Homosassa is one of the most popular locations in Florida to go scalloping!
The Homosassa River is fed by almost 30 different springs. When this clean freshwater makes the short path down the river, it joins with the Gulf of Mexico to create an expansive healthy estuary that supports fertile seagrass beds and a variety of wildlife, including the bay scallop.
Scalloping is a popular summer tradition in Florida. It is a fantastic way to get some exercise and take in the beautiful seagrass flats and their wildlife while harvesting scallop meat to go along with your next meal. In the Homosassa area, the scallop harvesting season runs from July 1 through September 24.
During their seasonal influx to the area, bay scallops are usually harvested on the shallow flats in around 3-6 feet of water in the Gulf of Mexico.
These shallow flats are safe and well within sight of the shore. If you can snorkel, you can scallop. A scalloping trip starts with a 30-45 minute boat ride out to the gulf. Once the captain locates the areas holding the scallops, they will anchor up and prepare you for the fun part.
The provided equipment includes a mask, fins, snorkel, and mesh bag. The captain will show you an example of what scallops look like and give some pointers on locating them in the seagrass. Once you get used to looking for the characteristic patterns, you will get better and better at filling your bag. Scallops may be anywhere on the flat, from sandy pockets to resting on or buried in the grass.
The process requires floating on the surface, scanning the bottom, and looking for the unmistakable scallop-shaped shell or their iridescent blue eyes. The process is very meditative as you immerse yourself in the environment.
As you venture back to the boat, the captain will measure the boat’s total harvest. The limit of scallops is two gallons per person or a max of 10 gallons of whole scallops per boat.
Ten gallons of scallops can produce a lot of scallop meat. Each scallop muscle is a chunk of meat similar to the tip of a finger.
Since bay scallops cannot be sold, this is a dining experience that you cannot experience in restaurants unless you find a restaurant that will prepare the scallops you harvested on your trip. One popular scallops recipe is to bread and lightly fry them with garlic, butter, and olive oil – served with a side of lemon. Many local places will do this for a small fee.
Scallop season is very popular, and books up far in advance. ScallopNFL trips accommodate up to six people, so talk with family and friends and reserve your trip as soon as possible for this summer.
