Achieving an Alabama Inshore Slam

Speckled Trout

Speckled trout (spotted seatrout) is the most abundant sportfish species on the Gulf Coast and can be caught year-round if you are persistent with the right bait, either live or artificial. A variety of artificial lures will work on trout in the spring before the fish become finicky. Minnow-imitation plastic baits with a ¼-ounce jighead can be retrieved along the inshore areas that include structures, especially oyster beds and grass flats. Vary your retrieve from a steady reel to hopping the bait along the bottom. Shrimp-imitation baits under a popping cork will also work. At some point later in the season, trout will prefer natural bait like live shrimp, live croakers, small mullet and menhaden (pogies). The bigger trout prefer the bait to be free-lined and drift with the current. When the weather gets hot, the trout will be in shallow water during low-light conditions at dawn and dusk and move to deeper waters during the heat of the day.

Unlike redfish, speckled trout don’t tolerate low salinity, so you’ll have to stick to areas that don’t get a heavy influx of freshwater.

Redfish

Although redfish (red drum) can tolerate lower salinity, that doesn’t mean they won’t be hanging in the same areas as the speckled trout. It’s not uncommon to hook a few speckled trout and then hang into a drag-stripping redfish while fishing the same structure. The diet of the redfish is more diverse than trout and will include juvenile crabs and other crustaceans. So, if you’re targeting redfish, try the speckled trout baits and add a Johnson Silver Minnow gold spoon to the mix if you are near the shoreline.

Flounder

Once you land a speckled trout and redfish, pursuing the Slam might require a different tactic to add a flounder to the box. That’s not to say you can’t pick up a Slam sitting in the same spot, but it doesn’t happen often. Flounder are ambush predators and don’t chase prey like trout and redfish. Southern flounder and Gulf flounder prefer structures like jetties, piers, bulkheads, or pilings. During the warmer months, flounder is found in the bays and along the beaches. Gulf flounder stick where the salinity is high along the beaches and are identified by their distinctive spots and typically smaller size. The southern flounder is darker, more mottled and grows much larger.

Presenting the baits and lures on the bottom will give you the best chance to hook a flounder. If you’re trying to catch the Slam, stock up on various lures and live bait before you head out. If you’re not having luck with any artificial lures or live shrimp, try bull minnows for flounder. Bull minnows fished on light tackle can often be the ticket for flounder. Look for inshore structures or ambush points and slowly drag the bait along the bottom. Flounder usually can’t resist that bull minnow.

Size & Bag Limits

Be aware of the daily bag and size limits for these three species. Speckled trout and redfish have a slot limit to ensure these fish have a chance to spawn to propagate the species. The speckled trout slot limit is 15 to 22 inches, with one oversized fish allowed in the daily limit of six fish. The redfish slot limit is 16 to 26 inches, with one oversized fish allowed in the daily limit of three fish. The flounder daily creel limit is five per person with a 14-inch total length. Flounder are off limits for the entire month of November to protect the spawning run.

Happy Casting

As I said, you might get lucky and land all three species in one trip. If you do, count your blessings. The Alabama Coastal Fisherman’s Association (ACFA) holds an annual Grand Slam tournament each summer, and in the 2023 event, not a single angler was able to bring a Slam to the weigh-in. It’s not a common occurrence, but you have to be on the water to have a shot at inshore fishing fame.

For those who are successful and catch all three fish in a single trip, stop by the Gulf Shores or Orange Beach Welcome Center to receive a free Alabama Slam certificate!