[LINESIDES]

Hello I am an old veteran of Castle Island. In late fifties & early sixties there was a rickety wooden pear in front where the concrete one stands today.
You needed to literally walk twenty feet of a double plank to get on to the pier.
Yes 10 inches wide. It kept most of the non brave off of the pier.
It bounced up and down as walked across.
We also walked by jumping from the granet blocks in an upward motion up on to the tops of the pilings that run out to the left. It was a leap of faith! A good thirty inch jump to the top of a10 inch moving piling. It was done at low tide also. It was 15 feet to the rocks below. Some swayed as you walked on them across the tops. You brought a drink and lunch out there & spent the day. No porta potties out there either the most prized position was the last three pilings.
There is a drop in front there that drew in fish. Best place in the Harbor to catch Mackerel from land. I saw a person who participated in showing all of us kids how to fish with out spending a lot of money on the sport.
We were taught to make every thing except hooks, line and the equipment to make a rod.
I thank you Gill!
He took a 32 pound Striper on an on strip of mackerel while fishing for mackerel out on the pilings. Luxor reel with 8 pound test.
Other folks I remember were Big Bill Allen, Junior, Finn, Smithy, Tinny,
Fred, Pilipino Joe, Gill, Sam his brother Wally, The Russian, Frank, Sonny, Ted.
Great fishermen of there time helping kids learn the trade.
(Gill could sleep on top of the pilings)!
As time went on the technique became Sliding bobber, 8 feet down, triple split shot, double sea worms for strength when casting. Hooked through the head.
Pencil plugs worked also. For Stripers.
Other places to try in the area were summer street bridge South Boston.
Technique was a 2 ½ ounce chain weight, three feet shocker, two worms once again,
Fished on the bottom. The bobber Technique worked well also. At knight at Summer Street, early morning. Before dawn! Same for Castle Island.
Same for Moon, & Black Creek.
Moon Island, Wollaston beach at Black Creek. Pencil, poppers, Pyramid on the bottom (3oz) with fish finder & worms.
Black rubber eels.
Worms would cost a fortune today. Back then we dug our on worms on the Island.
I hope this helped, and the nostalgic trip didn’t bore any one.
Later, L.