friends on a boat drinking Pacifico and Tecate at Lake Picachos Mexico

Well over 80 percent of Anglers Inn’s business consists of repeat customers. In our trips down there we see many of the same people over and over and over again, some of whom have been coming for over 20 or 30 years and visit up to five times per year.

The reasons are simple: the fishing, which owner Billy Chapman Jr. cannot control, tends to be exceptional more often than not. Meanwhile, the service, which he can control, is always top-notch. When you’re there, you never need to lift a finger, your laundry comes back perfectly folded each day, and as Hanna has documented if you have special dietary needs they bend over backwards to make sure you get what you need (and avoid what you don’t).

Here’s a perfect example of how great the service can be: One day during siesta time I wandered out of my room and headed to the bar to get a Diet Coke. There was no one around. As I snuck around the bar to grab one out of the cooler, Sammy – one of the camp managers – came flying out of nowhere, jumped over the bar, grabbed the can and opened it for me in one motion. He’s been working there since we was a kid and he still shows up to work with that kind of energy and enthusiasm every day.

So if before you depart you’ve already decided that you want to return, you should start preparing ASAP. Prime dates get booked up quickly, and particularly in the era of COVID lots of rescheduling filled them up ever earlier than usual for 2021.

First, figure out WHEN you want to return. Of course that will depend largely on your own schedule, but it might also be determined by how you like to fish. For example, there’s often a great deep cranking bite year-round, but my favorite time for it is in May and June. Likewise, I’ve had some great topwater action during low-light conditions in the summer, but typically it’s been better for me earlier in the year and then again in the fall. Because the guests tend to be repeat customers and tend to be friendly in the dining and bar area, strike up a conversation and ask them about their favorite times and why they prefer them – there are no guarantees your experiences will be the same, but it’s a good start. You can ask your guide/s the same question.

Then figure out WHERE you want to go – El Salto, Picachos or a combo trip? Again, ask questions. Over the past decade El Salto has gotten the reputation as the “big fish lake,” and Picachos has gotten a reputation for “insane numbers” but on any given week those characters may flip flop.

While you’re at the lake, go into the office and tell them you want to rebook and for how many people – again, it pays to get on the calendar as early as possible. You don’t want your group of 8 to have to decide which pair to vote off the island because there are only three double rooms available when you want to go. When you get home, you can confirm the bookings via phone or email.

Even though you may now be on the books, your work is not done. Now’s the time to start preparing for next time’s success. Figure out what worked, what didn’t, and what items that you didn’t bring might work better. Take notes of this and prepare for the next sale from your favorite online or brick and mortar tackle seller. Again, TAKE NOTES. If you tell yourself “I’ll remember,” it’s almost guaranteed that you’ll forget, and that will turn out to be the key bite next time. I have a running list of “things I need” on my home computer that gets updated as soon as I get back.

There is an option to leave tackle at the lake. I’ve had some there for over 5 years and it’s a lifesaver on my back and on my options. I feel safe leaving it there, but you have to decide on your own. Just because you’ve left gear at the lake doesn’t mean your job is over. First, I pack my rod tube as if it was going home on the plane with me and going to get manhandled by the baggage folks. Then I seal it shut with zip ties and tape.

Next, I do a full inventory of all of the tackle that I have down there, write it down, and figure out where there are gaps (to go onto the “to buy” spreadsheet at home). Tackle then gets organized by type – deep diving crankbaits in one box, topwaters in another, and so on. If you just mix it up randomly, you’ll have a hell of a time getting it into a varied, workable collection when you return. Soft plastics get grouped by category in their packages in gallon ziplocs. Tools (pliers, line cutters, etc.), go into a single pocket. Dipping dye gets double-wrapped in ziplocs and taped shut, just in case it somehow boils over.

The one exception to this category-specific packing is that I have one Plano box with an overall representative assortment of gear, and one gallon bag with a selection of soft plastics basics. That way, when I arrive at the lake in the afternoon, I can grab those two items and have just about everything I need to catch bass under most conditions. All you need to do to have it ready is call or email before you arrive and they’ll have it at your room – that strategy hasn’t failed me yet.

Best Mexican bass fishing where service is our focus Billy Chapman Jr.

Be sure you tip your guide and staff well, and make sure you have everything before you’re taking home before you get settled in the van, but with all of this pre-pre-trip tackle sorting done, you’ve just made the next trip that much more efficient.

Now you can kick back and head to the airport, because the countdown to the next trip doesn’t begin officially until you’re back on US soil. If you’re really an overachiever, and think you’re likely to fly a particular airline next time, make sure you’re on their frequent flyer program, and consider signing up for a co-branded credit card that may end up earning you enough for a free flight the next time around.