Scalloping launches and the season

Bay scalloping happens out on the open-Gulf grass flats, so these are the launch points near the grounds, not the grounds themselves. You will need a boat to reach most of the flats; this page is for figuring out where to put in and what the season looks like.

The Citrus and Hernando zone runs July 1 to September 24, 2026 (FWC dates). The Pasco zone has had its season emergency-closed two years running over red tide, so check the live FWC status before you drive, every time. Bag limits and zone rules change, and the water does too.

Tap a launch for access notes, water clarity, and today's conditions.

• Crystal River (Hunter Springs)

  Spring-fed, gin-clear water. ~75 min drive, far north but worth it. Closed to paddle Nov 15 through Mar 31 for manatee season

• Fort Island Gulf Beach

  Open Gulf county beach with real fetch exposure. The calmer Fort Island Trail ramp sits a few miles inland on the river if the...

• Old Homosassa Public Ramp

  Cherokee Way public launch on the spring-fed Homosassa River. This is the real public put-in, not the commercial Riverside rental...

• Ozello Community Park

  Free county park launch into the Ozello backwater maze on the north side of Crystal Bay.

• Chassahowitzka (The Chaz)

  County ramp at the head of the Chassahowitzka spring river. Small lot fills early on weekends.

• Bayport Park

  County park at the Weeki Wachee River mouth where it meets the Gulf. Open water beyond the mouth picks up fetch.

• Hernando Beach Ramp

  Public boat ramp that reaches the Gulf through residential canals and the Hernando Beach channel. Card-only parking.

• Pine Island (McKethan)

  Alfred A. McKethan Pine Island Park, the main Hernando County beach park and the northernmost launch of the cluster. Reopened...

• Jenkins Creek Park

  County park with a boat ramp and fishing pier, directly across Shoal Line Blvd from Linda Pedersen on the same Jenkins Creek.

• Linda Pedersen Park

  County park with a kayak-carry launch on tidal Jenkins Creek. The observation tower has been closed since 2025 (structural), and...