# Our Budlight Inshore Slam Results



## dabutcher (Apr 19, 2008)

*Day 1* 
Alex and I spent most of the day trying to catch a big speck. From 11:30 am to 1:30 pm we caught a bunch of specks but couldn't connect with the big girl. 

We started fishing for reds at about 2:00 and Alex connected at about 2:30. I wish that we would have been fishing a red fish tournament. Conditions were perfect for redfish Saturday afternoon.

Our 1st day total is listed below.

4.59 lb (25 in.) Speck
6.67 lb (26.875 in.) Red
1.17 lb Flounder
12.43 lb Slam Total

*Day 2*
We caught 6 flounder but our heaviest only weighed 1.58 lbs. We were unable to upgrade our trout or redfish from day 1. We finished the tournament with a slam total weight of 12.84 lbs.


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## John B. (Oct 2, 2007)

Hell yeah, that's awesome! I took my cousin out early Saturday morning to fish some dock lights. Her first cast with a hand sized spot landed her a decent trout. We decided it was big enough to weigh and killed it. We went back early Sunday morning looking to upgrade, and her first cast she landed the twin sister of the trout from the previous night. Unfortunately that one was hooked deep so we killed it and called it a night.

Both trout weighed 3.08lbs good enough for 2nd place in her age division.

Y'all did well. My hat's off to you for fishing through that heat.


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## dabutcher (Apr 19, 2008)

John B. said:


> Hell yeah, that's awesome! I took my cousin out early Saturday morning to fish some dock lights. Her first cast with a hand sized spot landed her a decent trout. We decided it was big enough to weigh and killed it. We went back early Sunday morning looking to upgrade, and her first cast she landed the twin sister of the trout from the previous night. Unfortunately that one was hooked deep so we killed it and called it a night.
> 
> Both trout weighed 3.08lbs good enough for 2nd place in her age division.
> 
> Y'all did well. My hat's off to you for fishing through that heat.


Thank you and congratulations to your cousin. Currently, a trout caught from Pensacola has to have a good bit of length to weigh over 3 lbs. Saturday morning I caught a 23 inch trout that weighed only 2.7 lbs.


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## John B. (Oct 2, 2007)

dabutcher said:


> Thank you and congratulations to your cousin. Currently, a trout caught from Pensacola has to have a good bit of length to weigh over 3 lbs. Saturday morning I caught a 23 inch trout that weighed only 2.7 lbs.


It's crazy isn't it? I didn't get a length on the ones she caught but they were both around 24"... these post spawn weight to length ratios suck...


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## dabutcher (Apr 19, 2008)

The Mobile Bay specks look like a different species compared to Pensacola specks. 

While at the scale, I saw a 27 inch speck from Mobile that weighed 7.05 lbs. A little later, I saw a 27 inch speck from Pensacola that weighed 5.05 lbs.


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## 60hertz (Oct 1, 2007)

It's almost like the Mobile Bay trout are a different species. The trout there always have "shoulders" on them and they don't seem to slender down like the Pensacola trout do...weird.


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## Reel Sick (May 4, 2009)

You guys are a good team, you guys caught some quality fish!!


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## LIM-IT-OUT (Aug 26, 2014)

Solid Pensacola Slam
Very respectable results 

Ive learned my lesson twice now. And have talked to the former winners of this challenge, I now understand what it takes to actually compete in this tournament... Pensacola is not 1 of the variables which is a unfortunate fact of the matter.

Our trout and red fish are way too skinny to compete with those who travel to extraordinary distances to place in our local tournament. 

Next time I'll be joining the rat race to LA and back!!! Time to play their game, thats what the Budlight has turned into... 

But still I got to run off with a check for largest 1st day inshore Slam Calcutta.... PA POW!!!


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## Reel Sick (May 4, 2009)

LIM-IT-OUT said:


> Solid Pensacola Slam
> Very respectable results
> 
> Ive learned my lesson twice now. And have talked to the former winners of this challenge, I now understand what it takes to actually compete in this tournament... Pensacola is not 1 of the variables which is a unfortunate fact of the matter.


