1. A method for removing fine particulate matter from a fluid, comprising: separating an inflow fluid stream comprising fine particulate matter and coarse particulate matter suspended therein into an overflow fluid path comprising the suspended fine particulate matter and an underflow fluid path comprising the suspended coarse particulate matter; introducing into the underflow path a tethering polymer to form a treated underflow path, wherein the tethering polymer affixes to the coarse particulate matter to form tether-bearing coarse particulate matter suspended in the treated underflow path, wherein the tethering polymer is an anionic polymer or a cationic polymer; admixing the overflow fluid path with the treated underflow path to form a conjoined fluid stream; introducing into the conjoined fluid stream an activating polymer that affixes to the fine particulate matter to form activated particles, wherein the activating polymer of said activated particles interacts with the tethering polymer of said tether-bearing coarse particulate matter to form removable complexes comprising the fine particulate matter and the coarse particulate matter; and separating the removable complexes from the conjoined fluid stream, thereby removing the fine particulate matter from the fluid, wherein when the tethering polymer is an anionic polymer, the activating polymer is a cationic polymer, and when the tethering polymer is a cationic polymer, the activating polymer is an anionic polymer.