[Editor: this article first appeared on www.ronsfishingblog and may only be used by permission of Ron Speed]

“NEWS FLASH!!”—-The Ron Clark group of 10 fishermen, who fished Lake El Salto for 4 days  (Dec. 12-15), ended up landing a grand total of 2726 bass.  Check out our website for fishing reports.

Mexico – Bass Explosion on El Salto!!!

It’s that time, folks! The fishing season on El Salto is off and running! The water level is approximately 50% …which is lower than last year at this time but the high water actually hurt our fishing last fall with all of the decaying of green vegetation. Also, last May/June, we had one of the best Tilapia hatches ever! The condition of the bass is showing it too, as they are in great shape!

Yesterday we received a fishing report from Lupe on a group that left on Sunday. During their first two days, each boat averaged 60 or more fish. On the last day, each boat landed 150+ fish with one boat having a 9.4lbs bass as the largest, the other boat with an 8lbs. The best lures were watermelon colored lizards, Senkos and “Brush Hawgs”…fished in 5’ – 10’ of water. Topwaters were also productive, particularly Pop-R’s in shad color.

Today’s report was just as awesome: Ron Clark group of 10 anglers arrived at the camp Sunday and started fishing Monday. Every single boat had over 100 bass on Monday with the top boat landing 155 bass!

This is by far the best action/numbers we’ve seen in two years! All in 5 – 10 feet of water – shallow water! FUN! FUN! FUN! Now is the time to get down there while it lasts! Salto is one of, if not THE BEST bass lake in the world. However, even great lakes have their “off years.” Last year was considered an off-year for El Salto. Don’t miss out on this opportunity while the fishing is fantastic!!!

Brazil – Peacock Bass

The Otter is geared up and ready to roll for the Jan – March Season on the Negro! For those who haven’t been with us in the past year or longer, allow me to inform you of a couple of major upgrades. Some of you have fished on our older boat, the Amazon Clipper. After Gilberto completed construction on the Otter, he brought his staff and guides over to the Otter. Ron Jr. took over the reservations for the Clipper after booking for years to a boat called the Amazon Angler. He and his manager, Franz, had assembled a solid group of fishing guides, very similar to those on the Otter. Last year Ron Jr. and I teamed up and decided to focus just on the Otter. Our partner in Brazil, Carlos, who was working with both Ron Jr. and myself, consolidated everything to the Otter. The best guides from the Clipper joined the best guides on the Otter and formed the VERY BEST guide team in the entire Amazon for sportfishing. As some of you may know, the guide is the key to your fishing success – and overall trip success. We know the majority of our clients place so much emphasis on “the catch” or the fishing. Therefore it’s imperative that we have the very best guides. All of our guides have at least 10 years or more experience. Four of our eight guides have been with us since we started fishing the Amazon in 1993. That’s nearly 19 years! This is important for fishing, no doubt. However, it’s also important from a safety/boating standpoint. We not only have the best FISHING guides in the Amazon but also guides with a lot of experience and a safe boat operating history.

Also, we’ve used Express (formerly AlumaWeld) bass boats for years. Carlos has brought over the Triton all welded bass boats they were using on the Angler and Clipper. Like the Express boats, the Tritons are 17.5’ in length, have two large decks front and back, rod boxes, built-in ice coolers, and are equipped with powerful Motorguide trolling motors.

For those that have yet to experience the Otter or peacock bass fishing in the Amazon, you owe it to yourself to try it at least one time. There’s not a fish that swims that’s more exciting and fun to catch than the amazing peacock bass! We provide all fishing tackle/equipment so you only need to bring a few clothes – few because we also provide laundry service aboard the Otter.

Call us today to book your fishing adventure of a lifetime!

[Editor: this article first appeared on www.ronsfishingblog and may only be used by permission of Ron Speed]

In July we will finish our 40th year of fishing Mexico when we close Lake El Salto for the season. It has been one of our best years ever as we doubled the number of clients from the year before.

Our percentage of satisfied clients broke all previous records over the previous 40 years. Our satisfaction rate this year was 99% as reported by clients. It would have been 100% except for 2 clients from Kansas in April. The staff didn’t have nachos & margaritas ready upon their arrival in camp from the airport. Our fault!!!

Our new programs were a big hit with everyone. The new menu that Ron Jr. got started was an unbelieviable success. I had tried for years to teach our different cooks different dishes but as soon as I would leave they would go back to the old meals. The hibachi supper was the favorite of all the clients. It’s a very wide variety of fresh seafood centered in the middle of the table and everyone eats off of the variety of seafood. OH MAN IS IT GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!

The fishing — as always — was good with Roger Sessions of Henderson, Texas taking the big fish prize of the season. Roger caught a female bass all spawned out that measured 36 in. long with a 22.5 girth. According to our formula she should have weighed about 23 pounds. Ron Jr. called Phil Durocher who is the former head of Texas fish & wildlife and told him about the fish and its measurements. Phil told Ron Jr. that it definitely would have been a new world record.

Both Phil Durocher and Ray Sasser of the Dallas Morning news said that Roger should have kept the fish and not released it back to the lake. The reason for keeping a bass that big is it’s an old fish that will probably not live after all the stress in the battle. Releasing a bass that old would not be of any benefit to the lake.

How safe is travel to El Salto????

[This question still comes up almost every day. To me it is such a shame that many, many fishermen are still afraid to travel to this great lake. Our newspapers & TV have led Americans to believe the whole country of Mexico is dangerous for Americans.

I don't know another person that has the experience in Mexico that I have over the past 50 years. If I thought for one minute that it was not safe, we wouldn't be running trips to Salto. Both my sons travel to Salto with my blessing. Ron Jr is a regular this season and — as usual — both sons boated 10lb bass.

Here is the real story about safety in Mexico. If you are in some way involved in the drug business, then it is not safe for you to be in Mexico. Almost 100% of all those killed in Mexico are people involved in the drug trade. It is exactly like the days of prohibition in Chicago when Dutch Schultz and Al Capone were fighting over territory. It’s the same thing except the cartels in Mexico are fighting over drug territory.

Americans are not targets in Mexico. It’s not like countries in the Middle East where you might as well have a bull’s eye on your back. There are probably more Americans killed here in the good ‘ole USA in one week than are killed in Mexico over a 10 year period.

One client asked me the other day, “What if I happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time?” My answer was that you will be at the lake 99% of your trip and I can tell you for sure the drug guys don’t like to bass fish.

Truth is, almost all the trouble has happened along the border with some isolated violence scattered in the interior. The people of Mexico are going about their business as usual. They are always happy to see Americans come visit their country.

If you are still concerned, we will be happy to give you clients to call that have recently returned from El Salto.

GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR FISHING AND REMEMBER TO WEAR THE LIFEJACKET!!!!!!!!!!