Taking a First-Time Angler Bass Fishing in Mexico

Reading teenager Deacon Sebela’s recounting of his trip to Lake Picachos reminded me that it’s extremely fun to bring newcomers on a bucket list bass fishing trip – whether they’re just new to Mexico or new to fishing altogether.

There’s no better way to get someone excited about the sport you love than to have them catch the fire out of a bunch of hard-fighting Mexican largemouths, while being treated like a king or queen. The surest way to kill someone’s interest, on the other hand, is to have them endure miserable weather, miserable accommodations and stingy fishing. That won’t be a problem at an Anglers Inn property.

Deacon’s trip reminded me that a few years back I took my brother (and his best friend) to El Salto. Mike was over 40 but hadn’t fished much at all, at least not for bass. Maybe he’d trolled for bluefish on the Chesapeake Bay or caught a few bluegills. I knew there would be a learning curve, and while the trip turned out to be a huge success, if I had a chance to do it over again there are a few things I would change.

So if you have someone in your life who has rarely if ever fished, but you think they’d love the sport, or at least the Mexican experience, it shouldn’t be hard to get them excited about the possibility. With that accomplished, it’s up to YOU to come up with a game plan to make sure that it not only lives up to, but also exceeds their expectations. None of the following __ rules are absolute, but they’re a pretty good road map to success.

Picachos First – These days, I spend more time at El Salto than Picachos, not necessarily because of the fishing, but because I consider many of the staff my second family. The accommodations are slightly different at the two lodges, neither better nor worse, but the service is equally great at both places. So why Picachos for a first-timer? Simply put, the fishing is consistently less complicated. At El Salto, the big ones are always there, but they can be a little finicky, and teaching a newcomer to feel a football jig bite in 30 feet of water or cast a Carolina Rig shouldn’t be your focus. Instead, it should be about getting them on easy fish and then branching out from there. With a few basic and easy-to-learn tactics, even a rookie should expect to whack ‘em from Day One on the newer lake.

Pack Everything – Unless they’re bound and determined to purchase their own gear, take everything you’ll need out of your stash. It keeps their costs down, ensures that they’ll have the right stuff, and maximizes their chances of success. You can allow them to put some of it in their luggage – the advantage of having a traveling partner is you can bring twice as much gear – but you won’t get stuck on the Snoopy Rod or gimmick lures that the guy at the Mega Mart tried to convince them to buy.

Bring Extras – As long as you’re doing the packing, go a little bit overboard. A first-timer is likely to lose more lures and terminal tackle than you would, some of it in deep brush, others far up into the woods. They’re going to get bird’s nests, backlashes and tangles, too, so pack extra line. Since you’re going to Picachos, where the fish aren’t particularly line-shy, it can be mono or even straight braid, both of which are easier to handle than even premium fluorocarbon. And it extends not just to tackle – make sure you have an extra buff and hat and sunscreen, because if they’re miserable, you’ll be miserable, too.

Start on Spinning – All the cool kids may be using baitcasting gear (for the record, I’m not cool, and it’s all I use down there), but spinning gear is much more foolproof for a beginner. Anglers Inn had rods, so you need only bring reels – pack them a couple of 3000- or 4000-sized models with braid. Then you can add a mono or fluoro leader if necessary.

Start Before You Go – Get them to practice casting the spinning gear in their yard or in a nearby field before you go. Give them a practice plug or something similar so they won’t hook every bush, tree, cat and bicycle in the neighborhood. Get them used to basic casting distances. They’re still going to miss targets and send some casts nearly into orbit – and the guides are used to this – but it’ll be far less than if they start cold on day one.

Don’t Make it About Numbers – A 10-pounder likely means nothing to someone who’s never fished before. They won’t know the difference between 80, 100 and 200 fish in a day. Save the goal-setting for when they’ve achieved a basic level of competence, awareness and interest. If you set big goals early on and they achieve them, there’s less to shoot for. If they miss them it’ll feel like failure.

Teach a Little – Even if the guide wants to do everything from selecting lures to tying knots to taking every fish off the hook (and they will), give your partner some agency and some instruction. Explain why you’re doing something a certain way and allow them to make some decisions based on the information you provide. Without being overly didactic or critical, provide information on things they did wrong when they miss a fish or lose one so that it doesn’t happen again. The corollary to this, of course, is to compliment them heavily when they do something well, especially if they’ve recovered from some past mistake.

Plan to Take Your Time – If they’re not used to the fishing lifestyle, don’t expect them to be up at 5, through breakfast as soon as possible, and in the boat before daylight, rods rigged and ready. Those of us who come from a tournament background, in particular, tend to be overly regimented and quick. When the guide’s ready to move, we’re in our seat before he can fire up the big motor. Your newcomer might not understand the urgency of getting to the next stop. Don’t make it a point of contention.

Plan for Mishaps – Give your friend quality gear to use, and expect them to treat it with respect, but don’t be surprised if they try to high-stick a big fish and end up with a snapped rod. Don’t be surprised if they lay the rod and reel down in the dirt, not realizing that all that grit is the enemy. Stuff’s going to go wrong. They generally don’t mean for it to happen. They certainly don’t want for it to happen. As noted above, bring extras of everything, along with a heaping dose of patience.

Remember, It’s a Vacation – You may feel like you’re not getting your money’s worth if you don’t fish like KVD on amphetamines every available minute of the trip. You may get frustrated when you lose a big fish, even spewing out a long verse of invective. You may get apoplectic over flight delays (hopefully they’re on the way home, rather than the way there). STAY. CALM. Your goal is not just to have a great trip this time, but to cultivate a love of the sport in someone who’s new to it, and just trying to get away from the worries of everyday life. If they remember the trip as a lot of yelling and frustration, that doesn’t contribute to the goal. They may not know it, but you’re both in a place that bass anglers all over the world dream of visiting – you’re a couple of the lucky ones. Act that way and it will continue to pay dividends.

If you’d like to bring a first-timer bass fishing in Mexico, email Hanna today and let’s get the ball rolling on your new fishing partner.