Ron Speed Fall 2019 Newsletter

Posted on by by Posted in Ron's Bass Fishing Newsletter

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

MEXICO BASS FISHING SEASON READY TO ROLL!!!

Comedero view from dam Oct 2019.

It’s that time, anglers! The monsoon season is pretty much in our rear view mirror now with only a slight possibility of a hurricane or tropical storm between now and the first of November. Therefore, the lake levels are what they are now…but again, barring a tropical storm occurring in the next couple of weeks. As of today, Lake Picachos has been full for a few weeks and should remain that way until at least the end of October. El Salto is currently at 64% and Comedero at 49%. What does water levels mean in terms of the fishing this season? Well, everyone has their opinions but based upon my 33 years in this business and fishing these western Mexico mountain lakes, it doesn’t significantly impact the fishing during OUR fishing season…meaning I don’t see a major difference as to how deep or shallow the bass go based upon water levels. I do prefer to start the season (coming out of rainy season in late October) with at least 70% water level as that keeps me from stressing about low oxygen in the last 2 months (May/June) of the dry season…BUT in terms of the fishing during our primary fishing season (Nov – April/May), I don’t see much difference either way.

Picachos Sept 2019 lake is full!! Water up to steps of restaurant!!

There is a lot of fresh green vegetation in the water along and near the shorelines right now. The bait fish are up there by the millions feeding on the new algae growth on that vegetation, and….well….yes, the bass are up there gorging themselves on the millions of Tilapia and shad! The bass are scattered when this occurs but it’s a spinnerbait and topwater angler’s dream! Once the nights begin to cool sometime in November, there will be even more and more bass move to the shallows! It’s about to get silly…and I can’t wait!!!

El Salto View from RSJA camp Aug, 2019. Water has since risen 8 feet.

RON SPEED JR’S ADVENTURES AND LEW’S ROD/REEL COMPANY JOIN FORCES!!!

From L-R: Lew’s Chairman Lynn Reeves, owner of Oldham Lures Terry Oldham, Ron Speed Jr, & Lew’s Director of product development Bob Brown.

Lew’s Chairman Lynn Reeves with his Comedero Trophy!!

Yes, you read correctly! If you read my June 2019 Update on Picachos, you will remember I mentioned “new additions coming soon”…well, this is ONE of the new additions. Recently it was announced that professional angler and all time money winner in professional bass fishing, Kevin VanDam (better known as KVD), has joined Lew’s…well, KVD isn’t the only one that’s joined. Your favorite International Fishing Outfitter Ron Speed Jr’s Adventures has also jumped on this train. I strongly suggest you do so as well!

Starting this fishing season, we will be providing our valuable customers Lew’s rods to include some of their top of the line models! Last March I had the honor and opportunity to fish with “The Godfather” himself, Lynn Reeves (Chairman of Lew’s) as well as Bob Brown (Director of Product Development for Lew’s) at fabulous Lake Comedero! I can tell you that not only are these two gentlemen great anglers but even better PEOPLE! I just can’t say enough great things about these two fine men and their character. Furthermore, I had the opportunity to fish with some of their Lew’s rods…and WOW! I was amazed at how light these rods were but the quality and attention to every little detail that went into the design and construction of these rods. I love to flip/pitch heavy cover for big bass…and love a good stiff long handled rod for “horsing” those big girls out of that thick cover. I experienced that when Bob let me try out the new SuperGrip SGBPS 7′ 6″ Heavy/Big Pitchin’ Stick. It was definitely built for heavy cover flipping/pitching but extra light as well! We will have this rod along with many of Lew’s other fantastic models in all three of our lake/lodges this season! Back to that new SuperGrip handle…I LOVE IT!!! Those of you who do the rod handle “wraps” or tennis handle type wraps, well….forget that! This new SuperGrip handle will definitely make you forget about doing such in the future. Their full length Winn Dri-Tac grip offers effortless castability…and the flat top design and larger diameter gives you total control when setting the hook and fighting the fish. Furthermore, the larger diameter grip prevents hand fatigue and allows the angler ALL DAY COMFORT!!!

