Scalloping season runs from late June through September, and the waters around Crystal River are one of the best places in Florida to do it. The technique is simple: snorkel over the shallow seagrass flats of the Gulf in three to six feet of water, spot the small iridescent bay scallops resting on the grass (they have a ring of brilliant blue eyes along the shell edge), and pick them up by hand. Each adult licence holder can keep up to two gallons of whole scallops per day.
Several outfitters in Crystal River rent gear and run guided scalloping trips — the guides know exactly where the scallops are concentrated, which changes from year to year. The boats usually head out to the offshore grass flats a few miles west of town. Trips typically run half or full day and include all equipment. Bring or buy a cooler, because a fresh bag of just-harvested bay scallops sautéed in butter is one of the better meals Florida has to offer.