Page 28 - july2019

FISHING
FLORIDA’S FAVORITE "TREASURE HUNT”
by Misty Wells
On the West Coast of Florida, Scalloping includes three of my favorite things; it is part snor- keling, part treasure hunting and part eating. July 1st is the opening of Scallop season here in Florida and if you have not tried it, it is a “bucket list” item. Each year we gather our masks, fins, snorkels and scallop bags and head offshore to what some call “Florida’s largest Eas- ter egg hunt”.
One of the great things about scalloping is that it can be en- joyed by the entire family, all ages, with mild exercise and it is a great way to spend a family
day. In general, when Scalloping you will be in about 4 to 6 feet of water, swimming along the top until you see your prize. Once you know what to look for it is
easy, because Scal- lops don’t move very fast. A snorkeler will spot them laying on top of the sea grass or along the grassy sandy edges just hanging out. I have noticed that they tend to hang in groups,
so before you dive
down, look for other Scallops in the area and see how many you can get in one dive.
Scallopers can have 2 gallons
of Scallops (in the shell) each or 10 gallons maximum per ves- sel. Make sure you have a valid Florida fishing license, if you
are required to have one, and you are going to need a 5-gallon bucket to measure your catch. I recommend putting your catch in the live well, if you have one. If you don’t have one, keep a towel over the water filled bucket
28 ONSHORE-OFFSHORE
Magazine