The wintertime trout season is well under way with good catches coming in from up and down the Suncoast.

   Capt. Billy Miller is catching lots of slot size, and over slot sized, speckled trout in Boca Ciega Bay and the Ft. Desoto area. Silver trout, the cousin of the speckled trout, are solid along the gulf beaches with catches of 100-150 during a half day not uncommon. Tandem soft plastics are the hot lure for both specks and silvers.

   The spoil islands of St. Joseph Sound are holding lots of monster trout according to Capt. Brian Caudill. Caudill likes free lined select shrimp as his go to set up. Also included in the catch have been blue fish and pompano.

   Redfish are still around Tarpon Key at Ft. Desoto. Walt and Brian Rector caught nice slot sized reds there using live shrimp and watermelon colored ‘Lil Johns.

   The red fish bag limit is 1 per person south of Fred Howard Park in Tarpon Springs. The bag limit is 2 per person north of Tarpon Springs.

   Bait has moved into the Skyway fishing piers and pier anglers are taking advantage of it. Lots of little tunny are being caught off of the deep ends of the pier by anglers tossing silver spoons. On the out going tide big Spanish mackerel to 24 inches are being caught.

   Kris Stein caught and released a 150 pound dusky shark off the Redington Pier using a big hunk of kingfish for bait.