Lake Agua Milpa, Mexico
February 2013
I have been trying for a while now to figure out how to achieve two unrelated (or so I thought) goals: introducing my young kids to fishing in a fun environment with reliably fast fishing action and also broadening their horizons by exposing them to how less fortunate children in other places live. Recently I was able to do both on a trip down to Tepic, Mexico.
Two Americans I know named Dave and Barbara Sanders are involved with an orphanage/group home in Tepic called the Frank Gonzalez Casa de Ninos. It's a place where children can go if they do not have anyone who can care for them. Some of them were taken out of abusive home situations and others were actually living on the street. My wife and I decided to take a trip down there with our two girls (ages 4 and 6). We brought down some things for the kids and stayed there for a couple of days and nights and interacted with the kids there. I was amazed at how cheerful they were given their very difficult pasts. My kids had a great time playing with the kids there and didn't want to leave.
Dave is a fisherman and he and Barbara have a goal of building a fishing lodge at nearby Lake Agua Milpa. They purchased a piece of land right on the lake and built a palapa and a bathroom and host small groups of fishermen. Profits from the fishing operation go to support the Casa operations and the eventual goal is to have the lodge be donated to the Casa and have the revenue from the fishing lodge be a perpetual source of income for the Casa. The fishing operation could also provide jobs for some of the kids after they turn 18 and can no longer live at the Casa. Seems like a very noble and achievable goal.
My family spent two days and nights out at the lake and had a grand time. The kids loved sleeping under the palapa in the open air. Dave and Barbara were wonderful hosts and made large hearty meals 3x per day. They have three very good bass boats for fishing and a very good local guide. This lake is absolutely chock full of 1-3lb largemouth bass. There are certainly some bigger ones in there (my brother caught a 6.5lber last time out there and the lake kicks out an occasional double digit fish) but it's mostly a numbers lake. I cast out crankbaits and had the kids reel them in and they each caught several bass in a relatively short amount of time. My 4 year old got one that was pushing 4lbs and also got an enormous tilapia. When they get really big they hit crankbaits and this one was the biggest I have ever seen. It was one of my proudest moments as a father. We kept the tilapia and cooked it up.
The kids would alternate fishing for a little while and then swimming or exploring the shore. There was enough action that they never had to wait too long in between bites. I got out for a few hours on my own each day and ended up with around 70 bass for the two days, mostly on crankbaits. As always the big one got away but I did land some decent ones and the action was great just like on my last trip here. I didn't see anyone else fishing the whole time and felt like I had the lake to myself other than some local people netting for tilapia. That doesn't seem to affect the bass fishing other than having to go around the nets sometimes.
If you are looking to get away and catch a bunch of fish in support of a good cause you should check out this place. The website is: http://fishinmissionadventures.com/. It is camping, but it is very comfortable with a very clean bathroom and comfortable cots and my wife and kids had no complaints at all. There is also the option to stay at another lodge but I recommend staying at the palapa.
February 2013
I have been trying for a while now to figure out how to achieve two unrelated (or so I thought) goals: introducing my young kids to fishing in a fun environment with reliably fast fishing action and also broadening their horizons by exposing them to how less fortunate children in other places live. Recently I was able to do both on a trip down to Tepic, Mexico.
Two Americans I know named Dave and Barbara Sanders are involved with an orphanage/group home in Tepic called the Frank Gonzalez Casa de Ninos. It's a place where children can go if they do not have anyone who can care for them. Some of them were taken out of abusive home situations and others were actually living on the street. My wife and I decided to take a trip down there with our two girls (ages 4 and 6). We brought down some things for the kids and stayed there for a couple of days and nights and interacted with the kids there. I was amazed at how cheerful they were given their very difficult pasts. My kids had a great time playing with the kids there and didn't want to leave.
Dave is a fisherman and he and Barbara have a goal of building a fishing lodge at nearby Lake Agua Milpa. They purchased a piece of land right on the lake and built a palapa and a bathroom and host small groups of fishermen. Profits from the fishing operation go to support the Casa operations and the eventual goal is to have the lodge be donated to the Casa and have the revenue from the fishing lodge be a perpetual source of income for the Casa. The fishing operation could also provide jobs for some of the kids after they turn 18 and can no longer live at the Casa. Seems like a very noble and achievable goal.
My family spent two days and nights out at the lake and had a grand time. The kids loved sleeping under the palapa in the open air. Dave and Barbara were wonderful hosts and made large hearty meals 3x per day. They have three very good bass boats for fishing and a very good local guide. This lake is absolutely chock full of 1-3lb largemouth bass. There are certainly some bigger ones in there (my brother caught a 6.5lber last time out there and the lake kicks out an occasional double digit fish) but it's mostly a numbers lake. I cast out crankbaits and had the kids reel them in and they each caught several bass in a relatively short amount of time. My 4 year old got one that was pushing 4lbs and also got an enormous tilapia. When they get really big they hit crankbaits and this one was the biggest I have ever seen. It was one of my proudest moments as a father. We kept the tilapia and cooked it up.
The kids would alternate fishing for a little while and then swimming or exploring the shore. There was enough action that they never had to wait too long in between bites. I got out for a few hours on my own each day and ended up with around 70 bass for the two days, mostly on crankbaits. As always the big one got away but I did land some decent ones and the action was great just like on my last trip here. I didn't see anyone else fishing the whole time and felt like I had the lake to myself other than some local people netting for tilapia. That doesn't seem to affect the bass fishing other than having to go around the nets sometimes.
If you are looking to get away and catch a bunch of fish in support of a good cause you should check out this place. The website is: http://fishinmissionadventures.com/. It is camping, but it is very comfortable with a very clean bathroom and comfortable cots and my wife and kids had no complaints at all. There is also the option to stay at another lodge but I recommend staying at the palapa.