Yeah it's hard to compete locally but we got 2nd last year in pensacola waters.
This year we had a 26.5 inch 5.06 lb trout and a 2.48 lb flounder and 0.0 lb on redfish. We would have needed a 6.85lb redfish to tie 3rd place.
We won our money back with the flounder and Calcutta.
We had a blast fishing, congrats to the winners.
Sorry David for the hijacking


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## Bigdady (Mar 5, 2009)

Great job to you and Alex... You put enough time in the water for sure..


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## John B. (Oct 2, 2007)

LIM-IT-OUT said:


> Solid Pensacola Slam
> Very respectable results
> 
> Ive learned my lesson twice now. And have talked to the former winners of this challenge, I now understand what it takes to actually compete in this tournament... Pensacola is not 1 of the variables which is a unfortunate fact of the matter.
> ...


That is not true at all... I've seen a 15lb slam win this thing being caught within 5 miles of Flounders beach.

The key lies with the trout, not with the redfish, and to be honest, if you're not using live bait for your trout, you're putting yourself at a huge disadvantage.


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## Reel Sick (May 4, 2009)

John B. said:


> That is not true at all... I've seen a 15lb slam win this thing being caught within 5 miles of Flounders beach.
> 
> The key lies with the trout, not with the redfish, and to be honest, if you're not using live bait for your trout, you're putting yourself at a huge disadvantage.


Just out of curiosity do you know what year won it locally? Was it still a shot gun start? My father in law won it out of a 15' key West in 2008 when it was a shot gun start. The shot gun start limited how far people could run.


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## John B. (Oct 2, 2007)

Reel Sick said:


> Just out of curiosity do you know what year won it locally? Was it still a shot gun start? My father in law won it out of a 15' key West in 2008. The shot gun start limited how far people could run.


2009. Yeah it was during the shotgun start era, but plenty of guys were still fishing out of state.


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## LIM-IT-OUT (Aug 26, 2014)

Shotgun start put the LA guys at a disadvantage.... now they just trailer the boat night of the capt meeting.... I agree it can be won out of Pensacola but 1/10 chance is what it seems like. Our reds can't compete, the board had like 5 reds all over 8lbs!!! Those didnt come from the sound or Escambia boys. And the specks yall said it.... we have a different breed a smaller 1.... ive been on some great specks 24"+ but they're all spawned out and are starting their way to looking like the anorexic summer trout we see every year.

Now if yall want to stay local and compete against eachother I suggest you do as I did and put your money into 1st day slam Calcutta and cutt the folks 300 miles away out of the picture... at least for the 1st Day, we can have a honest PENSACOLA RODEO**


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## LIM-IT-OUT (Aug 26, 2014)

John B. said:


> That is not true at all... I've seen a 15lb slam win this thing being caught within 5 miles of Flounders beach.
> 
> The key lies with the trout, not with the redfish, and to be honest, if you're not using live bait for your trout, you're putting yourself at a huge disadvantage.


It can be WON here and I agree Ive seen/caught alot of fish in our waters that could potentially win. Problem is other areas have these type of fish in a higher abundance thus making it worth the while to leave Pensacola and get the fish where you know you will get them.... not where its possible to get them

When there's money on the line and you want to WIN doing the extraordinary makes enough difference between 1st place Slam and a great Slam for Pensacola but not Placing. My point is it hasn't been won here in almost 10 years that tells me something.... i dont care how many croakers you soak, if the quality of fish is better elsewhere that croaker aint gunna help nobody in Pensacola


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## 192 (Oct 1, 2007)

There is only one species (or breed) of Spotted Seatrout along the Gulf and Altantic Coast, Cynoscion Nebulous.


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## stauty trout (Jul 19, 2012)

dabutcher said:


> The Mobile Bay specks look like a different species compared to Pensacola specks.
> 
> While at the scale, I saw a 27 inch speck from Mobile that weighed 7.05 lbs. A little later, I saw a 27 inch speck from Pensacola that weighed 5.05 lbs.


