Lake Baccarac Trip ~ October 2019 ~ (Video)

[A-Jay]

 

I was fortunate to spend 6 ½ days on the best big bass lake on the planet with my good friend and incredible stick, Jeff Howell – otherwise known as Big Fish Jeff.  My travel to the lodge this time was decent except for a rather lengthy delay in Chicago before my connector into Dallas Fort Worth.  Spent a planned overnight in Dallas and then hooked up with the chartered aircraft just before sunrise. Then it’s wheels up.  A couple of brief stops along the way in Mexico for fuel & to clear customs, and we touched down 10 minutes from the lodge on their private air strip just before noon.  Totally the way to go.

   Arriving at the lodge, we are greeted by the attentive & always smiling staff along with the nicely chilled traditional Lake Baccarac Lodge Margarita.  After a quick and delicious lunch, we hooked up with our guide Manual and headed to the boats.  The anticipation of making that first cast is always very intense.  We fished from about 3pm to dark the day we arrived and it didn’t take long to find the bass.

 

 As for tackle, Jeff & I both fish 200 & 300 size Shimano & Quantum casting reels, mounted on Medium Heavy & Heavy action G. Loomis Escape & Fenwick Methods Casting Travel rods.  Each Rig was loaded with fresh 20lb Seaguar InvisX and Tatsu fluorocarbon line; which we replaced half way through the trip. Exception being our topwater rigs, which were set up with 25lb Sunline Shooter Defier Armilo Mono.

 Lake Baccarac routinely produces Giants, so it is no place for light gear or chaffed & worn line.

 

This was the also the first trip where we used the Cush-It Big Bass Rod Floats.   In every previous trip, after just a few days of fighting these crazy super charged Mexican bass, we have both been left with that oh so familiar torso bruise from jamming the rod into our side; during both the hookset and the majority of the battle.  And while the Cush-It is designed to float a rig should it go over the side, the rod butt padding it provides is where it was awesome for us.  I don’t put that much pressure on fish at home so these will be a Lake Baccarac exclusive for me – Highly recommended though.  

 5, 6 & 7 inch swimbaits presented over deep flats & humps as well as ¾ oz jigs with 6 & 7 Inch stick bait trailers are Lake Baccarac standards this time of year and were our weapons of choice much of this trip as well.  Other presentations also took decent fish, including but not limited to a Hog Farmer standard A-Rigs with 4 inch swimbaits, ¾ and 1 oz Rattlebaits, a ¾ oz shakey head paired with a 10 inch watermelon or green pumpkin worm, and even had a couple of mornings where topwater was the deal.  Poppers & a Whopper Plopper scored for us.  Fish were feeding on smaller shad this time around so we had to down size off & on to keep getting bit. 

 

The first full day of fishing on this magical lake, Big Fish Jeff and & were treated to a wide open swimbait bite that lasted all day.  It was killer and accounted for several 7, 8 & 9 lb bass.

 

On days 2 & 3, some rain moved in and seemed to cool off the big bass bit quite a bit.  We still got a few but we had to work for them.  After the clouds finally moved out of the mountains – the bite seemed to pick back up quite a bit.

 

 As the rain was moving out mid-morning on day 3, Manual put us on a shallow topwater bite that was a ton of fun.  The first cast with a popper, Big Fish Jeff got a smashing strike from a scoreable bass, which had me scrambling to tie one on.  Who doesn’t love stout green bass on top water ?

 

  The session after lunch on day 4 was most memorable, as we got on a huge school of 4-6 lb. tanks.  With the bass holding at the base of a rocky drop in about 15 feet, Manual positioned the boat perfectly about ¾ of a cast away and we went to town !

  The ½ Scrounger jig with a 4 inch Zoom Fluke trailer (in Baby Bass) we were throwing, rarely made it back to the boat without being totally crushed by a Mexican Mutant Bass.  For what seemed like 2 solid hours (and it might have even been longer) cast after cast, hook set after hookset – they kept coming.  There was a lot of laughing.  

 Days 5 & 6, we bounced around quite a bit from spot to spot scoring a few mutants at each spot.  Again a swimbait & a big jig & stick bait did most all the heavy lifting.

 

Sometime around the middle of our trip, one of my GoPro’s went FUBAR – and unfortunately toasted a good pile of recorded content.  I managed to recover some but not all.  I’m offering up what was left & useable.

 

And then, like a really great dream, it was over way too fast.

All in all a most excellent time that included so many great bass & even better memories.

Until Next time . . . . .  

 

October 2019 Lake Baccarac Scoreable Bass Stats ~ 25 Total

 

Over 7 lbs ~ 7.25, 7.36, 7.53, 7.07, 7.56, 7.49, 7.42,  

                   7.03, 7.56, 7.43, 7.45, 7.38, 7.84, 7.71,  

                   7.18, 7.47 

 

Over 8lbs ~ 8.81, 8.24 

 

Over 9 lbs ~ 9.01, 9.34, 9.20, 9.67, 9.25

 

A-Jay

 

 

 

[txchaser]

Thanks for the inspiration, I've booked a trip. 

[JG233]

A-Jay should get a discount for all the people that end up booking as a consequence of watching his videos over the past few years. 

 

Someday...

[TnRiver46]

Sweeeeeeet!!!!

[A-Jay]

9 minutes ago, JG233 said:

A-Jay should get a discount for all the people that end up booking as a consequence of watching his videos over the past few years. 

 

Someday...

I was turned on to this special place by a BR member and I'm just paying it forward.

A-Jay

 

[bassh8er]

Can you give a ballpark on price if you’re comfortable doing that and how often you go?

 

Totally jealous here; congrats on this great trip. 

[A-Jay]

On 10/24/2019 at 7:30 PM, bassh8er said:

Can you give a ballpark on price if you’re comfortable doing that and how often you go?

 

Totally jealous here; congrats on this great trip. 

Thanks

If I can, I try to go once a year.

 Been twice a year a few times in the past.

What I pay for each trip has zero bearing on what you or anyone else pays.

 Lodge Cost is directly related to length of your stay.

 

 Costs for getting to & from the lodge via US & Mexican Commercial airlines can & will differ wildly depending on your situation and when you go but can still easily be realized though any number of travel web sights like expedia.com

The lodge offers airport pick up service to & from the lodge free of charge from either Los Moches or Culiacan Mexico

(approximately 3 1/2 hrs either way).

 

There is also a charter plane option from the US directly to the lodge.

It's convenient but quite a bit more $$$ as compared to Commercial airline fares. 

 

For you and any BR members interested - if & when you are thinking seriously about making one of these trips, 

Feel free to PM me for additional info.  I can & will do my best to help you out.

And if I can't, I certainly can hook you up with someone who can.

A-Jay

 

[Bluebasser86]

Another amazing trip A-Jay! I spent about half an hour showing my wife pictures and I think I about have her convinced that we should make a trip down there ?

[A-Jay]

 

4 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Another amazing trip A-Jay! I spent about half an hour showing my wife pictures and I think I about have her convinced that we should make a trip down there ?

Thanks Blue - 

You should do it - Perhaps come fish with Jeff & I next Fall ?

What !!!!! 

A-Jay

[Tim Kelly]

Unbelievable fishing. Just amazing how the big one's eyes are bulging out of their heads. Just a tinsy wincy wafer thin mint for sir? ?

[roadwarrior]

[NYWayfarer]

I'll be watching the video this weekend with a whiskey on the rocks. I am looking forward to both.

[Mike L]

Thanks for posting

You're my Hero! ?

 

 

Mike

[senile1]

Awesome trip, Andy!  Lots of great memorable fish!