Find, Float, Feast.
Apalachee Bay Scalloping from the Econfina River to St. Marks
Slip into clear, shallow water, feel the sun on your back, and start spotting bay scallops just beneath the surface. This is Florida summer at its best. Scalloping is part adventure, part treasure hunt, and part reward, all wrapped into one unforgettable day on the water.
At Econfina Sporting Club, scalloping is more than a single outing. It can be the highlight of a high-end lodge stay on the Econfina River, with Apalachee Bay and nearby Big Bend waters as the summer playground and the lodge waiting when the day is done.
Guests can book scalloping as part of a one, two or three night stay, then add fishing, airboat rides, spring combination trips, dining, a second scallop trip, or a quiet evening at the lodge. One day scallop charters are also available during open season, but the best version of the experience is built around the stay.
Scalloping on Apalachee Bay, St. Marks, and nearby Big Bend waters on Florida’s Nature Coast & Forgotten Coast
Econfina Sporting Club is based near the Econfina River From here, guests can experience guided scalloping on Apalachee Bay and nearby open scalloping waters, where shallow grass flats, open coastal views, and calm summer water create one of Florida’s most enjoyable seasonal traditions.
This experience is centered on the Econfina River, Apalachee Bay, and the nearby Big Bend scalloping areas that open at different points through the summer.
Scallop season near Econfina Sporting Club gives guests more than one way to plan a trip. Steinhatchee-area trips in the Fenholloway through Suwannee Rivers Zone run June 15 through Labor Day, which falls on September 7 in 2026. Nearby Econfina and northwestern Taylor County area trips open July 1 and run through September 24. Because Econfina Sporting Club is close to both, trips can be planned around the open zone, water conditions, and the best available experience for the group.
LOdge Stays
- Price Includes Up To 2 People In The Same Room
- For 3 People $550ea
- For 4+ People $500ea
- One Scalloping Trip Per Day
- 3 Chef Cooked Meals Per Day
- All Lodge Amenities
One Day Charter
- Price Includes Up To 4 People
- Add Up to Two More Guests for $165/ea
- Up To 4 Boats Available
- Licenses Included
- Lunch At The Lodge After Your Charter
- Refresh In The Lodge Pool
Scalloping Details
- Duration: Half-day excursion
- Season: Varies by Florida bay scallop harvest zone
- Steinhatchee-area trips: June 15–Labor Day
- Econfina/northwestern Taylor County-area trips: July 1–September 24
- Up to 6 guests per boat, with rotation in the water
What to Bring
- Swimsuit
- Towel
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses
What We Provide
- All required licenses and permits for the trip structure
- Mask, fins, and mesh bags
- Pontoon boat and captain
- Cooler stocked with beverages and snacks
- Guidance and local knowledge
After the Trip
Take your catch back to the lodge and turn the day into something even better. For lodge guests, our chefs can prepare your scallops just about any way you’d like, just ask. Or, if you prefer, you’re welcome to take your catch with you.
Optional Add-Ons
- Scallop prep, including cleaning and packaging
- Private chef-prepared scallop dinner for lodge guests
- Combination trips with nearby springs
A simple, fun, and rewarding way to experience the water, ending with one of the best meals you’ll have all summer.
The experience
Your scalloping trip begins aboard one of our comfortable pontoon boats as we head toward shallow coastal water along Florida’s Big Bend. Once on site, guests can rotate in and out of the water, giving everyone time to scallop, relax on the boat, enjoy the scenery, and move at a comfortable pace.
Scalloping is easy to understand and fun for a wide range of guests. You wade or snorkel in shallow water, search natural seagrass beds for bay scallops, and collect them by hand. The pace is relaxed, the water is approachable, and the experience works well for families, couples, friend groups, and private parties.
One of the reasons this coastline is so well suited for scalloping is the gently sloping bottom. In many areas, boats can travel well offshore while guests are still standing in only a few feet of water. That makes the experience accessible, interactive, and easy to enjoy even for guests who are new to scalloping.
A signature day on the water
Many guests choose to turn scalloping into a fuller day on the water. Depending on the plan for the trip, scalloping can be paired with time to cool off, relax, and enjoy more of the coast before returning to the lodge.
A combination trip may include a stop near clear, refreshing spring water, giving guests a chance to spend part of the day in the Gulf and part of the day cooling down before heading back. It is a simple, memorable way to experience more of this coastline in a single outing.
The goal is not to rush. The goal is to enjoy the water, give everyone time to participate, and return with the kind of summer story that feels even better when told back at the lodge.
Scallop season lodge stays
The strongest way to experience scallop season at Econfina Sporting Club is to build it into a lodge stay. Guests can arrive the evening before, settle in, and wake up already near the water. That changes the whole pace of the trip.
Instead of driving in early, meeting a boat, and heading straight home afterward, lodge guests can make scalloping part of a larger Big Bend getaway. A stay might include one day of scalloping, one day of fishing, an airboat ride, a chef-prepared dinner, and time to relax on the property.
The lodge experience on the Econfina River gives the trip its center. Guests can enjoy the water during the day, then return to comfort, food, conversation, and the slower rhythm that makes this part of Florida feel different from busier scallop destinations.
Scallop one day and fish the next
Scalloping can be the reason for the trip, but it does not have to be the only thing guests do. Many guests stay for multiple nights so they can enjoy guided scalloping one day and fish, airboat ride, or relax the next.
The fishing charters and airboat adventures at Econfina Sporting Club make it easy to shape the stay around the group. Families may want a mix of scalloping and sightseeing. Sportsmen may want more time on the water. Private groups may want a full itinerary with room to relax between activities.
That flexibility is the advantage of starting with the lodge. The stay can be built around the guests, the season, the weather, and the kind of experience everyone wants to have.
One day scallop charters
One day scallop charters are available during open season for guests who are already nearby or only have one day to spend on the water. These trips offer a simple way to experience guided scalloping without booking a full lodge stay.
For guests who can make the time, though, staying at the lodge is the better way to experience scallop season. It removes the rush, adds comfort, and makes room for dining, fishing, airboat rides, spring combination trips, and another day along the Econfina River.
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