Had a 28" speck over the weekend at a local tourney in mobile that weighed 8.64#

Also had a buddy catch one 31" over the weekend here that weighed 8.2#

the trout aren't different species... just products of living in different environments


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## LIM-IT-OUT (Aug 26, 2014)

stauty trout said:


> Had a 28" speck over the weekend at a local tourney in mobile that weighed 8.64#
> 
> Also had a buddy catch one 31" over the weekend here that weighed 8.2#
> 
> the trout aren't different species... just products of living in different environments



Thats good enough for me. I caught a 27" that was probably 6 1/4 

2 days prior to the tournament 


See the difference.... that weight is the difference of winning and not.....


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## Jason (Oct 2, 2007)

Great job fer all ya'll involved!!!


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## dabutcher (Apr 19, 2008)

Alex and I came in 3rd two years ago and fished artificials the entire tournament. We had a 4.1 lb trout, a 7.3 lb red, and a 2.75 lb southern flounder. We missed winning the tournament by only 0.25 lbs. Unfortunately, 7.3 lb slot reds and southern flounder are very hard to come by in our local waters in late June. I don't think the tournament can be won fishing Pensacola exclusively.

There is a huge advantage to fishing LA for a redfish. Alex and I did a self guided trip to Delacroix in July, 2014. Neither of us had ever fished the area. In spite of having to constantly run from thunderstorms, we caught 17 reds in one afternoon. Our four heaviest slots had a total weight of 35 lbs. My four heaviest slots in 15 years of inshore fishing in Pensacola may have a total weight of 32 lbs; it could be less.

As far as the future, I'm probably done with the Budlight. There were only 21 boats registered for the Inshore Challenge this year and I expect to see less next year. For me, the payout will not be enough to warrant running to other states to fish.


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## LIM-IT-OUT (Aug 26, 2014)

dabutcher said:


> Alex and I came in 3rd two years ago and fished artificials the entire tournament. We had a 4.1 lb trout, a 7.3 lb red, and a 2.75 lb southern flounder. We missed winning the tournament by only 0.25 lbs. Unfortunately, 7.3 lb slot reds and southern flounder are very hard to come by in our local waters in late June. I don't think the tournament can be won fishing Pensacola exclusively.
> 
> There is a huge advantage to fishing LA for a redfish. Alex and I did a self guided trip to Delacroix in July, 2014. Neither of us had ever fished the area. In spite of having to constantly run from thunderstorms, we caught 17 reds in one afternoon. Our four heaviest slots had a total weight of 35 lbs. My four heaviest slots in 15 years of inshore fishing in Pensacola may have a total weight of 32 lbs; it could be less.
> 
> As far as the future, I'm probably done with the Budlight. There were only 21 boats registered for the Inshore Challenge this year and I expect to see less next year. For me, the payout will not be enough to warrant running to other states to fish.


True!

If ya cant beat'm join'm. !!!
I'll be playing the rat race game next year.... as a mini vacation to LA and Mobile fishin spree. Those guys schooled me twice. Now I get it.... I've learned

When someone comes in with a 17.5lb inshore slam.... uhhh Im taking notes


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## Brant Peacher (Oct 4, 2007)

Lance and I won it within 5 miles of the take off in 2011, and finished 2nd in 2013 fishing the same locations. The tournament has definitely changed for the worst over the last 3 years. 

IMO Pulling your boat down a highway 250 miles from the tournament destination should NOT be allowed. The "Pensacola" Budlight has been around forever, and fishing it is a family tradition for a number of Pensacola natives. Racing to Louisiana to see who can catch the fattest Redfish not only takes the fun out of the event, but it would give me zero satisfaction to win that way. This should be a fun even for the locals to enjoy. After all, it is the "Pensacola" Budlight.


