# opening weekend 2010, Scallops-Steinhatchee



## HighSide25 (May 15, 2007)

For an east coast guy, opening season when pertaining about diving means two things, bunch of boats, and a lot of boats hunting for lobster. This weekend, the Florida governor, Charlie Crist, decided to open scallop season earlier than years past, due to BP's oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico and to help out the small towns on the west coast economicly. 
I decided to make the trek over to Steinhatchee, one of the more popular scalloping areas. After about 10am on the first day, it was clear to me why so many people go scalloping. It is fun, easy, and a great way to spend the day on the water. even a 5 year old child can learn to be very successful on a big catch.
I met up with G8erfly at 6am in Gainesville and 2 hours later we were at the ramp, with all kinds of boats and people. there were kayaks, canoes, airboats, mudmotors, jon-boats, gheenoes, flats boats, bay boats, pontoons, deck boats, and big offshore center consoles. while on the water we even saw someone 4 miles from land on what looked like a big windsurfing/ paddle board.

My buddy, Mark, had gone scalloping for the last 10 years or so, so he was experienced and knew how to do things and what type of water depth/cover the scallops liked. He also showed me how to clean them, more on that later. We searched the grass flats for 1/2 an hour or so, and finally found an area that looked promising. We stayed within a 300 yard area until we had all four of our limits. It took us a little more than 2 hours, not bad with three newbies and a veteran. After we get our limits, we decide to try fishing and chumming while we clean our scallops on the boat. After 2 dozen scallops, someone sleeping on the bow(he had a long night the night before) a severe sunburn for me and sleepyhead, and a storm quickly approaching, we decide to finish cleaning back home. those 2 dozen scallops took about 15 minutes to clean. a true PITA!
All the way home I was dreading cleaning a full livewell of scallops, even with 5 people all helping, i knew it would take forever.
Mark, the genuis he is, decides to share a myth he has heard; using a shop vac will clean the guts away from the meat . just out of curiousity I decide to swing by my house to pick up the shop-vac and test mark's myth. once i get it and get back to his house, the crew was 15 minutes in and hadnt put a dent in the cooler full of scallops. we hook up the shop vac and cleaned 8 gallons of scallops in less than an hour, including our 20 minute pool/beer break.
We all met up againg at 10pm, fried scallops, corn, baked beens, and some beer/wine. found out we all got a little burnt, and everyone went home and passed out before midnight.
Sunday I had planned on going at 7am, but that did not happen. I didnt get to the ramp until noon, but it was just as well. the scallops were still there, and so were all the boats, but not one person was unpolite. the way it should always be.
If you get a chance to go in the next month, take the family and/or friends and give it a shot, you wont regret it.

lookin' for the "spot"




















found it!



















so did everyone else










switching boats, going to another area.





































almost there....




















more boats, but better spot









...equal success






















































storm coming, time to leave.




























back home














































i got some more pics on cleaning them, but as i just finished doing THAT, ill post those pics later. found an AWESOME and QUICK way to do it. and i have to cook dinner.

Kyle


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## PVredfisher (Jan 11, 2007)

Nice [smiley=headbang.gif]. Hope to be over there in the next few weeks to get some


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## REELKEEN (Mar 24, 2009)

Here's a couple tips for you to speed up the cleaning process. 

I saw you were using the spoon, that's the best way I know to do it. But you need to take your spoon and flatten the end with a bench grinder. Then grind an edge on the flat end. That way you have a way to get into the ones that didn't open up. 

Also instead of keeping them in the livewell keep them in a cooler on ice that way they will open up easier when you get back home. I find that if I let the water drain out of the cooler during the day and they stay dry and cold they open up SOOOOOOOOO much easier.

I've done the shop vac thing but I shuck them quicker with a sharpened spoon.


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## tbayray (Sep 18, 2008)

Nice Haul. [smiley=hammer.gif]
I can remember the days when they were over by the SkyWay... TimesGone.
FunTrip!


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## deerfly (Mar 10, 2007)

looks like a hoot Kyle, glad you guys got into them.  

Trey and I toughed it out for late season tarpon but the scallop army was out in full force around the Crystal River area too. We might give them a try next weekend.


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## HaMm3r (Dec 11, 2006)

That looks pretty fun. Bet the kids would love it!  Nice haul too.


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