Post-Spawn Bass Stirring Things Up at El Salto!

By Billy Chapman Jr.

Fishing the past two weeks has been off the hook! Anglers visiting recently have caught incredible numbers of big bass, most of which are now on a post-spawn pattern and holding around points, cliffs and tree tops. The most productive lure has been Bomber’s Fat Free Shad in the citrus shad color, which is ideal for cranking down to post-spawn lunkers suspended around these types of cover and structure.

In early morning and late afternoon, the bite has been mostly on soft-plastic jerkbaits such as Senkos, Dingers and Pepper Sticks. The best colors have been watermelon/red flake and black with blue flakes. Some anglers like to rig them Texas style; others prefer wacky style. Both are proven bass-catchers, but the success of one or the other often depends on the area you’re fishing. Ask your guide which is best where you’re fishing, or switch from one to the other until you determine which is producing the most fish.

We wish we could mention all the big bass that have been caught and share all the testimonials we’ve received in one report, but there never seems to be enough room. Here are some of the highlights from this fishing period.

Jim Crook has fished all over North America during the 39 years he has represented various fishing, hunting and camping manufacturers. “The trip to El Salto was as good as I have ever had,” he said in a recent note. “We caught fish on almost every cast, and even the 3-pounders fought like they were 6-pounders with an attitude. We caught fish up to 8 pounds, and the action was great. Your wait staff at the hotel gets a five-star rating, the room accommodations were excellent, and the food was marvelous. All in all, I would rate this trip at the top of my list of fun times. I would highly recommend this trip to any angler of any talent because the fishing was very easy and the guides extremely helpful. You’ll definitely see us again soon.”

Another happy visitor was Duane Peterson of Northland Fishing Tackle who was here for his second time. “My stay was absolutely A-1 in every regard,” he said. “The boats I fished in averaged 40-60 fish per day of all sizes, and we could have caught many more if we had stayed on the banks with soft stickbaits. When we moved away from the shoreline to deeper trees or bluffs, we caught fewer but larger fish. My two biggest at 10-4 and 9-0 came on on Northland Tackle’s 3/4-oz. Mimic Minnow in silver shiner color. Both were caught in 15-25 feet of water in late morning on this swim bait. I also caught larger fish on a Rapala DT16 crankbait in a parrot color, and on a Slurpies Swim Shad. I learned there are lots of ways to catch bass on El Salto, but the big bass have a preference. Thanks for providing this great fishing destination. I assure you I will be back.”

Mark and Kim Owens came down for their third visit, and apparently third time’s a charm. They caught a mess of hawgs that would make any angler envious. “The fishing was unreal!” Mark said. “My wife Kim caught an 8.8-pound monster, and some 7s, 6s, 5s and 4s as well. I landed a 10.2-pound tank along with a 9.12, 8.8, 8.0, 7s and down the line. I also broke off five fish I could not stop. El Salto bass are, without a doubt, the strongest bass around. Together we caught over 500 fish in four and a half days of fishing using crankbaits, Norman DD 20s, 6- and 7-inch Senkos in black and blue, june bug and pumpkin, big worms in the same colors, and big lizards in watermelon red flake. As usual, the service was second to none. The staff at the lake is the best in the world. The food was outstanding as always. Thank you Giovanni (aka “Shack”) for the great tasting meals! The Shrimp Rockefeller was over the top. A piece of heaven is right here on earth. Anyone who hasn’t been to El Salto is missing the boat.”

John Ennis dropped us a line to say his group enjoyed their four days on El Salto as well. “The food, service and accommodations were superb,” he said. “Armando really took care of us. I look forward to coming back with my family next month.

“Our group fished many depths and many lure types,” he continued. “Our biggest fish weighed more than 9 pounds, followed by a couple of 8s, a trio of 7s and too many 6s and 5s to count. Gary had us on a topwater bite the last two mornings, and we caught several big fish on a Yellow Magic topwater bait. However, most fish were caught on watermelon lizards and Senkos (Carolina and Texas rigged), chrome-and-blue Rat-L-Traps (3/4 and 1 oz.), citrus-colored Fat Free Shad and Storm swim baits. Attached is a picture of Ken’s 9 plus.”

As Executive Director for G.Loomis, Bruce Holts gets the opportunity to fish many places around the country with a number of different people. “Friends, customers, outdoor writers and industry VIPs are important to us in many ways,” he said, “but sharing the outdoor experience and building long-lasting relationships is our ultimate goal. We are fishing fanatics and know a good thing when we see one.

“We can’t control how the fishing is or how the weather affects our day,” he continued, “but we can control the time off the water by being prudent in our selection of guides and lodges. We just can’t afford to have a bad experience on trips like these. It is critical that our guests have a good time, no matter how good or how bad the fishing might be.

“Anglers Inn has, over the years, provided an unbelievable experience for me and my guests. Their service is second to none! From the moment you arrive, it is quickly apparent they want you to be comfortable and happy. The food is excellent, and they are more than willing to accommodate special dietary requests. The atmosphere is about as congenial as I’ve ever experienced. 

 “Add to this the big bass of El Salto and you’ve got a winning combination. Mother Nature can put the kibosh on the fishing every now and then, but Billy & Chappy and the crew at Anglers Inn can make you forget even the worst day on the lake. In the case of El Salto, that may mean you only caught 40 fish up to 6 or 7 pounds. When it’s hot and the big fish are on the bite, this lake is as good as it gets.

“I had never caught a bass over 10 pounds before my first trip to El Salto,” Mr. Holt continued. “The first trip down I caught four trophies, ranging from 10-1 to 13-5. I’ve been back seven or eight times, and I now have nine over the 10-pound mark ... all from El Salto! The fish in the 5- to 8-pound class fight as hard as any bass I’ve ever caught, and I usually manage at least one fish over 8 or 9 pounds every visit. Sound like a fish story? You bet it is, and if you’re serious about bass fishing like I am, it’s one you can’t afford to miss. When you finally bite the bullet and go, you’ll wonder what took you so long.”

Lisa Williams caught a dandy bass on a Dancing Eel and sent a photo for us to share. “Had a great time at Anglers Inn Resort,” she said. “We will be visiting Mateos next year!”

If you’ve been wanting to learn more about the great fishing at our sister lodge on Lake Mateos, Alex “Zander” Mei interviewed Chappy Chapman about this “forgotten” lake and posted it as one of the feature articles on www.tackletour.com. “Thanks for the hospitality last weekend,” he said. “We have a lot of pictures that will be used for upcoming reviews online and a few new baits. Just wanted to let you know the interview is now live.”

And finally, the father and son team of William and Clarence Wells landed some extremely nice bass on their recent visit. Together, they landed four bass over 10 pounds, including one weighing 11.4 pounds and another weighing 11.0. Three of the four bass were caught on a citrus-colored Bomber Fat Free Shad, and the fourth fell for an 8-inch Zoom watermelon red flake lizard. There’s no doubt about it: these fellows had an excellent bass fishing trip.

Well, there you have it! The great fishing at El Salto should continue and even get better. The level of the lake is dropping about 2-3 inches per day, which is normal. We can expect the cranksbaits to be successful for the next couple of weeks after the complete spawn. The reason I say complete is because not all of the bass have spawned out, but most have. After the spawn, we usually get some great topwater fishing, so future guest may want to bring some topwater plugs like Rico Pops, Sammys and buzzbaits.

Until next time, here’s wishing you the very best. Hook ‘em!