Tarpon Springs fishing guide, Capt. Rich Knox of Absolute Florida Flats Fishing, a longtime fishing guide service 20 + years serving New Port Richey, Tarpon Springs and the Clearwater and surrounding area reports with the coldest temperatures (air and water) of the year the fish have become a little lethargic, but they still bite with a slower presentation of your bait of choice, live or artificial. Spotted Sea Trout are among those that are co-operating best, although other species can be had in the warmer water locales like power plant outflows, deep residential canals, backwater springs and such. Live select shrimp will work for all species, you may have to take a lot of them for the pinfish are plentiful bait thieves.

Patience pay’s off though, the best technique for these conditions is to break out your favorite artificial bait and work it slowly on the grass and sand drop-off . A 1/4 oz. Jig with a shrimp or paddle tail bait-fish imitation used slowly on the sandy edges of a fishing flat work well, along with a jerk-shad rigged Texas style, or with the appropriate 1/8 oz. Jig. Mirro-Lure and other suspending plug’s, in the pothole laden areas of a flat also produce moved slowly, make sure you fish on the moving tides and or tide change. Deep holes also will produce many fish if you hit the right one !