Scalloping is a fun day on the water for the entire family. Cleaning your scallop catch is a messy job. Plain and simple. Simple gear works well for cleaning your catch of bay scallops.
First, get your catch on ice as soon as it comes aboard. Be sure to cover the shells with ice and let them sit for a while. This takes at least one step out of the cleaning process, and prying shells open is no small chore.
Second, holding the scallop in the palm of one hand, insert your cleaning tool into the shell and cut the muscle away from one half. Then carefully scrape the guts away from around the muscle, discard the guts, and use your tool to cut the muscle into a container. Do it again—and again! Everyone seems to have his or her favorite scallop-cleaning tool. I prefer a cheap stainless steel tablespoon, its front edge sharpened with a bench grinder.
I can imagine. At Steinhatchee, at least, there is a great service provided by freelance scallop cleaners. These folks are usually available at marinas during the height of the scallop season to clean your catch for you. Prices vary, but the rates based on weight or volume are quite reasonable. I suppose the most popular way scallops are eaten by Floridians is fried. Fried is fine, but scallops should never be battered.
A very light coating of commercial fish breading or plain corn flour Masa Harina at Latin grocery stores.
Let them fry until the centers are barely hot, drain them on paper towels, and get them to the table right away. One option is to toss scallops, without flour, in melted butter and then broil them in the oven for a couple of minutes.
Then stir them into pasta with garlic and olive oil. Scallops taste pretty good raw, right out of the water. A quick squeeze of lime juice and a dash of salt and pepper probably make them safer, and they sure are tasty. Scallops prepared as a ceviche have been pickled, in a sense, and are delicious.
Mix all the ingredients for the marinade in a zipper-style bag. One of the most common divers down flag violations is displaying the flag while underway. Always remember to stow your flag before moving to a new location!
Also, check your standard boating safety equipment to be sure you have enough life jackets for every person aboard, a throwable flotation device, a sound-producing device such as a whistle or air horn, and a supply of visual distress signals in good condition not wet or expired. Following the best practices below will ensure the bay scallop fishery is protected for future generations to enjoy.
See this comprehensive resource for a complete list of best practices related to planning your trip, protecting the fishery, and cleaning your catch. Throw back small scallops. Scallops that are smaller than 1. In Florida, bay scallops typically only live one year. So, it is important that as many scallops as possible have the opportunity to spawn each season. While it is not legally required, throwing back small scallops is a great way to do your part to protect the fishery.
Also, small scallops have smaller muscle meat so it might not even be worth your while to shuck the small ones. Keep only what you will eat. One pint of scallop meat the typical daily limit for one person is roughly four servings of scallops. Rather than setting a goal of catching your limit, consider setting a more conservative goal based on how much meat you will actually eat.
Scallop meat only keeps in the fridge for 1 day or about 3 months frozen. Plan accordingly! Never double dip. Without question, this is illegal. But is is also highly unethical and shows disrespect for the fishery and the people with livelihoods that depend on bay scallops. Protect seagrass when boating.
Be aware of seagrasses while boating in shallow areas! Many species, including bay scallops, depend on seagrasses. Damage from propellers and boat anchors called seagrass scarring reduces habitat quality and resilience of seagrasses over the long-term.
Please visit the Be Seagrass Safe website for more information. Discard shells responsibly. Shells and soft tissues should be disposed of in open Gulf of Mexico waters with moderate to strong currents that are not channels, canals, marinas, springs, or boat ramps. Shells and soft tissues can cause problems for water quality and boating when dumped in high traffic areas close to shore.
Shells disposed of in shallow swimming areas, such as springs or sandbars, pose a serious hazard to swimmers. Ice down your catch. Place scallops on ice in a cooler until you clean them. Then, I arrange them atop linguine, deglaze the stainless-steel pan with a hit of white wine and drizzle the pasta with pan juices. Alternately, the scallops can be packed in coolers and shipped home from the town post office.
We quickly fall into reverie, eating and laughing, the meat of the scallops firm and sweet, made all the sweeter, perhaps, for being picked by our own hands. Scallop season runs from July 1 through September 24 each year. While boat rentals are available for scallopers who want to DIY, figuring out exactly where to drop anchor might prove difficult. Choose a tour instead and everything from the gear snorkel, mask, and fins to the fishing license available for purchase online for those going it alone is included.
Multiple operators offer scallop tours and charters in the city of Crystal River and the old Florida fishing town of Homosassa, both less than an hour drive from Tampa or less than two from Orlando.
Many outfitters also offer manatee swim outings on the nearby Crystal River typically, from the city of Crystal River , allowing visitors to get in the water and within inches of the massive, prehistoric-looking mammals. Here are two of the best-reputed providers:. Sign up for the Daily Wander newsletter for expert travel inspiration and tips. Read our privacy policy. AFAR Advisor. Beaches International Beaches Islands U.
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