Headed down to the North Shore today. Stopped and pickedup Nelson around 7AM. We went to the Salem Willows targetting Salem Harbor. 1st spot was too windy and even with our long casts with the wind we were getting no bites and low confidence.
Moving on to another spot in the truck, not yet decided, we cut into a parking lot not even 1/4 mile a way. I wanted to check out the inside of the harbor more. Looking down from a steep wall we saw a couple of others out on the beech area fishing. Looking further down we saw sparse birds, none working any bait but they were just flying around. Two points look real good so we drove down there and walked down to them with all our tackle.
At the 1st point we were blind casting out and noticed that the birds were starting to work the surface in spots. I saw a guy fishing in a boat (kind of funny) and noticed that fish were snapping at his back cast of his fly rod and he did not even notice. No birds near him but you could see boils of fish behind his boat. Eventually he must of caught some? I don’t know because that is when I started catching some schoolies.
We nudged down the shoreline a little more targeting the birds that kept moving. They were steady on bait for at least an hour and a half. It was amazing to see so many birds. Kind of felt like I was in the middle of an Alfred Hitchcock thriller.
Nelson broke off and trying to help him out, I I tossed my setup for him to cut off my line and use (as it was producing) and just then fish started busting on the surface right out in front of me. He threw it back out and said no way, go get those guys. I thank Nelson for that as my next cast produced a nice 23-24 inch fish.
He changed his game plan and was now determined to try something new (for him). He was throwing a large popper style bait and chugging it on the surface. Splash! he had a strike and a miss. But that excited him enough to scream like he had a keeper on and flock a crowd of all the nearby anglers to either sides of us. Plenty of room though and everyone seemed to be good about sharing the fish.
Finally Nelson got one on the popper and was wicked psyched! He screamed even louder this time and now a boats were coming near the shore for the action. I’ll tell you if I ever need to let anyone know I’m in trouble, I’ll let him know. 
After a few more fish the birds died down, the fishing died down. Slow for about a half hour and enough for me to want to move to another spot. Nelson too. We headed up to leave and climbed the ledge and up the hill. We turned to look at the water again and WOW!!!!!!!! the birds were back up and this time they were RIGHT SMACK IN FRONT OF US. Litterally like 15-20 feet out from shore with busting fish everywhere.
I’ve never scaled down a rock wall so quick. You could of repelled with roped down that and I still would have beat you. Throwing out I think I got a fish every cast and Nelson pulled in another. Then I hear, oh “FXXX”. He lost his popper. I told him to come grab another bait and keep going. By the time he came over to where I was the fish were moving down the shoreline out of reach. He went up to the truck and got a box of plugs and we both tried for some more. I think I got a couple more then that was it. Slowed down to a crawl.
Headed back in to bring Nelson home as he needed to be in Malden by a certain time. We fished for few minutes in the river near his place but slow, cold, gloomy, and just wasn’t happening.
I went to some bait shops in Beverly then went to Independance park. Contimplated going out as the wind was kicking very hard. White caps and rollers everwhere. I though, well maybe they are stuffed into that and maybe there is a bunch of bait in there? Was an hour before low tide and that area was real shallow. Within a couple of dozen casts I called it a day.
Headed home to see my son’s new school as there was an open house today. Brand new school (paid for with daddy’s taxes).
Brian
