Tarpon Springs fishing guide, Capt.Rich Knox, of ABSOLUTE FLORIDA FLATS FISHING a guide service on the West Central Gulf Coast of Florida, serving New Port Richey, Clearwater and Tarpon Springs inshore flats fishing reports excellent catch and release big breeding Snook in and around the barrier islands.

This week Capt. Rich had the pleasure of fishing the Kluijver family for 2 day’s, dad Tim, wife Brianna, and all to much fun daughter Lauryn from Kansas, we were trying to Tarpon fish but the West and North West winds had put them down and were not showing well or for that matter offshore of the near shore beach’s.



So we turned our attention toward the inside or East sides of the barrier island chain from Clearwater to New Port Richey, with a bait well full of large to full blown pilchard’s (whitebait) and some grass grunt’s and Pinfish as well for bait we didn’t have to wait long. Due to the summer rising water temperatures we stuck to moving up and down the deeper water ledges and drop-off’s and big sand holes in the deepest part of the flat. Moving water or good tides are a must no matter coming in or going out the fish ate well on both stages of the tide. Using long spinning outfits spooled with 10-15 braid and a 3-5′ piece of 25-30 lb. Fluorocarbon, we were able not to put to much stress on these hard fighting gamesters, it’s best to stay away from the light tackle as these fish exert all there energy fighting to the finish, reviving fish is a must because they build up so much Lactic acid in there bodies during the battle proper release is a must for the fishery.these



When the wind isn’t blowing so much and you get to fish the swash channel’s on the West side of these

Barrier islands there are Snook, Spotted Sea Trout and even some Redfish as the water usually is moving and much clearer and cooler with an easterly wind. Use the same bait variety as some day’s they change there preference !