Birds are for the birds.

[Got Stripers]

I read enough threads to know that too many people rely on birds to locate fish, would you do if there where no such thing as birds? Yeah they are nice when you stumble onto them and they are diving over working fish, but I think it's a big mistake to rely on birds to find fish. Think structure, think edges, think current breaks, think channel edges and breaklines, muscle beds, kelp and other nice places to offer bait some security. Then turn off your damn fish ID, crank up the sensitivity and find the fish you have been idling over all morning long. Note where in the water column they are holding and adjust your presentation accordingly. Birds are nice, but you won't learn much about fishing if you rely on them too much.