It depends on the size of the redfish. For the bigger ones, I like to take my time. I use a 6" buck knife to separate the fillet from the back. I make the first cut just behind the gill, cutting from the spine upward, using the point of the knife as a fulcrum and working the knife like a lever. Whenever possible I cut from inside to the outside to ease cutting through the scales.
After making the cut behind the gill, I make the cut from the gill to the vent along the ribs, working front to back and inside to out. You need to learn by experience exactly where the ribs are, or you'll tend to leave more meat than you need to on the ribs. Then I work the knife front to back along the spine, separating the fillet from the back. Once again, I do not cut with a saw like motion, but I work the knife like a lever, moving the front first, and then rotating the knife with the point serving as a fulcrum. This provides the force needed to cut through the scales with out any sawing that tends to waste a lot of meat. With practice, this can be very efficient (leave little meat behind).
Then I use a regular 7-9" fillet knife to remove the fillet from the skin.
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