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MONSOON SEASON IS OVER…LAKES ARE BRIMMING FULL!!!

Posted on September 23, 2015 by by Webmaster 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.]

Pro Angler Denny Brauer landed this 8.5 lbs Picachos beauty!

The start of our Mexico bass fishing season is about to get underway! I haven’t been this excited in a long, long time. For the first time in many years, we will have three lakes operating at the same time…and not just three any ol’ lakes, no…but what we believe to be the THREE BEST BASS LAKES in Mexico! All three lakes (Comedero, El Salto and Picachos) caught full of water from the summer monsoon rains! That generally spells GREAT FISHING for the upcoming season! Also, this allows our clients to experience more than just one lake…maybe two….maybe all three? We offer various combo packages that is certain to fit your fishing desires. Call us for more details.

Lake Picachos

Last year we were the first to announce and open our beautiful new lodge and operate on the lake.

Beautiful Picachos Bass Lodge

Many of our valuable clients were able to experience the insane numbers of bass with many boats averaging 150 – 200 bass per day! The best catch was 356 bass in one day by two anglers (same boat). We did have many other boats land up to 300+ in a day as well. Also, we had one client break the lake record when Scott Moody landed his giant of 12 lbs, 14 oz! That bass was 90% spawned out and still barely missed weighing 13 lbs!

It was a strange year in terms of weather as we saw constant rain from January until late March (normally it’s dry during those months)…which kept the lake on the rise most of the time and the larger bass scattered and mostly in 25+ feet of water. It wasn’t until early to mid-April that we really started to see the bass in the 6 pound range and bigger moving up.

Beautiful view of lake from our lodge

Then came mid-May and warmer temperatures sending the larger bass to their normal summertime pattern on humps, shelves and ledges in 18′ – 30′. All in all it was an outstanding season with incredible action on numbers of 2 – 4 lbs bass and in the latter part of the season even much larger bass. Now with the rainy season done and the lake totally full, we should start seeing a lot of bass in shallow water to gorge themselves on the shad that are feeding on all the new algae growing on the fresh submerged vegetation. The bass have another year’s growth and I expect to see a nice jump in the overall size of the bass this year!

Xpress Boats…the very best in Mexico!

Our Picachos Bass Lodge is the largest and most beautiful facility on the lake with the easiest access from Mazatlan. Prior to the start of the rainy season in June, we began to plant grass and palm trees around the lodge. After three months of steady rainfall and warm climate, the grass looks as though it’s been there for years…it’s absolutely beautiful! (see photos) Right now our boats are approximately 30′ from the restaurant! It doesn’t get any more “on the water” than that! We’re anticipating another huge year on reservations as the calendar is filling up fast! If you want to come experience what you’ve been missing out on, now is the time to call. If you’ve already experienced it and ready to return, you better hurry. Seriously, these dates are going fast!

Lake El Salto

Ric Yonkin with his El Salto giant!

Last season was probably the best we’ve seen the fishing at El Salto in almost 15 years. Some of our clients who have fished the lake every year since it opened in 1990, believe it was THE BEST season ever! Well, the bottom line is that it was absolutely fantastic! The size of the bass landed was incredible and the numbers were above average for most of the season. There are two reasons I believe that we can attribute to the great fishing of last season. One, the lake caught full from last summer’s monsoon rains. Second, the water hyacinth plants (similar to Lily Pads) that were mostly confined to the river the previous year (2013), dnotrifted out of the river and across the main lake due to the monsoon rains and river flowing rapidly. These hyacinths reproduced like crazy and the entire cove where our camp is located and out to the main lake was a solid infestation of hyacinths. You literally could not see the water. These hyacinths stayed there for almost 4 full months until the efforts began in late September to remove them. No, not all were removed but a huge amount were taken out and leaving just scattered isolated patches of them in the lake. Bass love to set up shop around hyacinths…or any aquatic vegetation for that matter. The water hyacinths provide solid cover as well as attract numerous types of bait fish, insects and frogs. Bass love to eat them all. Thus the reason I believe you saw an abundance of bigger fish caught last year and particularly close to our camp. Many clients told me they caught ALL of their biggest fish within eyesight of our camp! Many of these huge bass were caught on TOPWATER lures! Well, guess what? As already stated, the rains have filled all three of the lakes to include El Salto. They hyacinths are back in full force this summer and the locals are busy removing them. Hopefully we’ll experience another big year on the fishing! I’m very confident we will do just THAT!

