Scallops!!!

So yesterday several of us got up early and went scalloping in the Gulf of Mexico. Dad, Casey, and I have been before out of Crystal River. It was about as good a day as you could have hoped for. The weather was perfect. Not to hot, no clouds until late afternoon, perfect water temperature, etc. When we first got to Crystal river we invaded a Sweetbay store for hamburgers and hotdogs and other lunch-like items. We then met Dad and Casey at the boat ramp with the boat already in the water. After a few preparations we were ready to go. When we got to the scalloping grounds (several miles south of the last marker of the Crystal river channel) there were already several boats. The first spot wasn't that productive, but we had a good time. Eventually we moved a couple hundred yards to a clearing in the middle of a large pack of boats. The second spot was much more productive. The first spot produced about 20-30 scallops total in about an hour. The second spot produced about 130-140 in half the time. We ate lunch on the water and then drove back to the ramp. In traditional Wilson fashion, we were rained on while driving back through the river. The day was capped off with ice cream from an upstairs ice cream shop on the river. I had raspberry chocolate.

In other news, Krista has become an amazing fisherwoman. She decided she wanted to "try" fishing. So after we taught her how to cast and reel it in, she went to work. Within her first five casts she had a bite: A small black sea bass. He was named George (because he was too small to eat). A few more casts and she hooked Fred. Over the next hour or so she brought in Percy, Ronald, and Charlie. Ronald was quite possibly the largest fish of the day (emphasis on possibly), except Dad dropped him off the boat before we could measure. Charlie was caught off the front of the boat, the others were caught from the back. Krista single-handedly out-fished everyone else combined. Jay almost landed one, but it fell off just short of the boat and I landed a 9 in. Sea Bass that was the "official" largest fish of the day. Unfortunately, Florida law changed recently requiring 10" in. as the minimum length for keeping Sea Bass so we didn't get to take any home.