The redfish action was off the charts for Capt. Chris Wiggins and me this week during the filming of a “Hooked on Fishing” episode.

   Wiggins took us to one of his downtown St. Pete spots and the reds were eating every white bait we threw to them. We were not using live white bait, but fresh caught white bait with the back 1/3 of the body cut off.

   The scent trail is stronger when cutting the bait and once the school of reds keyed in on the scent it was game on. We would cast our baits and start counting, by the time Wiggins and I got to 4 we were both hooked up time after time. Most all of the reds were right at the slot limit or just over. We released over 50 redfish during a short mornings fishing.

   Gag grouper reports were coming in fast and furious this week as anglers rushed to catch their limits before the short gag mini season closed. Capt Eric Coppin and family had a great day trolling for grouper off Clearwater in 45 feet. Coppin was trolling big lipped red and white Mann plugs.

   Nancy and Joe Goodwin had a banner day catching keeper gags off Passa Grille with Capt Billy Miller. Live pinfish was the best bait, although Miller said frozen Spanish sardines were also catching them. The Goodwin’s quickly caught their limit and spent the rest of the morning trip releasing big legal gags.

   Roland Rheems, fishing in Charlotte Harbor with Jake Sherrick and Paul Flynn caught a 31 inch trout using a Super Spook top water plug. The big trout weighed over 9 pounds on the Boga Grip before being released. Rheems said besides the good trout fishing, the Spanish mackerel were thick in Boca Grande Pass.