One of our spacious El Salto houses

We have upgraded our boats at El Salto in that all of our 18′ Xpress boats have been repainted, rewired, upholstery work and trolling motors repaired or replaced with new ones. These boats are FIRST CLASS! We’re also rebuilding the roof on the restaurant and it should be completed any day now. Come experience this beautiful lakeside camp and the wonderful fishing and service we provide. Maybe combine a couple days at El Salto with Picachos? Or Comedero? Which leads me to our next lake….

Lake Comedero

Steve Bauer landed this 11 pound Comedero giant!

Yes…the beautiful and famous Lake Comedero! In the event you missed our April update, we are reopening fabulous Lake Comedero in December! We believe Comedero to still be the best trophy bass lake in the world today! We had not fished Comedero for the past 6 1/2 years…well, not until conducting “checkout” trips there in November 13′, January 15′ and March 15’….all three checkout trips were OUTSTANDING! Lots of big bass and monsters lost as well! We determined after the two checkout trips earlier this year, that the lake was ready to be fished again! Remember, this is for the trophy bass enthusiasts ONLY! Although we did have some very good numbers during most days of our checkout trips, I still believe the main reason one should fish Comedero is for the opportunity to catch big bass! If you want to give yourself the best chance to catch numbers and big bass, then I recommend a combo package of Lake Picachos and Lake Comedero in the same trip! Same with El Salto.

Terry Oldham with 11 pound Comedero lunker!

Again, we have clients who have booked all three lakes in the same trip for the upcoming season! Comedero space has been going like wildfire since we announced the reopening last April! Many of you have been waiting years for us to reopen and it’s showed in our reservations since April. There are still “some” weeks available but remember, we will only be open from Dec to March…the four months we believe gives the best chance at trophy bass! You should call soon if you do not want to miss out! Comedero is 3 x larger in size than El Salto and Picachos and surrounded by the most beautiful part of the Sierra Madre Mountain range. The scenery and view is absolutely breathtaking. Oh and…the fishing can be pretty darn good too! 😉

BRAZIL PEACOCK BASS

Well, folks…it’s here! Our first group of the season will be arriving next week to fish the Uatuma and Jatapu tributaries! I can’t wait to get back down there myself. All of the bass boats are now equipped with new 4-stroke Yamaha outboard engines! Also, each boat has new trolling motors as well. The Otter Houseboat is still one of the most luxurious and comfortable sportfishing houseboats in the Amazon! I’ve mentioned to you many times in the past the importance of having experienced guides. The guide really holds the key to your fishing success. Well, we have the most experienced guides in the Amazon because 1) Most of our guides have been working for us since we started up in 1993…and 2) Of all the houseboat operations for peacock bass in the Amazon, none of them have been operating as long as we have with the Otter operation. Simply put, we love the job our guides do and so do our valuable customers. Also, remember we offer all equipment (rods) and tackle in our package so you do not have to buy and bring extra amount of luggage. You only bring your own fishing reels but those do not require much space or extra luggage. We have all the lures necessary for catching these big peacock bass. We have these lures custom made with the extra strong 4x treble hooks on the big topwaters! We also offer the super strong Izorline braided line in 60, 80 and 100 lbs test strength. We provide the bulk of it, you merely bring your clothes and reels. We make it easy and convenient for you to travel…that’s what we’re all about!

We have a few dates with space left for the upcoming season. Please give us a call soon before they’re gone! This is truly a trip of a lifetime!

CALL US TODAY! 800-722-0006

Good Fishin’,

RonSpeed Jr.

SUMMER 2015 NEWSLETTER – BRAZIL/PEACOCK BASS FISHING UPDATE

Posted on July 21, 2015 by by Webmaster Posted in Fishing Reports, Ron's Bass Fishing Newsletter

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

TOPWATER EXPLOSIONS LESS THAN TWO MONTHS AWAY!!!

Randy VanDam with his 23 pound giant peacock

Here we are during the dog days of Summer and I’m starting to get pumped up about the start of our peacock bass fishing season! It is less than two months away and I can’t wait to get back to the Amazon and experience the thrill of battling these incredible fish! I think “beasts” is a better word to describe the amazing peacock bass. As I have stated many times in the past, words cannot describe the tremendous power these fish possess. Pound for pound, there is not a stronger fish that swims (fresh or saltwater)…and I would also guess there’s not a faster fish that swims. Just the overall nasty attitude of the peacock bass is what makes them so much fun to do battle with as they are so territorial. I would venture to say that 40% or more of the strikes are not feeding strikes…but rather territorial. They’re just flat out mean and nasty! Period. When they explode on our topwater lures, they do it with a vengeance. Many of you who have experienced the peacock bass, know this to be fact. Those of you who have yet to experience these amazing fish, well, you’ve been missing out!

