Guide to fishing Mexico lakes available

Half Past First Cast, a fishing travel website and travel consultancy, has compiled 150 articles about traveling to and fishing Mexico’s best bass fisheries. The “Ultimate Guide to El Salto and Picachos” includes travel hacks, packing tips, gear guides and extensive trip reports that will help anglers whether they’re making their first trip south of the border or their 50th.

“It’s hard to have a bad trip to any Anglers Inn property down there,” said outdoor writer Pete Robbins, one of the co-founders of the site. “At the same time, every trip can be made slightly better with more information. We keep track of flight schedules and fares, changes in the customs process, and the gear that is proven to work. Without any tackle advertisers, we’re beholden to no one, so you can make sure that your luggage always contains the right items.”

When Robbins and wife Hanna started the website, they’d already been to the Sinaloan lakes a dozen or so times, but with at least a couple of additional trips each year, they continue to amass information. They’ve also launched a YouTube channel that includes many of their best tips and tricks.

“We made some mistakes in our early trips,” Hanna said. “Maybe we flew the wrong routes or depended on a layover that was too short, or we didn’t bring enough of a certain lure. We don’t want anyone to go through that – ever. Sometimes we’ll go back and look at our notes and it’ll jar our memories and help us, as well as our friends, to maximize every minute.”

Since starting the guide, the couple has attracted the attention of other lodge owners. Now they host trips in Alaska for trout and salmon, in Guatemala for sailfish, and in Panama for saltwater species including tuna and billfish. They’re building a library of articles on those locales as well, and since many of their fellow travelers are less fluent in those types of fishing, even articles about the “basics” are critical to making the most of what might be a once-in-a-lifetime adventure.

“Fishing is supposed to be fun,” Hanna concluded. “We’ll hold your hand as much as needed, or simply encourage you to try something new. Most of our traveling friends feel the need to go back to Mexico as often as possible, as we do. We learn from them and there are ways to embrace what’s new while also feeling like you’re returning home. At the same time, we want to see the world with a rod and reel in hand, and we’re looking for like-minded people to join us.”

To visit Half Past First Cast, click here. To view the Ultimate Guide to El Salto and Picachos, click here.

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