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## LIM-IT-OUT (Aug 26, 2014)

Brant Peacher said:


> Lance and I won it within 5 miles of the take off in 2011, and finished 2nd in 2013 fishing the same locations. The tournament has definitely changed for the worst over the last 3 years.
> 
> IMO Pulling your boat down a highway 250 miles from the tournament destination should NOT be allowed. The "Pensacola" Budlight has been around forever, and fishing it is a family tradition for a number of Pensacola natives. Racing to Louisiana to see who can catch the fattest Redfish not only takes the fun out of the event, but it would give me zero satisfaction to win that way. This should be a fun even for the locals to enjoy. After all, it is the "Pensacola" Budlight.




Thank You Brant for saying that I agree 100% with you on that. Totally onboard with everything you said.

Although if they don't change something is obvious what we have to do to compete....


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## John B. (Oct 2, 2007)

Couldn't agree more... but hey, it's in the rules, so my hat's off to them... I'm not a hater for anyone winning no matter how they do it. 

I'll just pay my $15 and let the kids win some stuff.


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## Cobiacatcher (Sep 30, 2007)

I don't blame the people who drive to LA to fish at all. It's allowed....

I do however think they should change the rules for this and all other tournaments, make it local waters only, maybe within 30-50miles...

But if your a tournament director, I believe about 10 boats were from out of state, ie. AL, LA, MS

The "local" crowd just doesn't participate in tournaments anymore, I don't know why? Other than the fact that the rules allow you to trailer your boat wherever you want.

There is NO WAY in hell you can compete with fish in LA, I have caught hundreds of redfish around here all my life and the quality of redfish here DOES not on any level compare to the redfish in LA.. 9+ lb redfish in the slot are common in LA, a 7lb slot fish in Pensacola is a good fish.

There is a solution to our dilemma, MORE ANGLERS need to participate... Which I presume would happen if there was a rule change.

Another reason I have heard in the past as to why people won't fish our local tournaments is "all of the local guides enter the tournament and we can't beat them" 

The local guides are awesome anglers no doubt, but they are not tournament fishing when they take clients out, they are WORKING, so they take their clients where there is the most action. Be is kings in the pass, sheepshead in the spring, or near shore wrecks during snapper season. Have you ever tried dock fishing with a person who has never done it before? You spend half the day retrieving jigheads. Its not fun for the guide or their clients. What is fun is constant action and catching lots of fish, that's why they take their clients to the places where the action is non stop! ITS FUN!!

So "regular joes" can and have beaten local guides many times, what kind of fishing do you do when you go out? Me I go dock fishing or target certain species, redfish and flounder mostly. I will venture to the pass on occasion and catch a limit of sheepshead or go play with the bullreds in the fall. But for the most part I'll "tournament style fish"

Sorry for the long rant, I just love tournament fishing... Its very fun and a great chance to meet and hang out with people just like me. Im currently in between boats right now so won't fish in the "bigger tournaments" but still take the johnboat out and fish a few rodeos with my daughter!

Look at inshore tournaments in south Florida, LA, Mobile.. THEY ARE HUGE with big payouts! Not ours, for some reason this area has a very small turn out for our tournaments. THE IFA redfish tour even did away with the Gulf Coast Division due to lack of participation.

All of these tournaments we love so much and have become a tradition for many families will soon disappear if we as "locals" don't start supporting them!

Again sorry for the RANT. Tight LINES!!


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## LIM-IT-OUT (Aug 26, 2014)

Its also a outrageously expensive tournament after registration, boat entry, calcutta, gas, exc.... ur lookin at the ball park of $800.00 

Its hard to put up that kind of money on anything

Shoot thats FLW and Bassmaster prices and they win 50k minimum


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## LIM-IT-OUT (Aug 26, 2014)

Im done Ranting hahahahsa

Guys do as I did cut the travelers out the picture, enter 1st day Calcutta. Or join the rat race and even the playing field all together........ or which is highly unlikely they need to change the format of the inshore slam rules to both even the playing field and bring in more teams

These boys whooped my butt twice now.... GAME ON!!! Hahaha it aint gunna happen 3 times

It should be called the Louisiana Mississippi Alabama Pensacola Bud Light Rodeo hahahaha


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## jcasey (Oct 12, 2007)

I feel your pain. the wife and I entered this tournament for our first time ever this year. I ended the day in 1st in Grouper, 3rd in Mingo and my wife was 3rd in Grouper. It was all erased after day 2. I learned a lesson in just my first year. Go home after fishing day 1, watch the leaderboard on day 2 and if you are not in the running, don't even bother to weigh in.


