The Fishing Line: Labor Day, Lines down

Can you believe Labor Day weekend is coming up? Never fear, fishing in September is full of promise.
Our friends at Grassy Sound Marina say there are lots of crabs being caught in the back bay and off the fishing pier. The pier is producing kingsfish, flounder, sea bass and spot. A few short stripers have also been caught. King fish are also at the sod bank near Hereford Inlet.
The Armbruster crew, Prospect Park, Pa. caught 5 dozen crabs and Jay Baez, Franklinville, and friends had a fantastic catch of crabs near the West Wildwood train trestle.
Charlie Chabot and Jimmy McVey, North Cape May, caught a 21 inch and 23 inch flounder near the Stone Harbor toll bridge. The larger weighed in at 4.57 pounds. They were using minnows and squid on the incoming tide. Bob Hubler, King Nummy Trail, caught a 4.3 pound flounder near the marina fishing the top of the tide on minnows.
Six-year-old Cole Pedrosso, Willow Grove, Pa., caught his first flounder fishing with his dad on the Grassy Sound pier using mackerel at the top of the tide.
Flounder fishing remains strong at Frank’s Boats. They weighed in one of the biggest flounder of the year with Shelly Simes’ 29 inch, 7.6 pound flounder. They report multiple keepers and the bay is loaded with small sea bass and blues.
Crabbing is in full swing and at the peak of the season; several boats topping 4 dozen.
Speaking of Labor Day, Frank’s will be open every day the first 2 weeks in September, 7am to 5pm. After that they will be closed during the week on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday; last day will be Sunday, Sept. 30.
The NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife announced the deployment of a 47-foot sculpture of a horseshoe crab on the Axel Carlson Reef, has been rescheduled for Aug. 28, 29 or 30 depending on sea and weather conditions. The sculpture is being deployed as part of the Artificial Reef Program.
The sculpture, created by scuba instructor and marine biologist Chris Wojcik, will provide habitat for more than 150 species of marine life, a fishing ground for anglers and a unique area for scuba divers to explore.
Commercial fishers who have gear in this area must move it or risk having it destroyed. The target date for deployment is subject to weather and sea conditions. For location coordinates and a photo of the sculpture, visit http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/news/2012/reefsculpturedeploy.htm on the division’s website.
Recreational Fishing Alliance has launched a digital version of Making Waves in a new, easy-to-read E-Magazine targeted specifically to hardcore saltwater anglers. Go to issuu.com/recreationalfishingalliance/docs/mwv1issue1.
Hope to hear your fish story soon. Send reports and pictures to cmiller@cmcherald.com. There are terrific pictures coming in but not room in print for all of them. All pictures submitted are posted online at www.capemaycountyherald.com.