Super User AlabamaSpothunter Posted February 2 Super User Posted February 2 1 hour ago, gim said: That's actually not as expensive as I would expect. How many days is it? Pretty sure it's 3 days, and 4 nights. So basically just 3 days of fishing. As A-Jay said, the flight expense isn't factored in, and the bottom of the barrel flight cost for me from BHM airport is about $1000. All told I suspect I could take the trip for about $3500. ETA: A huge consideration and one I'm not sure about is how much you tip the guides. Maybe A-Jay and others can comment on how much to expect to tip. 1 Quote
Super User A-Jay Posted February 2 Author Super User Posted February 2 33 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said: Pretty sure it's 3 days, and 4 nights. So basically just 3 days of fishing. As A-Jay said, the flight expense isn't factored in, and the bottom of the barrel flight cost for me from BHM airport is about $1000. All told I suspect I could take the trip for about $3500. ETA: A huge consideration and one I'm not sure about is how much you tip the guides. Maybe A-Jay and others can comment on how much to expect to tip. Tipping is an individual matter that each angler decides for themselves. However, while I haven't been there in a couple of three years and it may have changed, Some guides are in high demand thus they command the highest tips and some of them have/had an actual per day 'charge'. Not sure what it is now so what we paid is irrelevant. Best to check with the lodge for current prices & policies on everything including tipping. There are rods to rent at the lodge. You'll need your own reels, baits & line. And I can't stress this enough . . . Unless you routinely fish for and catch Bull redfish sized bass, the gear you use at home is seriously inadequate. Heavy gear is a must. There is no best time - the best time is anytime you can go. Now stop wasting time and get your Basshead down there ! A-Jay 3 Quote
Super User gim Posted February 2 Super User Posted February 2 2 hours ago, A-Jay said: Unless you routinely fish for and catch Bull redfish sized bass, the gear you use at home is seriously inadequate. Heavy gear is a must. That is some serious gear. I'd probably have to go with some of my muskie stuff. 1 Quote
Super User A-Jay Posted February 2 Author Super User Posted February 2 11 minutes ago, gim said: That is some serious gear. I'd probably have to go with some of my muskie stuff. Admittedly, some of that there above was for effect. Meaning there's no BFS and ned rigs being used effectively there. Muskie gear is a tad big IMO, But Again, HEAVY bass gear. 20-25 lb FC, We use light swimbait rods for jig rods. And H/F or XH/F casting gear for just about everything else. My first trip I brought my own gear from home and got taken to school 20. I was using 14 lb test lost so many fish the guide was yelling at me in Spanish. Pretty sure there was some cursing & insults in there somewhere. I earned every one too. I changed to 20 lb big game at lunch on the first day. That was better. The fish are just bigger and totally wild. They Pull like freight trains. Your first 6 lb fish, you'll swear is a DD. And the DD are just IN-Sane. See now, you got me all jacked up ! Really hope I get to go again. A-Jay 1 Quote
Super User gim Posted February 2 Super User Posted February 2 17 minutes ago, A-Jay said: the guide was yelling at me in Spanish. Pretty sure there was some cursing & insults in there somewhere. Aye caramba! 1 Quote
txchaser Posted February 2 Posted February 2 BLUF: lots of risk in the world, my read is this is pretty low risk for the reward. I don't feel the same way about some other spots in Mexico. Next 90 days has the potential to be volatile and have a lot change though. I'll share a couple of thoughts, having been to the lodge, and also being relatively security conscious, and having a few people around me that are more on the nervious nelly side of the equation. I also have been to a bunch of sketchy places in the world so I think I have a decent radar for "this is not OK, we are leaving RIGHT NOW". My radar went up zero times on the trip...if anything it went down over time as I started to learn more. Everything has risk; some risks are worth the reward and some are not. Driving every day is probably the most obvious risk, it is one of the most dangerous things we do. But it has a lot of payoff, walking sucks and horses are a lot of work. Eating ice cream every day is dangerous too, just takes longer to see the impact. Everyone has their own point on the risk reward curve and that's ok. Baccarac itself is pretty remote, and the local economy relies on the lake. Tilapia harvesting