Our 2015 Fall season kicks off in less than two months. We will be fishing the Uatuma and Jatapu tributaries. These two rivers possess a lot of big peacock bass in excess of 20 pounds! The fishing in these two wonderful tributaries is consistently good year in and year out. The reason for that is the water level has been consistently good year in and year out. Since there are not a lot of other tributaries that feed into the Uatuma/Jatapu, the water level generally doesn’t have unexpected rises. Rising water is not good for peacock bass fishing…especially coupled with high water. I have stated many times in the past that we may start our first week of the season in the Uatuma/Jatapu with high water, but you can almost take it to the bank that the water will be falling. It almost always falls every day from the first of September until the monsoon season (for that area) begins in November. We only fish the Uatuma/Jatapu during the last two months of it’s dry season…September and October. This is why the fishing is so consistently good in these two great tributaries. We have fished this location in Sept/Oct every year since 1993. So what does that tell you? The old saying, “If it isn’t broken, don’t try and fix it” applies here. This place is money when it comes to great peacock bass fishing! Come see for yourself!

OUR PEACOCK BASS HOUSEBOAT OPERATION OFFERS MOST EXPERIENCE IN THE AMAZON!!!

That’s right, folks…our houseboat operation for peacock bass sportfishing offers the most experience of all current houseboat operations in the Amazon. While working for my father in 1992, I personally took down 10 anglers to the Amazon out of Manaus for an exploratory trip. The next year (1993) we started a great partnership with the owner of the Amazon Clipper houseboat that was primarily used for nature tours prior being used for sportfishing. Today, that wonderful partnership continues.

Our experienced guides are key to your success.

Many of our guides that started with us in 1993, still work as our guides. The other guides we currently have, possess over 15 years of experience. In my opinion, there’s not a better team of fishing guides for the peacock bass fishermen in the Amazon! The guide is the key to your fishing success…or failure. Yes, water levels also play a significant role but if you do not have an experienced guide that knows these fish and knows the Amazon, then water level won’t make much difference. Our guides not only work hard at putting our valuable customers in good fishing areas but they do so much more as well. From tying on all your lures to retrieving lures from trees to getting out of the bass boat and pushing it through hundreds of yards of forest and shallow canals so you can enter and fish a fantastic small lagoon/lake. Also, they’ve been known to dive into the water to retrieve your peacock bass from a submerged tree or bush. The most important advantage an experience guide offers? SAFETY! That’s right…safety is our #1 priority and there is no substitute for having experienced guides that know how to safely operate a bass boat.

Dine in Style on the Otter

Our primary houseboat today is the Amazon Otter and operated by our partner of 22 years and owner of Amazon Clipper Cruises/Tours. The staff aboard the Otter is second to none! Again, many years of experience here. The food aboard the Otter is also second to none. We offer several different species of fish as well as chicken, beef and pork. A variety of fresh vegetables and tasty local deserts. The Otter houseboat is one of the nicest and most luxurious houseboats for sportfishing in the Amazon. The rooms are NOT state room size but rather spacious and offer twin beds…NO BUNK BEDS! Each room offers a private bathroom with a HUGE shower…that offers both hot and cold water. Each room also offers your own air conditioning unit so you can regulate the temperature in your room.

The Amazon Otter

Also, the Otter offers four spacious decks with three huge lounge areas, bar, Jacuzzi, tackle room and huge air conditioned dining room. A 5-star floating hotel!!! The most experienced staff/guides with one of the nicest luxury houseboats in the Amazon!

Also, we offer all baitcasting fishing rods and tackle so you do not have to tote those huge over-sized rod cases through airports. You only need to bring your own fishing reels. We have the rest. Our lures are custom made by Jim Kaempfer. Jim has fished for these peacock bass many times and knows how to make a great lure for attracting these beasts.

AMAZON OTTER BASS BOATS GET UPGRADED…NEW OUTBOARD AND TROLLING MOTORS!!!

The bass boats for the Amazon Otter are 17′ all welded Triton boats. These boats will start the Fall 2015 Season with new 4-stroke Yamaha outboard engines as well as new Motorguide trolling motors! These boats are the best for fishing the Amazon under all types of conditions. They are strong and sturdy boats that offer two large fishing decks (front and back) but are still light enough so the guide can get out and push through shallow canals to enter lagoons/lakes. We are very happy that our partner is upgrading these boats with new outboard engines and trolling motors. This reduces the chance of lost fishing time due to mechanical issues. We fishermen know this all too well.

