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anyone ever dive cape may reef for lobster ,thinking about trying to catch some this year.
cm reef
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Some of us would pay you to get out bucktail's back! SERIOUSLY!
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Read your charts most of the reef is off limits to diving. I don't know why but its on my charts.:thumbsdown:
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Find the right wreck early in the spring and you should get them just fine. Early spring is the best time before they get picked over.
Off limits or not recommended because it is a designated drift fishing area? I don't believe they can stop anyone from diving on anything that is not a protected historic or military wreck.
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DING DING DING!!!!
Try the wrecks farther north. Im not sure if the Salem is all broken up and scattered but my dad pulled a 28 pound lobster off that wreck years ago. :thumbsup:
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I have several charts that say NO Diving this area. I have a few guys that dive off my boat and they said they also thought because of drift fishing buy who knows. If the Game Comunists can stop you or fine you they will. I was told by the divers at our dock like the old wood wrecks that have exposed ribs and overhangs. I also herd of a oversea container of standard toilets that is a good lobster dive.
Abandoned Shipwreck Act of 1987
TITLE 43 > CHAPTER 39 > Sec. 2103.
Sec. 2103. - Rights of access
(a) Access rights
In order to -
(1)
clarify that State waters and shipwrecks offer recreational and educational opportunities to sport divers and other interested groups, as well as irreplaceable State resources for tourism, biological sanctuaries, and historical research; and
(2)
provide that reasonable access by the public to such abandoned shipwrecks be permitted by the State holding title to such shipwrecks pursuant to section 2105 of this title,
it is the declared policy of the Congress that States
carry out their responsibilities under this chapter to develop appropriate and consistent policies so as to -
(A)
protect natural resources and habitat areas;
(B)
guarantee recreational exploration of shipwreck sites;
(Snip)
I'm not sure of any legality issues with diving the CM Reef, but considering the amount of boat traffic, drift fishing and miles & miles of snagged lines, I wouldn't think it the wisest choice of dive spots.
Ignorance doesn't justify anyone not seeing your dive flag, running you over or snagging you with a hook, but unfortunately reality is what it is
. Most fisherman are not accustomed to seeing divers on the CM Reef, so I think the potential for an accident in that area would be much greater than on any isolated wreck site.
If you do, I'd fly the biggest-azz dive flag I could find and light it up in flashing neon.
Ignorance doesn't justify anyone not seeing your dive flag, running you over or snagging you with a hook, but unfortunately reality is what it is
. Most fisherman are not accustomed to seeing divers on the CM Reef, so I think the potential for an accident in that area would be much greater than on any isolated wreck site.If you do, I'd fly the biggest-azz dive flag I could find and light it up in flashing neon.
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thanks for all the replies ,i actually saw a book with a chart of teh reef on it and it showed where diving was allowed its in the north east corner.but have to look into it a little more.thanks again if anyone would like to tag along shoot me an email.
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I've taken some friends out diving on the CMR a handful of times. I am still using the lead they brought up three years or so since the last trip.
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Yeah, I've seen plenty of boats dive the reef.
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i wanna go down there n start collecting lead there must be tons of it down there i feel like ive lost about 1000lbs by myself
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Have you divers seen any large sharks or unusual fish around the reefs ?
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Me and my dad were diving a wreck and we had a big bull shark follow us up the anchor line. My buddy shot a monkfish this past summer too, which proceded to try to kill him. Ive only done 3 dives on wrecks off NJ but plan on alot more this summer. Picked up some pretty cool artifacts though. My dad has a bar of soap off one wreck.
Ive been diving nj wrecks for about 4 years now doing about 20 dives a year. The intact wrecks in the artificial reefs sites have seldom produced any lobster for my crew and myself. The best wrecks to focus on are scattered wrecks or some type of debris fields.
But would you dive on a sunken Spruance Class Destroyer?
Is there a Spru-Can off NJ?? I'd love to see how my phones are holding up down there
.I don't understand? Are you asking me if I would dive off one and hunt lobsters, then no. I would rather spear fish on large intact wrecks. Would I dive on one for enjoyment? You bet ya. We did the USS Oriskany in Florida last year and that was sick seeing a intact aircraft carrier in crystal clear water.
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