Also, these new Lew’s SuperGrip rods offer their new Lew’s exclusive VTR System (Vibration Transfer Ring)….and what that does is it provides direct contact with the “blank”, transferring vibration directly to your hands! Sending vibration from the blank directly through the VTR for extreme sensitivity and prevents any deadening from the grip. The VTR System allows you to detect even the slightest of bites! You’re absolutely going to love these new Lew’s Rods at all of our fishing operations….both in Mexico and Brazil (for peacock bass). The new Lew’s Rods are already in all three lakes/lodges of RSJA in Mexico and waiting for your arrival. The new Lew’s Rods for Brazil will be available for our peacock bass fishermen this coming January! Please visit Lew’s website to explore all of their products they offer….reels, rods…both inshore and offshore products! You’ll be glad you took the time! www.lews.com

Ron Speed Jr’s Adventures proves again that we are committed to offering you the very best fishing experience to include fishing, lodging, meals, boats (Xpress Boats), fishing equipment (Lew’s) and overall the very best services. Two of the leaders or giants in this fishing industry have now joined forces…and you, our valuable customers, will reap the benefits of this new partnership!!!

OH THERE’S MORE…A NEW RESTAURANT AT PICACHOS FOR OUR CUSTOMERS???

Well, if the new rods didn’t just reach out and grab ya, how ’bout a new air conditioned restaurant at Picachos? Again, more from that June Update where I mentioned new additions coming in the future. Yes, folks…we’re building a new restaurant for all of our Picachos anglers to enjoy those thick juicy 1 1/4 inch PRIME CUT ribeye steaks…as well the big fresh tasty shrimp and lobster…or to just sit and mingle with friends while having a nice cocktail from the NEW BAR that will be in this new restaurant. You’ll also be able to watch your favorite sports team play on our new big screen tv inside the new bar/restaurant. Yes, the new restaurant will be closed in so as to add air conditioning and cool/comfortable environment but it will offer glass windows so you don’t lose that magnificent and scenic view of beautiful Lake Picachos!

The new restaurant is still under construction but as of this writing, the construction is about 80% complete and “should” be finished no later than November 1st…of course barring something unforeseen such as a major hurricane. Ssshhh, Ron Jr…ya doofus! No jinxes!!!! Seriously, everything “currently” is going according to plan and our first group of the season should be able to experience the new restaurant facility! We hope you’ll come enjoy the great fishing of Picachos as well as this new restaurant and our first class facilities/services!!! FIRST. CLASS.

A LITTLE FISHING TALK…

Frank Rose with his Lake El Salto GIANT!!!

Let’s start with El Salto… last season was a rollercoaster ride in terms of the fishing. It was very inconsistent in that it started off very slow last fall (Oct/Nov), picked up a little in December, then back down near the end of December or right after our Christmas break. Then the full moon and spawn occurred around the 3rd week of January, which always means big sow bass more shallow…and for sure the fishing was fantastic. However, instead of the great fishing continuing from there with the February group of spawn bass moving in or staging for their spawn, it just didn’t happen. The numbers stayed below average (average is 40 – 50 bass per boat, per day on El Salto) and there were not many big bass over 7 lbs landed from late January through February. Then we had some bass spawn on the full moon in March and naturally the numbers went up above average but still not too many big fish over 7 lbs boated. Quite honestly I was scratching my head as to why the up and down and inconsistent numbers and size? This continued on through April….but THAT is where the inconsistency stopped and the better than average numbers returned in early May as did the big bass of 8 lbs and larger! Every customer group we had fish with us at El Salto after May 1st and through late July (last group) experienced good to great fishing at El Salto…both in numbers and size. Therefore, I knew that the bass were still in there…and not that I ever had any doubt. Let’s just chalk last season (as a whole) to be “one of those years” that we get every so often or every 5 – 7 years. Not all was bad…but certainly not all was good. Just “inconsistent” is the best way to describe the overall fishing last season. I fully expect the fishing to return to consistently good…and soon. Hopefully that will be this season! If the last 3 months of last fishing season is any indication, then I expect it to be great THIS SEASON!

Justice Wade showing off one of his Picachos TOADS!!!

