The Fishing Line: Are you ready?

Come on springtime. We’ve missed several snow threats but that crazy wind keeps cramping our style. Everybody should be up and ready to put lines in the water as we head to the last 2 weeks of March.
Capt. Ray Szulczewski, Tide Runner, Cape May, couldn’t resist a couple of nice warm days and decided to freshwater fish for a couple of hours at a local South Jersey lake. It was still pretty cold and Ray says the water felt like ice but he was able to catch a few fish on the fly. Got one pickerel and four crappies using a baby bunker fly on intermediate weight fly line. He would cast out count ten seconds and let it drop down in the water column using very short slow strips, just enough to give the fly subtle action. Two of the fish were nice size. Ray says, “It sure felt good to have a wiggle on the end of the line.” He released them all and went home with cold hands and warm heart. Now that’s the cure for spring fever.
I had a good talk with Michael Young about the Jersey Shore Beach n Boat Fishing Tournament, a season long, inshore, multi-species fishing tournament that challenges anglers of all skill levels to compete for cash prizes. It runs annually from April 1 through Nov. 30 and is open to anglers of all ages. The tournament is now supported in part by a grant from the NJ Dept. of State, Division of Travel and Tourism so you can enjoy fishing anywhere in New Jersey saltwater. Currently the local weigh-in station is at No Bones Bait and Tackle Shop and more spots will be added soon. Details and registration at www.beachnboat.com or call 423-4002.
NJ DEP Division of Fish and Wildlife is advising the public that comments are being accepted until April 10 on the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (ASMFC) Draft Addendum III to Amendment 1 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for the Inshore Stocks of Winter Flounder. The Draft Addendum proposes an annual specification process to set commercial and recreational fisheries measures for the Gulf of Maine (GOM) and Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic (SNE/MA) fisheries.
Since New Jersey is not conducting a public hearing on Draft Addendum III, interested parties are encouraged to provide written comments to ASMFC. Draft Addendum III is available on the Commission website ( www.asmfc.org/ ) under Breaking News or by calling 703.842.0740. Public comment will be accepted until 5 PM (EST) on April 10, and should be forwarded to Melissa Yuen, FMP Coordinator, 1050 N. Highland St., Suite 200 A-N, Arlington, VA 22201; 703.842.0741 (FAX) or myuen@asmfc.org (Subject line: Winter Flounder Draft Addendum III). For more information, contact Melissa Yuen at myuen@asmfc.org .
The New Jersey Fish and Game Council, in coordination with the New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council, and the Department of Environmental Protection’s Division of Fish and Wildlife, has modified the regulations for American shad in marine and fresh waters of the state. The regulations for American shad in NJ waters are as follows effective January 1, 2013:
All American shad fisheries (both commercial and recreational), in both marine and fresh waters, with the exception of the Delaware Bay, Delaware River and its tributaries, are closed (no possession, take or harvest). The recreational possession limit in the Delaware Bay, Delaware River and its tributaries is three (3) fish with no minimum size and an open season all year. Commercial net regulations for American shad in the Delaware Bay, Delaware River and its tributaries will remain the same.For more information about the closure see http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/news/2013/shad_closure13.htm
NJ DEP Division of Fish and Wildlife is alerting saltwater anglers that New Jersey, along with Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina, has scheduled a hearing to gather public comment on the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Draft Addendum II to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Atlantic Coastal Sharks. The date, time, and location of the New Jersey meeting is March 21, 7 PM, Ocean County Library-Stafford Branch, 129 North Main St., Manahawkin. Contact Peter Himchak at 748-2020
The State Marine Fisheries Council announced the regulations for summer flounder on March 7. The size and number of fish caught is the same as last year, five (5) fish at 17.5 inches but the season is 25 days shorter from May 18 to Sept. 16. There is a slight possibility of an extension.
Send your reports and pictures to cmiller@cmcherald.com. Column and pictures are posted online at www.capemaycountyherald.com.