Mexico’s newest fishing lake is now open and reporting catches of 100 to 300 bass per day, bass ranging from two to eight pounds. Located in the Mexican state of Sinaloa east of the city of Los Mochis and one a half hours drive east of El Fuerte, Lake Huites is a deep and fairly clear mountain lake spanning approximately 18 to 20 miles in length. The lake was formed by the conjunction of the Chinipas and Fuertes Rivers. The lake was stocked with a fast-growing and aggressive strain of Florida hybrid black bass three years ago. The lake was protected to allow the 80,000 bass fingerlings to attain adult size. Ron Speed, Jr., opened Lake Huites in March and will be managing it as a catch-and-release bass lake. He closed the lake in May for the rainy season and will reopen in October. This is the “Mystery Lake” of Mexico you’ve been hearing about. Several of Speed’s clients have caught lunkers over eight pounds. He believes eight pounders will be a common catch in 1998 and ten pounders likely in 1999. “The most important thing that has happened at Huites, and this is a first for the entire country of Mexico, is that commercial netting has been prohibited on the lake,” says Speed. “This is the first pure sport fishing lake in Mexico….They have seen what fishing tourism can do for them and they want to keep it.” A fishing lodge is under construction for anglers in the village of Techobampo on the shores of Lake Huites. When it opens in the fall, it will accommodate 12 anglers and by 1998 it will be enlarged to house 24 persons. In addition to the best bass fishing on the planet, the area has to offer spectacular bird hunting and Copper Canyon expeditions. Lake Huites covers about 15 thousand acres and is loaded with brush and cover. Rock shelves and visible brush in abundance hold the bait fish and provide hiding spots for bass. Set deep in the Sierra Madre Mountain Range, the lake is surrounded by beautiful steep canyons and the view of the Sierra Madres topping over 7,000 feet in elevation is breathtaking. The steep canyons open into quiet bays and coves that offer anglers a variety of fishing options. Temperatures in this area are tolerable in the fall, winter, and spring, but the summers bring the rainy season. Speed closed for the summer this year and he may close in early May next year to avoid the rains. Johnny Cotton, a Dallas-area angler, made three trips to Huites between March and May and has already booked two more for the fall. He queries, “What bass fisherman would not enjoy catching and releasing more than a hundred fish a day, most of them weighing three to five pounds?” The nearby town of El Fuerte is only 90 kilometers from the international airport in Los Mochis. Villa Del Pescador is located in El Fuerte and offers accommodations for 12. This lodge has a fine reputation for providing guests with the best in bass fishing, bird hunting, and Copper Canyon tours. Copper Canyon is one of the more spectacular wonders Mexico has to offer and is located very near the lodge. Villa Del Pescador offers good food in a relaxed atmosphere. Quaint cobblestone streets provide numerous photo opportunities such as the gardens of the town square, a 100-year old cathedral, and warm smiles of residents of El Fuerte. This is the part of Mexico you’ve got to see. Book your reservations early for fall! www.bassadventures.com