It is 60 three degrees on Feb. 26th, 2025, in Delaware, on planet Earth. It was the same the last couple of days. Fish are getting more active in a few areas from false spring. The ground is still a little too cold but the farmers are spreading their chicken manure on the fields. My allergies are in full force.

Spring is not too far away. I’d start looking for schooling striped bass in all the waterways. It is cooler right now but when we have a mild-ish winter, the fishing starts earlier for some species. Besides, what else are you going to do?

Everyone is looking forward to white perch firing up, and yellow. Some anglers are finding small pockets of fish here and there. I know several guys who try their spots every day knowing one of these days will be that day. Then you won’t hear from them for a week, maybe a picture without a background or text. They aren’t going to tell you where, it is too early in the season to blow up a spot. Though it still happens.

The local striped bass action has been fun down my way in Sussex County. The usual places statewide will start to see schools of bass feeding, especially on these warmer days. If you don’t go, you won’t know when it happens. I’ve seen people miss entire runs because they were waiting to hear about something that was already happening. Commercial anglers are great gauges for catches. I mean, if they are setting nets, odds are they are catching fish. Now the question is, what kind of fish? Are they setting nets right now? I have no idea, I haven’t asked anyone yet. I’m busy making tackle, and thinking about fishing.

I picked up a box of “mystery” used/new tackle a buddy was selling for around $20. It has all kinds of old school Rapalas and spinners with some old surf fishing gear as well. Everything is still in its original package. The gear looks like the antique version of my selections for fishing today. Some I will keep, the rest I will give away to people I know use some of these. Buying gear in quantities like this is fun — you never know what is in the box. The old steel fish scaler came with tetanus.

The Point in Cape Henlopen State Park closes March 1 — another sign spring is coming. Next should be osprey arriving, usually around the middle of March. I’m sure there will be early arrivals. The shad anglers on the Delaware River up north are getting antsy.

It is fishing and boating show season. I picked up some cool poppers at the Philadelphia Show. The NJ Saltwater Show is March 14-16 in Edison, New Jersey. That is a huge show too.

The Delaware Sportsman’s Show is this Saturday, March 1, at the Cheswold Fire Hall from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Lots of local vendors will be in attendance. It’s a good place to stock up on some gear for the season, and maybe run into folks you haven’t seen on the water in a while and talk fish.

Spring is coming, get your gear ready. Stock up now before the tariffs really hit. Most shops are already paying more from the wholesalers, and are raising prices. The tariff cost is passed to the consumer, much like the excise tax cost.