The kingfish action has been heating up along the Gulf beaches and in the Egmont Ship Channel reports Maximo Marina.

   Anglers slow trolling a combination of nose hooked white baits and stinger hooked ladyfish and blue runners along the crab trap lines, only a mile or two off the beach, have been catching big kingfish and lots of horse  Spanish Mackerel.

   Look for diving birds and bait schools as prime locations to find the fish.

   In the Egmont Ship Channel, fish markers 7 and 8 out to the last buoy called The Whistler for good kingfish action. Spanish sardines, cigar minnows and blue runners are available and can be caught with a Sabiki rig around the bait schools and marker chains.

   Slow trolling in the area where your bait is caught is a good idea. If the bait is there more than likely kingfish and mackerel will also be there.

   When kingfishing in the ship channel do not be surprised if you catch black tip sharks in the 100 pound range, big cobia and barracuda.

   Capt. Kenny Hyatt reports that anglers fishing The Loop Current 85 miles out have been catching blue and white marlin along with wahoo and mahi.

   Rigged natural baits like mackerel, mullet and big ballyhoo have been getting the best results but anglers dragging lures have also been hooking up.

   Hyatt suggests looking for frigate birds, tide lines and flotsam to locate the marlin.

   Redfish are bunching up around Tarpon Key and Scratch Key reports Capt. Billy Miller. Miller suggests a quiet approach and fresh cut bait as the formula for success.

   Jim Sacarello has been having great action fishing the Pinellas mitigation reefs from his kayak. Sacarello says to use white bait on light spinning tackle for flounder, trout, and snapper and cut ladyfish on the bottom with heavy tackle for grouper, cobia and catch and release goliath grouper.