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## LIM-IT-OUT (Aug 26, 2014)

Ive walked away with some type of check everytime I do the bud light.... so it doesnt pain me per say.... although it erks me when the same guys are whoppin my butt, after they come back from their road trip...and Ive been on the water covering as much ground in PENSACOLA as I can


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## dabutcher (Apr 19, 2008)

LIM-IT-OUT said:


> Im done Ranting hahahahsa
> 
> Guys do as I did cut the travelers out the picture, enter 1st day Calcutta.


How did you cut the travelers out of the picture? In addition to the $100 it cost you to enter the 1st day calcutta, you had to spend $300 to enter the Inshore Challenge and each member of your team had to purchase a $30 rodeo ticket. 

The tournament winners weighed in on the first day. If they would have entered the 1st day calcutta, then they would have won it as well.


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## John B. (Oct 2, 2007)

dabutcher said:


> How did you cut the travelers out of the picture? In addition to the $100 it cost you to enter the 1st day calcutta, you had to spend $300 to enter the Inshore Challenge and each member of your team had to purchase a $30 rodeo ticket.
> 
> The tournament winners weighed in on the first day. If they would have entered the 1st day calcutta, then they would have won it as well.


That's a loss in my book.


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## LIM-IT-OUT (Aug 26, 2014)

True hard fact of life.... well. Then like I said its turned into a LA road trip tournament. 

I forgot those guys weighed in a 17lb slam the 1st day.... hahaha impressive! 

My question is the board of directors goin to continue this road trip tournament or are they going to concider the fact that if this goes on... not to many of us will be participating anymore. Most folks and I am speaking for our general local public.... well we would rather compete in our local waters against local folk in a local tournament

Hell they might as well put KING SALMON on the rodeo board lol


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## Flatspro (Oct 3, 2007)

It actually use to be a quote local tournament. Unfortunately people quit fishing due to the fact that it was the same handful of people (teams) in the top 3 spots of the leader board. Hence the rodeo started and with the payouts in the inshore challenge compared to entrants it's not really profitable. They do just fine with the rodeo at $30 a participant. So in reality you can choose to fish or not. This was the first year I've personally missed in over 10 years due to a tournament schedule conflict. I don't see it changing anytime in the near future.. So you gotta chase the weight or stay here and try to compete. I'm not traveling I'll just give it hell here and hope for the right three bites.


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## Flatspro (Oct 3, 2007)

And yes when it was a shotgun start guys still ran to Louisiana and Mississippi.


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## LIM-IT-OUT (Aug 26, 2014)

Regardless im ready to play hard ball... learned my lesson


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## Wad Shooter (Jul 31, 2012)

The comments about LA Trout make me laugh. If you want to catch numbers go to LA. If you want to catch size, go to TX or mobile. The islands south of MS also produce very large trout. LA does produce better redfish though. I personally believe it has to do with the silty bottom vs Sandy bottom.


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## LIM-IT-OUT (Aug 26, 2014)

Red fish LA
TROUT MOBILE
FLOUNDER PENSACOLA 

Nobody referenced big specks in LA


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## Wad Shooter (Jul 31, 2012)

LIM-IT-OUT said:


> Red fish LA
> TROUT MOBILE
> FLOUNDER PENSACOLA
> 
> Nobody referenced big specks in LA


Maybe I misread or someone edited a post. Just didn't want everyone thinking LA was loaded with big specks and waste their time and money targeting them there.


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