Abalone Diving

[ak_o_sniper]

Do any of you harvest Rock Scallops while you are abalone diving? If so, how would you recommend finding them?

I ab dive, but this year me and my brothers want to try scallops too.

[bodega]

By rock scallops you mean limpets?

[ak_o_sniper]

no, I mean rock scallops. You can harvest 10 according to dfg but I have never seen any while diving. while looking it up on google and youtube, they just look exactly like any other scallops but bigger.

[abalonehunter]

I would if I could. I have seen some but passed when I saw a nice Ab

[JZumi]

I actually prefer scallops to abalone, but they are far harder to find especially freediving.

You really have to scan the rock walls, ledges, and caves very closely. A light really helps. Basically you are looking for the lips which may appear orange or red when the scallop is open.

When you find them, it's best to use the butter knife you've brought along. Slip it into the scallop before it has a chance to close itself up. Then cut the muscle free from the inside of the shell. The shell can now be opened and you can cut the muscle away from the other shell and extract the scallop and leave the shell attached to the rock. This saves a lot of reef destruction and leaves the shell to become home for more critters.

Again, the hard part is finding them. Look for structure-- big rocks with surface cracks and veins, ledges, walls, caves. Once you see one, you'll start to really pick them out visually.

Much of Sonoma and Mendocino coasts have been hunted out, but they are still there if you look diligently.

Best of luck,
JZumi