Tax Day is behind us, and water temps are creeping up after a long, extra cold winter. It's time to bring on the season. Surface temperatures at Delaware Bay's mouth range between 48 and 50 degrees, while DE Light registered 47 degrees. Even though it's warming at the top, it's likely still pretty chilly on the bottom. An indication of how cool the water remains is the presence of codfish in the area. During recent headboat trips to Ocean structure, patrons with Captain Ricky Yakimowicz boxed several keeper sized cod.(The federal minimum length on cod is 22 inches. Cod have been found all the way into Reef Site 10, but are likely to be hanging out on deeper stuff, such as the rubble of Site 11 and Del Jersey Land. Tautog action has been improving, but has not turned on full force. Reef Site 10 recently gave up blackfish. Over the weekend, Captain Brent's anglers on Katydid brought back tog and cod. We haven't been able to get green crabs yet this spring. Water remains low up north, and commercial crabbers have had little success in getting greenies to pot. White Legger crabs have been available in New York, but they're currently in a molting stage, and very fragile, so transporting them down here for live bait doesn't work. We have had fresh clams, and they definitely work. It actually seems that tog respond better to a soft bait, like clam or shrimp, in cold spring water. Captain Ricky fished the mouth of Delaware Bay yesterday, and had a pretty decent batch of blackfish. Those tog all took clam. That's the first report we'd received of tautog in the Bay. Could be that they'll start biting around the Breakwaters soon. Bunker have mad a good showing along the Oceanfront as well as up in the Bay. The presence of baitfish should prompt stripers and weakfish to start feeding. Commercial netters out of Slaughter Beach and Bowers Beach encountered rockfish and trout in their gear set in the shallows. Stripers have been landed by surfcasters working Broadkill Beach using bloodworms, clam and bunker. Most of the bass have been shorts, but there were some keepers. Stripers have been hooked in Lewes Canal too. Marty Riley released 2 rockfish this morning while tossing Storm Shads near the Freeman Highway bridge. Keep in mind the new striped bass regs that just went into effect. Anglers may retain two fish per day in any combination from 28 to 37 inches, or 44 inches and greater. We've heard reports of flounder in Indian River, but have not yet seen any fluke from Lewes Canal. Last year, the first Canal flattie checked in at our store was caught April 12th. With some extended warm weather, the bite could commence soon. Shallow water around the Cape Henlopen Pier usually produces plenty of early season flatfish, but since the Pier is closed for repairs, anglers will only have access to that area by wading or small boat. Flounder regulations remain the same, allowing flukers to keep four per day at a 16 inch minimum. The 2015 CANAL FLOUNDER TOURNAMENT will take place Friday May 15th. Entry fee is $25 cash, payable at Lewes Harbour Marina. White perch fishing has been pretty good in tidal areas. Petersfield Ditch off Rt 16 was productive. Prime Hook Refuge and the spillway at Milton yielded perch too. Small minnows, grass shrimp or worms on little jigheads did the trick.