Betty & Nick's Tackle in Seaside Park had an interesting report this morning as a surfcaster in Island Beach State Park reported gannets diving on what he assumed were herring. The location was from Gillikin's to 150 yards south of there.  While bottom temperatures remain very cold, surface waters are warming into the mid to upper 40s -- and the first stripers could be getting active as they did at this time in ocean waters a couple of years ago. The Ocean Explorer from Belmar had a pick of ling on Thursday along a few keeper tautog and a couple of cod. There was plenty of bottom life as some fares had up to a bucket of bergalls big enough to fillet. Capt. Jim McFarland is awaiting the April 15 opening of the Ma. cod season as he's releasing four of them to every one of the 50 haddock his charters have been averaging per day on his Big Mac from Green Harbor. Freddie Sommers from East Bergen and Kevin Roberts of Waterfall, Pa. fished two days this week  to load up on haddock plus some cusk.  The Miller party from Jackson caught big haddock plus a few cusk on fresh Jersey clams today while releasing lots of cod.