seems to be the core, but the lodge makes a lot of really good jobs and supports a lot of families. Perhaps a controversial take, but I think about the cartels like a business that ignores all laws. Just money and in some cases some power/ego. Actions they take have consequences, so they have their own risk reward curve too. Jacking with some tiny mountain town and wrecking the economy means no local support. And for at least the next four years giving an administration that seems to relish FAFO as a strategy, a reason to say 'Well they FA, so now they are going to find out". No politics intended here, just calling it like I see it. Low payoff and potentially really high risk for the cartel. Highest risk: Dragging your own very nice boat down, speaking only english, being an ass to everyone you mee, stopping in the worst part of towns in the US along the way because the hotels are cheap there. Oh and getting grumpy about the 'toll' one might have to pay on the spot in cash. Less: Fly commercial, but take the mountains drive in your own rent car. Less: Fly commercial but take the shuttle; see above re the lake's impact. An action against the shuttle doesn't serve anyone's economic interests. Less: Land at their airstrip, on their plane. Introduces a new risk, in that flying in private aviation is more risky than commercial carriers. The plane seems very well maintained, and (very) importantly the cockpit is nice garmin glass, not a bunch of old analog and duct tape. 100% would feel safe in that plane again, and doing it that way gives about another full day of fishing. There were some very specific interactions with parts of the Mexican government that I won't share for opsec reasons, that also gave me comfort about safety on the flight and at the lodge. Don't forget to ask the question to yourself about why you specifically might be targeted or around someone that was targeted. For most people the first is unlikely, and the second is situation-specific. Bass fishing doesn't overlap much with the 'someone nearby me was targeted'. With all that said, the situation in Mexico is in a high state of change right now, and it's not nervous to sit it out for a minute and see how things are going to shake out. Wow this went way longer than expected. Thanks for making it this far. 1 1 Quote
Super User A-Jay Posted February 2 Author Super User Posted February 2 On 2/2/2025 at 4:24 PM, txchaser said: I'll share a couple of thoughts, having been to the lodge, How many times have you been there and when was the last time you went ? A-Jay Quote
softwateronly Posted February 3 Posted February 3 4 hours ago, txchaser said: Don't forget to ask the question to yourself about why you specifically might be targeted or around someone that was targeted. For most people the first is unlikely, and the second is situation-specific. Bass fishing doesn't overlap much with the 'someone nearby me was targeted'. With all that said, the situation in Mexico is in a high state of change right now, and it's not nervous to sit it out for a minute and see how things are going to shake out. Wow this went way longer than expected. Thanks for making it this far. Great read and great meme. My outside and barely educated opinion is that now looks better than next year. But I can understand either extreme. scott Quote
txchaser Posted Sunday at 07:32 PM Posted Sunday at 07:32 PM On 2/2/2025 at 4:13 PM, A-Jay said: How many times have you been there and when was the last time you went ? A-Jay Once, I think three years ago. Changes? 1 Quote
Super User A-Jay Posted Sunday at 07:40 PM Author Super User Posted Sunday at 07:40 PM 16 minutes ago, txchaser said: Once, I think three years ago. Changes? Lodge and amenities have been upgraded big time and the staff has taken is already dynamite performance to another level. As for the fishing - it's OK. A-Jay Quote
txchaser Posted Sunday at 07:53 PM Posted Sunday at 07:53 PM 11 minutes ago, A-Jay said: Lodge and amenities have been upgraded big time and the staff has taken is already dynamite performance to another level. As for the fishing - it's OK. A-Jay Nice! I had a blast there. Guy running the pro shop (forget his name) was solid too. Sorted me out of a gear jam. Quote
Global Moderator 12poundbass Posted Sunday at 09:54 PM Global Moderator Posted Sunday at 09:54 PM Did they do away with their web site? Quote
Super User A-Jay Posted Sunday at 10:41 PM Author Super User Posted Sunday at 10:41 PM 2 hours ago, txchaser said: Nice! I had a blast there. Guy running the pro shop (forget his name) was solid too. Sorted me out of a gear jam. Chad ~ A-Jay Quote
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