Tarpon Springs / New Port Richey Fishing Guide, Capt. Rich Knox of Absolute Florida Flats Fishing reports outstanding Inshore flats fishing on the good tide day’s, Tarpon, Snook, Redfish and more are all feeding well on the migratory bait-fish run. Tarpon are showing up on the beach’s up and down the Suncoast, there also on some shallow water spot’s at high tide in the morning hours, stout tackle is needed for these hard fighting fish, a 7-8 foot 30-50 lb. rated rod with 50lb. Berkley invisi-braid teamed with 60 to 100 lb. fluorocarbon leader shock leader of 5 foot or better, (they have excellent sight) with a strong 4/0 t0 6/0 sharp bait-fish hook. The best bait’s for the Tarpon this time of year are threadfin herring, pilchards, pinfish or shad depending where your fishing. Most Tarpon fishing is done by sight here so very accurate casts are a must, Tarpon will rarely move off there path to chase a bait, Stealth is also prime ingredient to getting a bite. Nearshore Reef and Wreck fishing has been very productive good numbers of King-fish, Spanish Mackerel, Cobia, Shark’s and more are biting the bottom of the boat out on the light to moderate easterly wind day’s, find the bird’s and you’ll find the bait and the fish, slow troll around these big school’s of bait-fish using a large threadfin herring or big pilchard on a stinger rig just fast enough not to drag your bait to hard and watch your rod bend over and over ! Stinger rig’s I use are short piece of number 3 or 4 wire with a 1/0 live bait hook in front along with a 5-6 inch short wire barrel turned to a extra strong # 2 0r 4 treble hook, either use a Albright special to tie 20lb. mono-filament to your wire or a SPRO 50lb. ball bearing swivel to make the connection. Another way to catch all of these species is to find a good outcropping on your sonar nearby the bird’s and bait holding a lot of baitfish and anchor up tide a bit of it, deploy a good chum block and live chum with the pilchards to cast your baits out, 15-20 lb. spinning outfits work well in this situation.
