lake zimapan mexico

[bigfish123]

we live in central mexico and neen dirctions to lake zimapan or any info about fishing for the big ones.

[roadwarrior]

Welcome aboard!

I'm sure someone will see this post shortly and respond.

[Raul]

I go to that lake on a relatively regular basis ( every 1-2 months ), funny you are asking about it, just went this weekend.

You mention you live in Central Mexico, Central Mexico where ? South of Queretaro or North of Queretaro ?

[Jay_G]

Never heard of that lake, please advise further Raul.

[Raul]

Never heard of that lake, please advise further Raul.

Lake Fernando Hiriart Balderrama, better known as Zimapán, was built by daming a canyon in 1995 located in the border of the states of Quer étaro and Hidalgo ( half of the lake belongs to Queretaro, the other half to Hidalgo. Gets it 's common name from the town of Zimapán, Hidalgo near by. The lake is 23 square kilometers in surface and in some places exceeds 600 ft in depth. It 's stocked with carp, tilapia, Florida bass and has a population of native cichilds and catfish that existed previously to the canyon and the Moctezuma river being damed. Built for power generation it gets part of it 's water from rainfall but mainly from water treatment plants from Mexico City.

The lake record so far is 11 1/2 pounds, you know that means that nobody has been able to break it but that doesn 't mean there aren 't bigger fish.

It has a huge population of bass between 1-2 pounds ( that 's what you catch 95% of the time ) but ocassinally you do catch bigger fish, actually it 's more a matter of luck than anything else, there 's so many small fish that the biguns normally don 't have a chance against them when it comes to chasing and striking a bait. Cover in most of the lake is non existant or very scarce even though at the area of the springs there 's still some standing timber.

What works in Zimapan ? anything works, any bait you can think about catches fish.

Soft plastics: any soft plastic will land you fish. Prefered rigging methods.- slightly weighted wacky rigs ( split shot above size 5 ), shakey head rigs ( 1/16-1/8 oz ), slightly weighted T-rigs ( 1/8-1/4 oz ), C-rigs, D-shot, Split Shot are the most productive. I don 't advice using heavy weights to sink your baits, the composition is mostly chunk sharp rock and heavier weights hang up too much.

Crankbaits: the paradise of the deep diver crankbaiter, for a lake with such steep sloping banks topwaters work very well.

Spinnerbaits: Willow leaf spnnerbaits slowly rolled also catch you fish.

Jigs: better get some football head jigs otherwise you 'll hang up like mad.

Swimbaits: despite of their size swimbaits work, only catch is what you hook the most is fish about the same size of the swimbait. :

This is how the lake looks like:

A pic of the dam:

The half of the lake that belongs to Queretaro ( Tzinbantzá ) is much better developed than the side the belongs to Hidalgo. In the Queretaro side there 's a lodge and a camp where you can stay, there 's a rock paved ramp and places to camp.

Do not go or plan a trip during the week, the lake is commercially exploited for tilapia and the fisherman choke it with gill nets, Saturdays and Sundays the lake is gill net free.

[slomoe]

What a beautiful lake!!!

I have an idea for my next vaca. just gotta brush up on my spanish.   ;D

[Jamie Puckett]

Hello Raul in Leon.  I'm a new member Jamie and live in San Juan del Rio.  I am currently in the US working but come home very often and drive to Jalpan de Serra to see my wife's mother and family there.  In the 5 years in Mexico, I've never ventured over to Zimapan, as we always seem to be in a rush.  Next time you come over for a fishing trip and I'm home, please let me know as I'd like to meet up and go to the lake.  I am usually fishing in la presa Jalpan or in Zihuatanejo, but this is much closer than either one.  Thanks and look forward to hearing from you.