Historically, the final days of the fall run find big southbound stripers feeding on Atlantic herring close to the beach.

In recent years, once prolific herring runs in Southern New England have become a disappearing spring tradition.

For the first time in at least 183 years, native alewife and blueback herring are swimming upstream beyond the former Tack Factory dam.

Out there along our coast, just beyond where rivers hit salt water, thousands of river herring are gathering and making ready for an epic voyage inland.