Captain’s Corner: Ed Walker

By Ed Walker

Scallop season in Pasco County waters is open through this weekend. Reports from last weekend were good and there have been good catches all week. Even better  news is that these tasty mollusks have been found in a variety of areas. Many snorkelers have been able to find good numbers in spots away from the crowded main zones. Several families caught their limits in 10 feet of water well outside the shallow grass flats. Others went far north of Tarpon Springs, even as far up as New Port Richey and Hudson and discovered new places with decent numbers.

If you decide to go on a scallop hunt of your own look for clean water with grass bottom. If the water isn’t very clean most of the time, scallops simply wont live there. Put up a dive flag and deploy a few divers to drift along with the boat scanning the bottom. If you don’t see some in 15 minutes hop back in the boat and move over a little ways. I usually mark the number of scallops seen on my GPS as we drift. Eventually you will create a map of the distribution which helps narrow down the greatest concentration.

There have been a lot off boats on Pasco waters lately; hundreds. It is very important for divers to be cautious and safe. Keep your flag displayed, do not swim too far from the boat, and when traveling do not move more than idle speed in areas there are divers. Be sure to maintain proper lookout just in case and ambitious youngster has wandered a little far from their family a boat.