Lisa Skelley at Anglers Inn Lake Picachos

If you didn’t already know this, Pete and I met over the internet. We happened to be online at the same time, looking for “the one” and things took their course and worked out. I mean, who doesn’t just love being around Pete Robbins?

Well, the internet served me well again by introducing me to some of my favorite lady anglers. They saw my Facebook post about a ladies’ trip to Anglers Inn Lake El Salto to fish, back in 2016.

One of the ladies that joined the group was Lisa Skelley, who came with her sister Michelle. They both live in Tennessee, but Lisa is the hardcore angler of the two – she competed on the Women’s Bass Tour (WBT). I was afraid that she was going to want to show all of us up, but on the contrary, she is the nicest, most humble human being you will ever meet. She wants to learn everything there is about fishing and is willing to take direction and criticism. She does it with the world’s greatest smile and an infectious laugh. She just loves to fish.

Our friendship didn’t end there. Our love for fishing led us to other girls trips to Kentucky Lake, back to Mexico, up to Michigan for walleye and smallmouth and this September we are off to Lake of the Woods at Ballard’s Black Island.

She and her significant other Dwayne just returned from a trip to Anglers Inn Picachos and she the smile was even wider than usual. She couldn’t stop talking about how the Anglers Inn service never fails to surpass its previous excellence.

Mexico fishing trip for couples in Sinaloa

HPFC: How many times have you been to Anglers Inn?

Lisa Skelley: I've been to Anglers Inn four times -- two times to El Salto and two times to Lake Picachos.

HPFC: You are a serious tournament competitor. Why should someone who loves competition experience more “laid back” fishing in Mexico?

Lisa Skelley: Well, when you're fishing in Mexico, there is no stress, you just know you are going to catch fish. I think if you wanted to work on a certain technique, fishing in Mexico would be a great way to practice. If you wanted to try different baits or a different style of rigging this would just be a good way to practice. But the best part is that there's no stress. You're not driving the boat, you're not figuring out where the fish are, you don’t even have to tie on your own baits. It's just exciting and you can enjoy your fishing.

HPFC: You brought a newbie this time. What did Dwayne think of his first time down there?

Lisa Skelley: He thought it was great. He's never caught that many fish or that quality of fish. He said the whole experience was awesome. The guide and all of the staff were excellent. He had nothing to complain about. The food was wonderful and most importantly he loved the siesta time.

HPFC: Does Dwayne fish when not on vacation?

Lisa Skelley: Dwayne normally doesn’t fish when he's not on vacation. He'll go out and fish with me for about an hour and then he gets fidgety and he's ready to go. We didn’t have that situation on this vacation. He never asked to go in. I think he got a little aggravated one time but he got over it as soon as he caught ANOTHER fish.

HPFC: On this most recent May trip to Lake Picachos, what were your best lures for numbers?

Lisa Skelley: Well, that's the thing, there was no numbers, I mean, there was just big fish -- they were all big fish. We went straight in the morning and did our topwater fishing. We were using a Rico popper and Whopper Ploppers. The fish were so hungry I ended up catching two at the same time on one Whopper Plopper. It was just so much fun to watch those big fish just explode. The best was watching Dwayne fish topwater because he had never really fished that way before. As soon as the bite died, we went to deep water. I hardly ever fish deep water. We were just cranking in the big fish. My arm was hurting so bad, I'm not even kidding.

HPFC: What lures did you through when you were out deep?

First, we were using Texas rigged Senkos and the guide (Modesto) told us to cast way out to the deep water and he kept saying, “Pull out some line, pull out some line.” We didn't take big enough sinker weights so we weren’t casting it far enough. Thankfully Modesto started digging through my tackle and he said, “Let's try these Carolina rigs.” Well, man, I could cast it so far, exactly what he was really wanting us to do, a long cast for that deep water. We used Senkos and black and blue lizards on the Carolina rig. My biggest was probably eight pounds. Although the biggest was 8 pounds, they were all big fish. I remember catching maybe three 1- or 2-pounders, really that was it. No kidding my arm was hurting. Yeah, we went straight to the deep water. And they felt humongous because you were casting out, trying to let it sink to the bottom, but normally you would feel a tap before it even hit the bottom and then you were dragging it in all the way from the deep water. So, they're fighting the whole way. Oh, my arms were hurting.

The colors we threw were watermelon black and red, watermelon black, black with blue flake. And somehow, I brought this root beer with some kind of copper in it. I don't even know where it came from but it was a great color too.

HPFC: Was there anything you wish you had brought but you didn't?

Lisa Skelley: I wish I had taken a larger sinkers, whatever you call those weights. I didn’t have them because I don't normally fish deep water and I didn't want to carry them with me. That was a mistake. I only had two Carolina rig setups. I just wish I had 1-ounce weights but now I know for next time.

topwater fishing for largemouth bass in Mexico

HPFC: Can you think of anything else noteworthy on the water from this trip?

Lisa Skelley: I think the most exciting thing is when the guide gets excited that we are catching big fish. He didn't necessarily get outwardly excited about it but you know you should get excited when he actually pulls out the net. One time Modesto asked Dwayne to start video of my catch. I knew that was going to be a big fish and it was.

HPFC: It seems that you catch a lot of 8-plus-pounders when you are at Anglers Inn, I’ve seen you catch at least one as a matter of fact. What is the biggest you’ve caught in Mexico?

Lisa Skelley: [We weren’t speaking in person so I couldn’t see her face, but I pictured that smile on her face as she spoke softly.] “A ten pounder?” I caught it on Lake El Salto on a chatterbait with some sort of white glittery fluke trailer.

HPFC: Why do you keep returning to Anglers Inn?

Lisa Skelley: I mean, the total experience is wonderful from the time you get picked up at Mazatlan. It was explained to us, this time, that we were going to have to get tested for COVID and all of that type of stuff. The staff is wonderful, the food is great and of course the fishing is amazing. The rooms are cleaned for you when you get off the water for lunch time and then after siesta, they tidy up again. If you need to wash clothes, you just leave them in the basket. I like that the guide rigs up all of your reels and tackle. Pete probably does that for you. But I like the guides to do it.

HPFC: Unfortunately, I have to do my own thing now. Now that he knows I know how to do it, there is no wasting time in order to get to the water, so

he makes me do it. Changing topics, what was your favorite meal at Picachos?

Lisa Skelley: It was the mountain of seafood -- the lobster with the shrimp and bacon, grilled shrimp and fried shrimp. It tastes good and the presentation with the fire underneath makes it better. It is awesome.

HPFC: What's your favorite drink?

Lisa Skelley: The margarita. And don’t forget my favorite appetizer was some type of shrimp mixture in a little shell. And the ribs were excellent. And the steak was good. I just love it there.

HPFC: I understand you set this trip up for a special occasion. Tell me about that.

Lisa Skelley: Yes, I talked Dwayne into going to Mexico for his 60th birthday and he's retiring in July. The staff brought out a beautiful birthday cake and sang Happy Birthday twice, once before his birthday and then again on Dwayne’s birthday.

HPFC: What advice would you give to somebody heading to either Picachos or Lake El Salto for the first time?

Lisa Skelley: Take plenty of plastico and get an early start after breakfast if you want to get a good top water bite. Don't pack many clothes, leave room for your baits and lures. Be sure to take sunscreen. Enjoy your siesta time. The air conditioner is so nice, the rooms are dark, it’s making me want to take a nap right now. Don't bother packing snacks because you eat so well on the trip.

HPFC: Are you going back?

Lisa Skelley: Yes, but I don’t think I will be allowed to go alone any longer.