QUEST FOR MEXICAN MONSTER BASS
by
Steve Quinn
For years, Chuck Steinbauer quizzed me about my trips
south of the border to corral outsize bass, while doing research for
In-Fisherman magazine or filming the TV show. I’d always encouraged
him to take the plunge and last year he did, along with his wife
Lois. For the few that may not know him, Chuck is a legend among
Minnesota tournament anglers and has qualified for the BASS
Federation Nationals to be held in Florida next spring. He has been
a friend and tournament rival in countless tournament over the last
15 or more years.
At my urging, Chuck booked into Angler’s Inn at El Salto for two
days of fishing, as he and Lois wanted to enjoy leisure time in
nearby Mazatlan as well. As Chuck tells the story, he worked a
variety of patterns and landed two bass between 9 and 10 pounds
during the two days, and the sun was falling toward the horizon,
signaling the end of their stay. While chunking her 6-inch Storm
WildEye Swim Shad, Lois felt a bump, but didn’t connect. Casting
back, she nailed a monster that swam all around the boat until they
could boat it. The scale buckled to 11 pound 7 ounces, and Lois had
once again bagged the lunker in endless competition with her
competitive husband.
A handful of Mexican reservoirs offer outstanding bass fishing, with
large numbers of fish and a good chance for an 8- to 10-pound lunker
and sometimes a good bit bigger than that. Lodges offer fishing
packages, usually with 3 days of guided fishing, 4 nights lodging,
meals, and drinks. During the colder months, the draw of warm
sunshine compounds dreams of giant bass that often are fulfilled.
El Salto: This amazing lake on Mexico’s west coast, 90 miles from
Mazatlan, keeps producing great fishing. Above normal rains have
maintained water levels, yielding stable spawning conditions and new
crops of lunkers in the 18,000-acre lake. Lodges open in October and
close in June, when the rainy season begins. The spawn typically
occurs from mid-January through February, but big fish are available
at all times. Topwaters, crankbaits, big soft stickbaits, swimbaits,
and Carolina rigged worms and lizards score on bass holding along
rocky banks, steep points, humps, stumpy flats, timbered creek
channels and other diverse structure that’s part of rugged Sierra
Madre terrain of Mexico’s west coast. Contact: Anglers Inn, 800/GOTA
FISH, anglersinn.com; Hook Sportfishing, 800/583-8133,
hooksportfishing.com; Pro Bass Adventures, 866/FISHMEX,
mexicofishing.net; Ron Speed Adventures, 903/489-1656,
ronspeedadventures.com.
Baccarac: This legendary lake produced the Mexican record bass, 19
xpounds 10 ounces, in 1993, and many huge fish in ensuing years. I
bagged my own personal best of 14-0 there. Angling pressure has been
light recently, as the Chapman-Balderrama Lodge has not in the
spotlight, as Bill Chapman built lodges at El Salto and Aqua Milpa.
In December, Fred Ward opened a hotel on the shores of the
35,000-acre reservoir, offering new opportunities. Lots of offshore
structure, bluff walls, and shoreline cover offer many presentation
options. Contact: Pro Bass Adventures, 866/347-4639,
mexicofishing.net.
Comedero: Another noted producer of bass over 12 pounds, Comedero
also stands to benefit from heavy summer and early fall rains. Ron
Speed offers the only lodge on the lake that lies about 2 hours from
Mazatlan. Contact Ron Speed Adventures, 903/489-1656,
ronspeedadventures.com.
Lopez Mateos: The only lodge on this big reservoir (50,000+ acres)
was reopened last spring after hosting minimal angling for almost 10
years, after a severe drawdown reduced the bass population. Bass
over 10 pounds have been taken, and I tested the waters last spring,
filming a segment for In-Fisherman’s 2005 television season, fishing
Rapala DT-16 crankbaits for big bass on deep structure. The lake
promises strong fishing as the population continues to develop.
Close to the airport at Culiacan. Contact: Wet-A-Line Tours,
888/295-HOOK, wetaline.com.
Agua Milpa: This high-elevation lake, nearest to the cities of Tepic
and Guadalajara, is a stable fishery, offering excellent action for
bass from 3 to 7 pounds, with occasional lunkers. Built for power
generation in 1997, Milpa doesn’t undergo the dramatic water-level
fluctuations of most Mexican lakes. Bill Chapman built a fine lodge
on the lake, offering access to the lower portion of the 60,000+
acre impoundment. Angler’s Inn looks toward completion of another
resort there in 2005. Contact: Hook Sportfishing, 800/583-8133,
hooksportfishing.com; Anglers Inn, 800/GOTA FISH, anglersinn.com.
Lake Huites; A drawdown soured the fishing at Lake Huites last year,
but summer rains have refilled it and initial reports from last fall
are promising. Hopefully, it will return soon to its recent peaks,
producing 40 to 80 bass a day, with good numbers of fish from 6 to 9
pounds. Contact; Trophy Bass Lodge, 888/769-0220, bassmex.com.
Guerrero: Impounded in 1971, Lake Guerrero was the first Mexican
lake to attract large numbers of American tourist-anglers. The
fishing boom, featuring hundreds of 2- to 5-pound bass per day,
lasted almost a decade, until the lake was depleted of large fish by
angling and commercial fishing. After years of light fishing
pressure, the massive reservoir (90,000 acres) has rebounded and
some big fish are taken. Contact: Ricky Green International Outdoors
Adventures, 870/246-9243; Arley McMillon, 405/354-0358.
No one can guarantee you a 7-pound bass, let alone a 9 or a 10. But
you will definitely enjoy fishing these lakes with their diverse
structure, thorny brush, and tough bass. You will swear you have a
5-pounder hooked until one about 17 inches comes alongside. And with
nearly constant sunshine from December through June, you will enjoy
a respite from Minnesota weather while enjoying some outstanding
action even if the bite is off. And with unlimited cervesas and
margaritas, who could ask for more???
Steve Quinn
classicbass.com Pro Staff
