What to know before going to Lake Picachos
Published 10:10 pm Saturday, March 28, 2015
PUERTA de SAN MARCOS, MEXICO — Located only an hour’s drive east of the coastal resort city of Mazatlan, Lake Picachos is truly a whole different world.
Surrounded by the Sierra Madre mountains and created by the damming of Rio Presidio, Picachos is an estimated 14,000-acre lake that is just being discovered by U.S. fishermen thanks to a lodge developed jointly between Malakoff-based Ron Speed Jr. Adventures and the town of Puerta de San Marcos.
The lake has only been opened a year, but produced a lake record 12 pound, 14 ounce bass this year. The lake is still known as a numbers lake at this point, but fishermen can catch 60 to 100 fish averaging 5 pounds when they catch it right.
Ron Speed Jr. said that while the lake attracts experienced bass fishermen, the majority of his clients are more likely to be novices or even beginners.
Like any lake, Picachos can be finicky one day and explosive the next.
Dusty and Robin Ashworth of Tyler were part of a party fishing the lake recently with Tyler Paper Outdoors. The two fish competitively in East Texas, but went to Mexico in part for Robin to gain experience fishing different settings.
“I wanted to learn to fish deep water and brush and different types of lure,” Robin Ashworth said. “I wouldn’t say it was hard to fish the lake, but I learned a lot because you face a lot of situations and get so many different environments in one lake. It could be rocks, brush, shallow or deep.”
She added that because of the number of fish she caught during a day, it was a better learning experience because she was able to work the lure more.
Newcomers to bass fishing in Mexico, the Ashworth’s came away from the trip impressed with everything from the camp to the guides and the scenery. Along with dozens of varieties of birds, they also saw a monkey, iguanas and heard a wild cat roaring in the nearby jungle. Ashworth said it is definitely a place women can go if they keep in mind where they are, and to bring along some special items.
“The scenery is beautiful and the accommodations are very clean. The food is amazing. You will not go hungry. Just remember you are at a fishing camp that was probably designed primarily for men so it is very primitive,” she said.
Ashworth said it was nice that the cabins were air conditioned, but recommends women carry flip-flops for walking around and showering on the tile or river rock floors.
“The bathroom has a sink, toilet and shower head. It does not have a vanity so there is not a lot of storage space for hygiene products,” she said. The rooms are wired for American hair dryers.
There are places to hang clothes, but not a lot of hangers. Options are bring hangers, which add weight to luggage, or keeping clothes folded in suit cases during the trip.
She suggests long- and short-sleeved fishing shirts, zip off fishing pants and a light weight rain suit in case of rain, but more likely for cool early morning rides on the lake.
“You will not need anything but very casual fishing clothes while at the lake. You may want to take a sundress or capris for your stay in Mazatlan,” Ashworth explained.
“I used the slide on sketcher tennis shoes on the boat and took flip flops. You will stand a lot so make sure you have comfortable shoes for the boat,” she said.
Being Mexico, drinking the water is always an issue for travelers, but bottled water is always available at the camp kitchen, in ice chests placed outside each casita and on the boat.
Ashworth’s list of must-haves for women include: travel size shampoo, conditioner, lotions, toothpaste, mouthwash and soap, a razor that includes shaving cream, a facial scrub to remove sun block and day’s dirt, Sunsect — a product with both insect repellent and sun block — lip balm with sun block, and if possible, Avon’s Skin So Soft as a bug repellent.
For guys the list is easier – big lizards, spinners, three-eighths and half ounce weights, lots of hooks and 20-pound test line. Laundry service is available.
Tyler Paper Outdoors has become a booking agent for Ron Speed Jr. Adventures. Fishermen interested in bass fishing lakes Picachos, El Salto or Comedero, or peacock bass fishing in Brazil, can book their trips by calling 903-596-6277.
