Tarpon Springs, New Port Richey fishing guide, Capt. Rich Knox of the longtime well known fishing guide service “Absolute Florida Flats Fishing reports excellent catch’s of very nice Spotted Sea Trout, Red-fish on recent fishing charters, limiting out most day’s ! We finally have settled into a normal weather pattern for this time of year. Water temperatures are hovering between 62*F and 69*F. and mostly low wind to a nice breeze daily. the fish are eating most everything you throw depending on the depth your fishing, structure such as oyster bar’s, rock piles, dock’s, drop-off’s, and lush grass flats laden with deeper potholes on the flats. Light tackle is a must for the long casts needed to stay off the fish as not to spook them in these winter tide patterns and gin clear water in some areas. A 7′ to 8′ extra fast tip spinning outfit work’s best with a 2500 to 4000 long cast spool reel, I use the Diawa Tournament series 1300, I believe it’s the longest casting reel on the market and is very light rigged with 8-10 lb. tesy Berkley ultracast invisi-braid and finished with a piece of 3′-4′ vanish fluorocarbon. Best baits have been live select shrimp, or silver dollar sized pinfish, artificial that produce are 1/4 oz. jig with ashrimp imitation or a silver fleck paddle tail bait-fish imitation, and some of Mirro-lures suspending plug’s and or a big jerk shad rigged Texas style. Drifting flats works well for the trout when you connect slip an anchor over and fish the whole area. Our migratory bait-fish pilchards are beginning to show in places and will turn the key on our famous Snook that are starting to show in the mouths of the estuary systems !