Now on to Picachos… well, what else is there left to say about this incredible fishery? If you missed my June 2019 Update, you really should go read it. I reported of how the big bass are really starting to show up in Picachos and the overall average size increasing every year. All of this happening without loss of daily numbers as the action and catches are still way north of 100 bass per boat, per day…at least on average. Now it is not out of the realm of possibilities to go to Picachos and hook or catch a bass or multiple bass of 8 lbs or larger! You won’t get me to declare it a trophy bass lake yet but just know we’re getting closer and THIS SEASON could get me to go ahead and declare such. One thing is for certain, you won’t find a better lake in the world that produces more numbers of bass and still have a chance at landing a bass 8 lbs and larger! Throw in the fact that it’s the easiest lake in western Mexico to access as it’s only a 50 minute drive from the Mazatlan Airport to our big nice beautiful lakeside lodge! This trip is so easy and yet offers so many rewards for the avid bass angler! It would be rare for anyone to leave Picachos disappointed…and I’ve never had anyone call or message me upon returning from Picachos to express disappointment with the fishing. It’s just one of those “money in the bank” lakes…even though there are slow days like at every lake…but a slow day on Picachos is a mere 60 bass per boat in one day. Oh no…what a slow day! [sarcasm alert]. Picachos has already made headlines for the past 5 years but nothing like what is coming over the next 5 – 10 years! Barring anything unforeseen with Mother Nature or an act of God, I truly believe Picachos will go down as one of the best lakes ever….and that’s in the world. Same as Guerrero made it’s name over 40 years ago. Well, I believe Picachos to be in that same conversation for many years to come. If you have yet to fish it, you need to…while it’s still HOT! Come enjoy all that we have to offer at Picachos with the biggest and nicest facility on the lake as well as the best food, service, bass boats (Xpress Boats) and most experienced fishing guides! Oh and did I mention we’ll be offering new Lew’s Rods for all our customers this season? See above.

Ed Lewis with one of the many Comedero TROPHYS he has landed.

Finally let’s talk BIG BASS at beautiful Lake Comedero… If you missed my July 2019 Comedero Update, then you owe it to yourself to go take a read! That is if you like reading about a lot of giant bass being caught and many on TOPWATER LURES!!! In terms of the best opportunity at bass over 10 lbs, Lake Comedero is by far the best in my opinion. In terms of big bass on topwater, then there is absolutely NO DOUBT that Comedero is the best! Last season was “different” in that we didn’t find as many of those “wolfpacks” bunched up on those ledges and humps as we had found in previous years. However, not all was lost because that just meant more big bass stayed closer to the shore last season that previous seasons…meaning, it was a fantastic year for big bass caught on topwater! Again, go read my July 2019 Update and you’ll see where Shana Koonsman and her father John Billy fished all week with nothing but a KVD Splash topwater and landed bass of 11 lbs, 2 of 10 lbs and too many to keep count of 7 – 9 lbs! Also, for those that like to fish Senkos and Big Flukes, go read about all the giant bass that J. W. Peterson and his groups caught over the course of 2 weeks using those two soft plastics! J. W. landed a goliath 13 lbs bass and that wasn’t even his biggest ever on Comedero…but he was ecstatic nonetheless! This lake never ceases to amaze me when I hear, read and even experience for myself all the big bass that are landed each day at this amazing lake! Combine that great trophy fishing with the breathtaking beauty of this lake…nestled high in the beautiful Sierra Madre Mountains! It’s like a majestic painting…every day! Also, Comedero is a very big lake and with very little fishing pressure. I love not having so much “traffic” on a lake and being able to fish just about anywhere I desire and not have to wait my turn. THAT IS COMEDERO!!!!

CLOSING NOTES AND REMINDERS…

If you read my past two updates in June and July, you will know that Comedero and Picachos are almost full… but don’t let that stop you from calling us as we still have a few “gaps” here and there and also started a “wait list” on many dates throughout the season. Most of the time those on the wait list will clear as there will always be groups cancel or move to different dates. You still have time if you’re fairly flexible on dates you can go…but you MUST CALL SOON!

Also, just a reminder that we will once again offer the 2 for 1 at Picachos for bringing immediate family members. This was such a HUGE HIT for our customers last season and I’ve decided to offer it again…but only for March (Spring Break time) and May/June (end of school year). If you want to take advantage of this tremendous cost saving opportunity, then you MUST CALL NOW! Don’t assume the space will remain available because it won’t…and in fact, a lot of the March space is already gone…not totally but many dates are definitely gone! CALL US SOON!!!

