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Are you ready for a family adventure that the kids will be talking about all year? Then it’s time to go scalloping in Florida this summer! Think of it as something like an underwater easter egg hunt, with a fresh, delicious meal to top it off.

You’re likely to see lots of marine life on a scalloping trip, including turtles, manatees, seatrout, starfish, seahorses, and much more. Keep a cautious eye out for jellyfish and sea urchins, but don’t let them stop your fun.

The season opens from the first weekend of July and will stay open until late September. Different areas up the coast open their scalloping season at different times during the summer, so keep an eye out for the latest news. 

The Florida Bay Scallop thrives in this area due to the mix of freshwater springs and saltwater coming together, which forms the perfect conditions for seasgrasses to flourish. Here is where the Scallops make their home in 4–10’ clear waters. 

How to Target Scallops

Florida scalloping charters will take you out for short but sweet trips – four hours is plenty of time to reach your bag limit. From the deck, you’ll keep an eye out for any Scallops resting upside-down, exposing their white bottoms. Eagle-eyed customers might spot the Scallops’ green-brown tops from the boat. They’re most visible on grass beds. You just need to spot them, pick them up, and put then into your mesh dive bag. Scallops may try to swim away, so make sure your bag is secure.

When you find a good collection, the captain will anchor up, tie-up the diving flag, and get the equipment ready for you to use.Once in the water, you’ll want to glide over the grass beds. A top tip is to go against the tide on the way out – this makes it easier to swim back to the boat later when you’re tired. 

How to Prepare

Captains in Florida will normally have the gear for scalloping on board. This includes snorkeling masks, fins, and a dive bag for each customer. Be sure to ask ahead of time just to confirm that there’s enough for everyone in your group. Feel free to bring along gloves if needed.

You’ll need to bring swimwear, a towel, and water-resistant sunblock. You may need to bring your own snacks and drinks, too.

Need to Know

Everyone in your group from the age of 16 to 65 will need a saltwater fishing license, which is usually included on a Florida Scalloping trip. This will cover you from the Florida Panhandle’s Mexico Beach Canal to the Big Bend, and down to Pasco County, which is where scalloping is legal.

You can only possess Scallops during the open season. Although it’s not a legal requirement, it’s good practice to leave any Scallops that are under 1.5 inches long, since these aren’t likely to have a lot of meat yet.

The daily limit per person is 2 gallons of Scallops (still in their shells). 

Please dispose of the shells correctly, away from the shore, channels, and canals – you wouldn’t want to end up standing on one or contribute to blocking up the waterways.

After your trip, many local restaurants will cook your catch for you, for an additional fee.

A Florida scalloping trip is fun for the whole family. Head over today, get in the water, and start finding some Scallops!