Nature Coast, William Toney

What I enjoy about snorkeling for scallops is the underwater solitude and being in a environment that is free and clear of the topside world. Maybe I’m the only one but highly doubt it, I’ll start with some Red Hot Chili Pepper’s in my head ( love Under The Bridge ) then some Bob Marley and finish with Zac Brown. Maybe this is the true reason folks flock to the Nature Coast waters to just get away. We’re fooling ourselves to think that getting a limit of scallops is going to feed the family for a week much less that evening. I you do the math an ounce of cleaned scallops is near about a hundred bucks!. We’ve done the math at our hunting camp and found out it’s cheaper to go buy a cow. Yes as of late getting a limit of scallops will require a little more time than last year but it is time well spent.

The waters west of Chassahowitzka  near Bird Island on North West Key are holding some big trout early in the morning. If it is overcast and blowing the bite will last until late morning. The best bait has been the D.O.A. shallow runner Bait Busters in the pearl green with red chin. High bars and humps are the best area’s. The near shore rocks are holding good mangrove snappers on the out going tide using free lined live shrimp and grey grunts using a 1/8th oz. jig head  with shrimp near the bottom. The redfish are scattered but on the last hour of incoming tide it is possible to catch one here and one there with live pinfish or a Eppinger Rex Gold Spoon. The key to success is to find a large amount of mullet. Offshore the red snapper bite is very good at 50 feet. High incoming tide this weekend will be late afternoon or daylight in the morning. W