Call us today: 800-722-0006
GOOD FISHIN’,
RON SPEED, JR.


Lake Comedero Summer 2019 Update

Posted on by by Posted in Fishing Reports, Fishing Stories, Ron's Bass Fishing Newsletter, Ron's Fishing Tips & Stories

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

LAKE COMEDERO CONTINUES TO PROVE IT’S THE BEST TROPHY BASS LAKE IN THE WORLD!!!

Brian Shows has caught many trophy bass from Comedero including this 11.8 lbs FATTY!!!

This past season was another banner year for Comedero and the many anglers that made their way to this beautiful mountain lake! While the lake encountered many “obstacles” early in the fishing season (November/December) with major snow melting from the mountains above the lake in Durango state, the lake still produced big bass on “most” days!

As stated, early on during the first two months of the fishing season, the mountains above the lake where the main river (San Lorenzo) flows from Durango, there was a lot of snow capping those mountain tops. By mid December, that snow began to melt and flow into Comedero. This caused the water temps in Comedero to reach all time lows…colder than I’ve ever seen in my 32 years of fishing the lake. In most years during December, the water temp on the surface should start out every morning around 74 degrees F and warm up at the hottest part of the day to around 88 or 89 F. However, this didn’t happen this past November and December. In my 32 years of fishing Comedero, I had never seen the water temp drop below 70 degrees… until this past season. In late December and into early to mid-January, I was there and witnessed water temps starting out as cold as 66 and 67 degrees. Now that may not seem cold to most anglers that fish lakes in the U.S. during December and January but on the west coast of Mexico, that is EXTREMELY COLD!!! Bass, like most animals and particularly fish, do not react well to major changes in their surroundings. These major changes will cause bass to seek different areas to set up shop… and major changes such as drastic water temperature drops will certainly affect their feeding patterns and times… because the water temperatures not only affect the bass but also affect the bait fish such as the Tilapia and shad… the food for the bass. Therefore we experienced some very slow catches early in the season that we had not experienced in many years on Comedero. However, I knew those giant bass were still in the lake and it was only a matter of time until the conditions returned to normal and those big hawgs would begin to show up and feed again. We saw the change back to normal slowly start to come around near the end of January and early February.

Lynda Swager Main landed this 9.8lbs beauty her first day of fishing.

In “normal years” there will be 3 major spawns occur on Comedero and most mountain lakes in western Mexico… and those months are January, February and March. Since the all time COLD water temps took place in November, December and through “most” of January, there wasn’t much of a spawn happen in the month of January. This meant that group of bass that would normally spawn in January, would either abort those eggs this year OR spawn in one of the two latter months (February and March). Well, as it turned out, February was slower than normal with the bass spawning and that could only mean that March, which is normally the month for the late spawn bass, would probably be HUGE … and boy was it just that… HUGE!!!

JW Peterson landed this 13lbs Monster in March 2019!!

Longtime friend and top notch angler J.W. Peterson of Dallas, TX had scheduled 2 weeks to fish Comedero and bring his customers/friends starting in late February and fishing through mid-March. Prior to J.W. arriving Comedero in late February, I spoke with him by phone to give him an update. The first thing I told him was the fishing had been very slow on “Big Bass catches” due to the colder than normal water temps. I told him that we had seen our customers catching big bass every day but not in the vast numbers we had grown accustomed to in the past 15 – 20 years. I also told him that I truly believed those bigguns were still in there in big numbers and if we don’t see any more drops in the water temps, he should be in line to have some big time catches during his 2 weeks. Well, that turned out to be the understatement of the year! Let’s get to it… shall we?

Bruce Altemus is all smiles after boating this Comedero Trophy!!

