Tarpon Springs Fishing Guide Service, Absolute Florida Flats Fishing with Capt. Rich Knox reports outstanding fall fishing both inshore fishing and nearshore fishing have been red-hot with all species on hand now with water temperatures in the 70’s. Starting with the migration of the Gag-Grouper moving inshore to there shallow water haunts, along with good numbers of King-fish, Spanish Mackerel, Bonita, and an occasional run in with a large Cobia moving back through to the south. All these species are following the bait spawn (pilchards) etc., can be found on the hard bottom just off our beach’s’ from 15′ to 35′. When Grouper digging always deploy a flat lined bait or two off the stern in conjunction with a good chum bag for the Mack’s and Cobia.
Inshore Flats Fishing has also been very productive as long as the tide is moving, Snook-fishing, Red-fishing and larger Spotted Sea Trout fishing with the cooler temperatures. Start your day cast-netting up a live-well full of the pilchards and hit all your backcountry fishing spots, be very stealthy, begin by turning loose a couple of hand fulls of live baits loose in the zone your targeting, then bait up and fish the entire area. On a recent 6 hr. nearshore/inshore fishing charter, Ron and Zarra Meyers from Vero Beach could hardly keep a bait in the water without it being struck by one of the above mentioned species.
