl. when bowl is filled rinse in water and cook. lightly oil frying pan add scallops season salt, old bay,butter. keep stirring for five minute and serve. the four gallons we got fed six people with double servings for all. scallops were served over cooked spinach and salad. get a saltwater regulation on open areas and season.

 

[ScottZeagle]

A wet/dry shop vac works great for cleaning the scallops!!!

 

[DEEPSEAWOLF]

I don't think I want to know!

 

[ScottZeagle]

I don't think I want to know!

I will elaborate...

Pop the scallop open, use the wet vac to suck the guts and such out of the shell. The muscle will be secured to the bottom shell, so it will not come out, but the water, guts, etc will be sucked into the tank. Take a spoon and remove the muscle.

Quick and easy!!!

Once you are done, make sure to run a good amount of bleach water through the wet vac to kill the smell!

:dazzler1:

 

[Li'l38]

I will elaborate...

Pop the scallop open, use the wet vac to suck the guts and such out of the shell. The muscle will be secured to the bottom shell, so it will not come out, but the water, guts, etc will be sucked into the tank. Take a spoon and remove the muscle.

Quick and easy!!!

Once you are done, make sure to run a good amount of bleach water through the wet vac to kill the smell!

:dazzler1:

Quick and easy... Sounds like you've got it down to a science! Thanks for filling us in. Can't wait to try it...yum!

 

[scubafool]

Hmmmmm.... somebody I know has a fishcamp..... hmmmmnnn.

 

[yak]

Wow. You folks have a nice deal down there, snorkling/diving for bay scallops in the shallows.

Up here, we only dive for sea scallops, which are at 60-80 feet. They tend to move around with the current, so it's hit or miss. And you usually have a bunch of menacing-looking (but harmless) dogfish circling you. On the plus side, they can get as big as dinner plates.

We always clean them on the boat, sometimes over our second dive spot. If we're going for lobster on the second dive, all the tailings bring the lobsters out to snack, and we decend on them like screaming eagles.

We never rinse them with fresh water, it makes them swell up and they lose some of their flavor. Mmmm, now I'm hungry.