In the 2 weeks J.W. and his groups were at Comedero, they landed bass of 13.1 lbs (J.W.), 12.3 lbs (B. Altemus), 3 of 11 lbs, 6 bass of 10 lbs, 13 bass weighing between 8 – 9 lbs and too many bass to keep count of in the 5 – 7 lbs class! It’s no coincidence that this happened AFTER the water temps returned to more normal temperatures, starting out each morning around 74 degrees, which is not normal for March but warm enough for those big sows to move up out of deep water and spawn. The 13 pound giant landed by J.W. wasn’t his all-time best nor was it his all-time best on Comedero as he’s fished the lake for almost 25 years and had landed a monster 14 lbs bass from Comedero in 2006. However, that 13 lbs toad was his second best all-time on Comedero, and as J.W. put it, she put up one of the most exciting battles of any bass he’s ever caught. Congrats to J.W. and his friends for their magnificent catches and proving once again that Comedero is as good as any trophy bass lake in the world today!

JW Peterson with another one of his many bass over 10lbs

YOU WANT A GIANT BASS ON TOPWATER? COMEDERO IS CALLING YOUR NAME!!!

J W Peterson does it again with this 10.2lbs Comedero BRUTE!!!

For more than 20 years or since the Florida Bass stocking my father and I conducted at Comedero in the late 80’s and early 90’s grew up (by 1997), Comedero has proven to be THE BEST lake for catching trophy bass on topwater. Many of our customers that fish Comedero for the sole purpose of catching trophy bass on topwater lures, will attest to this FACT! Many of those topwater fishing enthusiasts will bring only topwater lures and fish them all day, from their first cast of the day until their last cast of the day, and hook big bass all day, even during the hottest part of the day!

Here’s a topwater story for you, and it’s not a fishing “tale.” John Billy Koonsman of Snyder, TX has been fishing with me in Venezuela, Brazil and Mexico for more than 30 years. He never misses a year of fishing Comedero, at least not since the late 90’s. JB fishes Comedero 3 times each season minimum. Last October, prior to opening our operation and fishing season beginning (Nov), John Billy and our annual group of Life Members traveled to  fish Comedero before we opened the lodge. I had told them I would open for them if they insisted on going but October would not be the ideal time to fish the lake because the rainy season was still ongoing and the lake had risen almost 80′ over the previous 60 days! However, they insisted on coming and said they didn’t care if they don’t catch a bass… they just wanted an opportunity to fish the lake at a time they’ve never been there. I said

Joe Beck got in on the fun with this Comedero GIANT!!!

“Oooookaaaaaay… but don’t get upset if the bass don’t cooperate.” Well, personally I knew they would catch some bigguns as I’ve fished the lake every month of the year throughout my 32 years in Mexico. However, I knew those bass would be scattered… really scattered. There was a lot of new green vegetation laced all along the shoreline and tons of it submerged in the water. The shad and Tilapia would be scattered throughout that fresh vegetation feeding on the new algae growing on that vegetation. So that meant, NO bait fish schooled up and no bass schooled up! That said, I did believe the best lure would probably be a surface or topwater lure, especially fished up in that scattered green vegetation. Well, twist these anglers’ arms, especially John Billy’s arm, because J.B. only fishes with topwater on Comedero. J.B. knows that lake well and he is not about catching “numbers.” Nope, only BIG BASS! He’s done it many times for many years on Comedero, and has landed a lot of giants fishing only topwater! The group was fishing 7 days in early October and it didn’t take long to figure out that the bass were not schooled up in big bunches. It also didn’t take long to figure out that a topwater lure would be more effective, if one wanted a giant. J.B., keeping with his usual, fished from first safe light until lunch, broke for 2 hours, headed back out at 2 pm, fished until 5 pm and went in early, even though it was still safe light for fishing until 7:45 – 8 pm. During that week of fishing, J.B. smoked everyone as he landed bass of 10 lbs, several 9 lbs, and many bass from 6 – 8 lbs, ALL ON TOPWATER, and ALL DAY LONG!!! You ask if he fishes a particular topwater? That answer would be a firm YES: Strike King’s KVD Splash! Their larger model of KVD Splash! Of course J.B., knowing how big the bass are in Comedero, “tweaks” that KVD Splash and replaces the factory hooks with much larger hooks, and it doesn’t kill the action of the lure! He calls it a JBK Splash… lol. Whatever works, and it obviously works for J.B. Just for the record, I also prefer Strike King’s KVD Splash. It’s by far my favorite topwater for catching giant bass on the surface!

