As summer comes to a close and cooler weather steps in, scalloping season begins in Cape San Blas! Running from August 16th - September 24th for the 2023 season, scallop harvesting is a fun activity that combines boating, snorkeling and can also be the perfect way to prepare for a delicious dinner shared with friends and family. Plan a visit to our beach house rentals in Florida during scallop season and get ready to collect these tasty sea-creatures. Plus, you can even attend local events like the Florida Scallop, Music & Arts Festival in Port St. Joe. Here is our guide to preparing for this local activity!
3 Things You Need to Know About Scallop Season in Cape San Blas
Scallop Season in Cape San Blas - August 16-September 24, 2023
1. Where to Find Scallops in Cape San Blas
What’s the first step to scalloping in Gulf County? Knowing where to find them! Scallops like to hang out in clear water between 4 and 8 feet in depth with sea-grass beds. It may be easiest to harvest scallops and snorkel at this depth with the help of a rented boat to rest and store your bounty on.
2. What You’ll Need for Scalloping
Before you get ready to dive in the waters, you’ll need a few things to be sure you are ready to harvest scallops. First, you need a saltwater Florida Fishing License to participate in scalloping season. Next, you should be prepared to dive into the warm gulf waters with a dive flag to alert other boaters that you are in the water as well as snorkeling gear, fins, and sunscreen.
Once you have all your gear together, dive in and begin to collect the swimming scallops. Be careful, these creatures can pinch! To better collect and maintain your scallops, you should also bring along a mesh bag and ice or a live well to rest your scallops in once you get them back in the boat.
3. Cleaning & Preparing Scallops
Now that you have collected your daily bag limit of 2 gallons of shelled scallops or 1 pint of scallop meat per person, you’re ready to clean them! You’ll need a scallop or clam knife to pry open the shells and remove the white muscle. Once cleaned, you’re ready to cook your scallops and serve them over pasta, rice, in a chowder, or even in a casserole. Run wild with your cuisine imagination! For some inspiration, visit a Port St. Joe restaurant that will surely be serving up the local cuisine.
Scallop Season is a wonderful time to visit Cape San Blas. The days are warm, and the water is too, and the beaches start to become less crowded as kids return to school for the fall.
We would love to host you on Cape San Blas this time of year!
Browse our available Cape San Blas rentals for scallop season