BOOK A PEACOCK BASS FISHING TRIP WITH RSJA THIS SEASON EARN 50% OFF MEXICO!!!

That’s right, if you book a peacock bass fishing trip with us (RSJA) for the upcoming Fall 2015/Winter 2016 Season, you will receive 50% off a 3 day or 4 day fishing trip to one of our three Mexico bass lake operations during the same season. We offered this last year and it was a tremendous hit for us and many of our customers who fish both Brazil and Mexico with us each year. To receive the 50% discount off our three Mexico bass lake operations/packages, you must take the trip during our Mexico Fall 2015 Season or Winter/Spring/Summer 2016 Season. We start fishing lakes El Salto and Picachos in October 2015 and end our fishing season July 2016. Our fishing season on Lake Comedero will begin in December 2015 and finish at the end of March 2016. Don’t miss out on this special offer…especially if you like to fish both Brazil and Mexico as so many of our customers do each year.

SPECIAL TRIPS SCHEDULED TO SANTA ISABEL FOR GIANT PEACOCK BASS!!!

Want to land a giant peacock in excess of 20 pounds?

We will be hosting a couple of trips in early December to the upper Rio Negro near the town of Santa Isabel. We have fished this area many times in past years with tremendous success catching giant peacocks in excess of 20 pounds! The best trip we’ve experienced at this location produced 27 peacocks over 20 pounds landed…by only 10 anglers….in one week! That’s no fish story, folks. All were weighed on our certified Boga Grip scales! In past years, the average for landing peacocks weighing over 20 pounds with a max of 10 anglers per week, is 13. That may not sound all that impressive but when you consider this with only 10 anglers, over 6 days of fishing, and how difficult it is to get a 20 pound and bigger peacock IN THE BOAT, it is quite impressive. That 13 number doesn’t reflect the ones that did not make it to the boat…but to land that many over 20 pounds in one week, that means A LOT of big peacocks over 20 pounds were hooked…and lost. Also, the average number of peacocks landed between 15 and 19 pounds under those same amount of days, same number of anglers, has been 45 – 50. That’s an average! Many weeks in the past our customers landed more than 50 in that size range! Now then…this area has not proven to us to be the best location in the Amazon for action/numbers…but it certainly is one of, if not THE BEST I have found for trophy size peacocks. If you have always wanted to land a giant peacock in excess of 20 pounds or just a lot of big peacocks in the upper teens, then this area is for you!

We will be using our older houseboat (Amazon Clipper) for these trips to Santa Isabel. The reason for this is due to the many huge boulders (rocks) in this part of the Rio Negro as well as the shallow tributaries that we will be fishing off the Negro in that area. The Amazon Clipper has only a 2 1/2′ draft and can go into these shallow tributaries with low water when the bigger Otter and other big houseboats cannot. Yes, you will give up “some” of the luxuries of the 5-star Otter but the Clipper is still a nice boat with air conditioned cabins and private bath/shower for each cabin. It also offers a dining area, bar and lounge deck up top. In order to fish way up these tributaries, this is the type of houseboat we believe needs to be used to ensure full navigation far up the several tributaries around Santa Isabel. If you want a chance to experience possibly the best trophy action for peacock bass in the Amazon, then call today and get on one of these two trips. Actually just one trip has space left, the other is full. Call us today!

**SPECIAL NOTE: We have one trip for the upcoming season that had a group cancel recently and that trip is coming up soon. If you book the remaining spots on this particular trip, you will earn a 75% discount on a Mexico Trip this season OR a 25% discount on a future trip to Brazil with RSJA.

Last, included in this newsletter/update is a short video clip of my late and great friend Ricky Green. Ricky was a legendary pro bass tournament angler and just a super great friend and man. Ricky passed away a little over a year ago in 2014 after lung transplant surgery. I miss him greatly. Anyway, Ricky made many trips with me to the Amazon as well as Mexico. Ricky told me many times before passing that his trip to Santa Isabel, the one in the video clip, was his greatest and most fun trip ever. In this video you will see Ricky land his biggest peacock bass ever…a 24 1/2 pound monster! This giant blows up on Ricky’s topwater lure several times before getting hooked and then proceeds to jump and clear the water some 8 or 9 times! One of the greatest peacock battles caught on film. R.I.P. Ricky. You are greatly missed, my friend!

Click to view video!

Call us today to book your fishing trip of a lifetime! CALL US TODAY! 800-722-0006