The Absolute Best Way To Increase Your Likelihood of Success at El Salto or Picachos
Before their bass fishing trips to Mexico, we hear from lots of first-timers with questions about how to increase their likelihood of catching more and bigger fish. They want to know if there’s a magic lure color, a particular guide, or a certain part of the lake that’s more productive than others. I respond that there is no “magic bullet,” no single trick or product that guarantees success.
However, you WILL have opportunities for exceptional catches, and if you want to increase their likelihood the one thing you can do is make sure you are an accurate and proficient catcher.
Now I realize that lots of El Salto and Picachos guests are veteran tournament anglers with tons of experience with varied lures in a wide variety of circumstances. What I’m about to write doesn’t completely apply to you because you have a certain amount of muscle memory that’ll help you power through – nevertheless, it’s a good reminder that these fish may be hungry and aggressive, but they’re not indiscriminate. Improving your casting by even 10 or 20 percent can substantially improve your catch rate.
For those of you who are less experienced, though, this will be a MAJOR difference-maker. There will be times when you just need to be able “to hit the broad side of a barn,” but even the schooling or offshore bites can be very cast-dependent. If you’re not confident that you can hit a small target at a distance, with a cross-wind, it pays to practice in advance. Once you’re there and the adrenaline is flowing, that’s not the time to build your confidence or dial things in.
Here are six factors to consider as you plan to improve your casting in anticipation of the trip of a lifetime:
Remember that things may be different – Just because you’re used to casting off the front of your bass boat, or from a float tube, or your kayak, doesn’t mean you’ll be able to have the same level of accuracy as you do from the guided boat. You may also not be used to fishing with another person on the front deck or using certain lures. Accuracy and distance remain key, but you also don’t want to put a three-treble jerkbait or a 10XD in someone’s scalp.
Utilize Different Arm Angles – Lots of casual anglers can cast overhand reasonably accurately, but they struggle with different arm positions. Can you cast sidearm? Does it matter if the boat is going left to right, or right to left? Can you pitch or flip your jig or creature bait into the heart of a tree with a silent entry and without getting stuck on a branch. If there are branches hanging over you, can you still get it into the strike zone?
Spool Up – Are your reels in good shape, properly maintained and lubricated? Did you put on fresh line before you came? Did you properly pick out the deep loops of a backlash? I’m surprised at how many people take the trip of a lifetime and then skimp on fishing line. Even with the premium line, make sure it’s suited to the lure weights you’re using.
Borrowing lodge rods – Anglers Inn provides quality St. Croix Rods for you to use free of charge, so there’s no reason to bring your own, but there may be a slight learning curve. If you don’t like the length or action of one that you selected from the tackle room, swap it out.
Practice, Practice, Practice – The worst time to try to dial in a casting motion or arm angle is in the heat of battle. Practice as much as you can before your trip – it can be in a swimming pool or in your backyard. If that’s not feasible or sufficient, once you’re at Anglers Inn practice hitting targets from the shore at lunchtime, or in relatively open water, until you’re comfortable with your gear.
Ask your guide – Most of the guides are used to dealing with inexperienced anglers, or even experienced anglers who could stand to learn something. They’re good teachers and happy to help because your success is their success. If you can’t figure out how to properly place a lure in a certain spot, ask for help.
Simply dialing in your casting will improve your confidence immeasurably. It’ll help you pick ideal angles – both for getting your lure in and getting a hooked fish out – that you can make. There’s no shame in occasionally missing your target or getting snagged, but the name of the game is getting the right lure in the right place as many times as possible.