ANOTHER COMEDERO TOPWATER GIANT BASS STORY…. Fast forward to this past April on Comedero. This time of year, especially April and May when the air temps are nearing low to mid-90’s for daytime highs, the water temps on the surface are “normally” ranging from 80 in early morning to 88 in mid-afternoon. However, not this past season! That snow melt early in the season kept the water temps cooler than normal even in late spring. Therefore we saw a lot of big bass landed on topwater late in the season, and particularly in early to mid-April.

Shana does it on a topwater again with this nice 11lbs Comedero Monster!!

John Billy Koonsman… yes, that guy we just spoke about… returned with his friends in early April but this time J.B. brought his daughter Shana Koonsman May. That was a big mistake… big mistake ONLY if the guys didn’t want to be out-fished by a lady angler… because that’s EXACTLY what happened during their 7 day fishing week of April 12 – 19. We have many great lady anglers that fish with us each year. Shana is one of them as she has many big bass on her resume. I have personally fished with Shana and she can do it all… extremely skilled and versatile! Shana fished with her father J.B. every day… and that meant, she fished TOPWATER! During their week of fishing, Shana landed one bass of 11 lbs and two bass of 10 lbs… and many bass from 6 – 9 lbs. Yes, J.B. caught his share of big bass from 6 – 9 lbs… but Shana caught the most and the largest of the group during their 7 days! Oh and… she caught ALL of them on that Strike King KVD Splash! The rest of the group did well catching big bass on their Strike King Rage Tail Thumper Worms and Oldham Jigs trailed with the Strike King Rage Tail chartreuse/pepper Rage craws. That’s always a given on Comedero, and most lakes for that matter. However, the point being… if you’re a topwater fan… especially a big bass on topwater fan, then you need to come fish Lake Comedero and catch that big bass of a lifetime! The opportunity is better at Comedero than any big bass lake I’ve ever fished in my lifetime!

Shana Koonsman May with her 10lbs. Comedero topwater hawg!!!

SECURE YOUR COMEDERO DATE NOW…SERIOUSLY!!!

As I mentioned in my last update a few weeks ago on Lake Picachos, our space is filling up fast… and many dates are already gone! Almost two years ago I mentioned this about Comedero and many did not take me serious… thus missing out that next season. I also mentioned at the time that we were booking space two years out for Comedero… and it’s still happening. If you want the opportunity to fish the best trophy bass lake in the world this coming season, you MUST call us soon! If you have a date in mind, please have an option B or C to present to our sales staff when you call. If all options are booked full already, then I STRONGLY recommend you ask Bill or Matt in my office to put you on a wait list. We have wait lists for all dates that are showing full and many times people clear those wait lists as we do not allow people to sit on dates for long periods without deposit paid. So just because a date is showing full when you call, don’t give up. People’s schedules and plans change and many times our customers get cleared from the wait list and get that date of choice. Just be patient. Even better… call now and get your date of choice before it’s filled. We are the leaders in Mexico Bass Fishing operating on 3 great bass lakes (El Salto, Comedero and Picachos) and we have a large following. Many have experienced not only our great fishing but also our great food and services… and offering the best bass boats in Mexico! Call us TODAY and experience it yourself!

MARTIN TRAVEL SERVICES…THE BEST TRAVEL AGENCY IN THE BUSINESS!!!!

We have been using as well as referring our valuable customers to Martin Travel Services in Florida for almost 20 years! There is a reason we refer our valuable customers to Martin Travel… because they are the best… THE BEST! They are very competitive with the fares they offer on flights to Brazil and Mexico which is where our fishing operations are located. They not only arrange your air but also your hotel stay in Mazatlan. We have been using the 5-star El Cid Resort hotels in Mazatlan for 20 years and if you book your hotel stay at El Cid through Martin Travel, you will receive our Ron Speed Jr’s Adventures’ “special rate” for RSJA Customers ONLY! Martin Travel can arrange everything for you in ONE phone call. They will take very good care of you and make your arrangements hassle-free. Martin Travel can also arrange your air and hotel to other vacation destinations or to any place in the world! Furthermore, if there is a delay with your flight or something unexpected happens with your flight, you can call Martin Travel and they will assist with dealing directly with the airlines to fix your problem. Simply put, they are absolutely wonderful. Call them @ 800-627-8468.

Call us today: 800-722-0006
GOOD FISHIN’,
RON SPEED, JR.


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