Fall 2021 Update

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

MEXICO FISHING SEASON TO BEGIN WITH FULL LAKE LEVELS!!!

Mr. Strike King John Barns and guide showing off his Lake Picachos toad!!

Hello folks! It’s that time of year again when we are pumped up and ready to kick off our primary fishing season! The lake levels are what we (I) pray for every summer when monsoon begins… that the Lord blesses us with adequate rainfall that will then lead to providing us with great fishing all season long (Oct – June). Well the Lord has answered our prayers this summer. When the rainy season began, we were down to 15% water in Lake El Salto, and around 20% in Lake Picachos. As usual, Picachos filled up first. By early August, the water was going over the dam. That’s not uncommon as Picachos is on a huge watershed that comes from the mountains in Durango. El Salto is not on a watershed as big as Picachos’ and it requires more rainfall/runoff to fill. So when Picachos filled by early August, El Salto was still around 50% level. However, Hurricane Nora arrived along the Pacific Coast of Mexico around August 25, and for 5 days it produced torrential downpour in Sinaloa and Sonora states…as well as the Baja! After 5 days of hurricane/tropical storms, Lake El Salto completely filled. At the time of this writing, El Salto is at 106% full…still at flood stage! Don’t worry, though, because the water never made it to the steps of our lodge and houses! Lake Picachos remains at 100% full or close to full.

Shana Koonsman May with her 10lbs Lake El Salto Trophy.

So the news could not be any better with regards to the much needed rainfall after last year’s drought and lakes being lower than ever! The bass “may be” scattered for the first few weeks of the season but that’s not a given… just more of a prediction based upon my 35 years of business in Mexico and 52 years of experience in bass fishing. I look at the BIG PICTURE and the big picture here is that when we start fishing in October with full lakes or close to full lakes, we usually have a great fishing season… right up until the monsoon season begins in July! I would expect this fishing season to not be different. Always play the percentages and the percentages say “GET TO LAKES PICACHOS AND EL SALTO THIS SEASON…IT’S GOING TO BE AWESOME!!!”

Water in cove leading up to the camp at Lake El Salto.

Water going over the dam at Lake Picachos.

GREAT INTERVIEW WITH TWO LONGTIME FRIENDS AND CUSTOMERS…DAVID & CINDY BEDNAR!!

BRAZIL PEACOCK BASS UPDATE!!!

I apologize that we haven’t been able to bring you any updates on Brazil Peacock Bass fishing in a long time… and that is because we haven’t had any anglers go in over a year due to the constant Covid lockdowns last year. However, we were all set to start fishing again this Fall Season. BUT… American Airlines pulled the non-stop direct flight from Miami to Manaus, thus causing all of our Fall customers to reschedule for Jan/Feb/Mar as well as Fall 2022. Currently our Jan/Feb/Mar customers have booked for their air schedule for Dallas to Sao Paulo and to Manaus… or those that live in the southern or eastern part of the U.S. will fly Miami to Sao Paulo to Manaus! The good news is that we’ll be operational again by January and our crew is READY TO GO! I will update you on any news regarding the non-stop flight (Miami/Manaus) as soon as I hear anything. As things start to settle down and get back to “normal” regarding this “V,” I would think or expect American or another airline to start up a non-stop direct flight from the U.S. to Manaus. Again, I’ll update as soon as I know or hear anything. Please watch our newest and fantastic Peacock Bass Video below that features my good friend and Major League Fishing Pro Angler Edwin Evers! I think you’ll like it….A LOT.

NEW BRAZIL PEACOCK BASS VIDEO FEATURING M.L.F. PRO EDWIN EVERS!!!

MLF Pro Angler Edwin Evers.

Folks, please take a few minutes to watch our newest Peacock Bass video featuring my longtime friend and M.L.F. Pro Angler Edwin Evers! Edwin has made numerous trips with me to Brazil for peacock bass fishing! He’s planning his next trip with us in Fall 2022! Please watch… and enjoy! If you’ve never experienced the mighty Peacock Bass, you’ve been missing out! Add in the big time adventure of being on a 5-star floating hotel (Amazon Otter Houseboat) cruising around the various rivers/tributaries of the Amazon Rainforest… visiting and trading with the natives… and having your heart stop a hundred times from the thunderous topwater explosions of the mighty peacock bass! This is high adventure… and if you’re not yet sold, then watch this video. You won’t be able to resist. 😉

COMBINE SOME SURF & TURF IN MAZATLAN DURING YOUR FISHING TRIP!!!

Many of you have experienced the beautiful city of Mazatlan in the past. For those of you that have yet to experience it, well Mazatlan is a first-class beach resort city. In the past 10 years, the government has invested in making it MORE BEAUTIFUL. There are many new first-class hotels that have been built and more still under construction. The reason I mention this is because Mazatlan has become more popular than ever in recent years… and the reason for that is more and more tourists are learning about how wonderful of a tourist resort it is and how it continues improving each year. That said, we have recommended El Cid Resorts to our customers for the past 22 years. In 1999, we made the move to El Cid and have never been happier. El Cid Resorts in Mazatlan offers 4 different hotels for your preference. Most of our customers stay at El Cid Castilla Beach hotel, which is 5-star and located right on the best part of the Mazatlan beaches. Next to El Cid Castilla Beach is the El Cid El Moro Tower Hotel, which is El Cid’s luxury suites/rooms… again, 5-star and FIRST CLASS! Then you have the Marina El Cid Hotel located further north of the tourist zone (Golden Zone) and it’s designed more for those wanting to experience some great Deep Sea fishing! Rooms/Suites there are also 5-star and first class. Finally you have the El Cid Grenada Hotel, which is designed more for those wanting to get in a day or two of GOLF… it’s their Country Club Hotel and it’s also 5-star and first class!

El Moro Tower Hotel

There are MANY fun things to do and wonderful places to visit while in Mazatlan. For those wanting to combine some first-class Deep Sea fishing during your bass trip of a lifetime, we can arrange your saltwater fishing with Marina El Cid’s Aries Fleet — the best in the business in Mazatlan! Again, they’re the best in Mazatlan with first-class offshore boats and guides! You can also go take a tour to Deer Island and enjoy a day of snorkeling while there…. Maybe a day at Stone Island…. Enjoy a spectacular Mazatlan Sunset Tour aboard a trimaran…. Personally, I love visiting the OLD Historic part of Mazatlan and taking in a delicious dinner at Pedro Y Lola. There are NUMEROUS things to visit and enjoy while staying in Mazatlan. My advice is to plan to arrive Mazatlan a day or two early and enjoy all it has to offer before you go battle all of those bass at El Salto and Picachos, because I doubt you’ll have much energy to do it AFTER fishing. Again, just some helpful advice. Either way, Mazatlan is a GREAT place to visit and especially if you decide to bring family along!

Marina El Cid Hotel

Marina El Cid Room

Last, should you decide to combine a day or more in Mazatlan away from bass fishing with us, and you need a tour guide to take you to various places you desire to visit, then let us know before your trip. We can get the drivers we use from the Tour Guide Association and Taxi Union to be there and work FOR YOU! All are bilingual and all are SAFE drivers! Really good people that have years of experience and a great track record.

Beautiful Mazatlan sunset.

Good fishin’ and God Bless!
Ron Speed, Jr.