Is there good fishing in and around Chapala and Ajijic, Mexico?
Thomas Hellyer - Chapala Home Sales
There is a very active population of people on Lake Chapala who fish for a living. I believe there are about 6,000 people who make a living by fishing on the lake. This isn’t recreational fishing, but rather, fishing for a living. The kinds of fish that you can catch on Lake Chapala are tilapia, carp, catfish, and a couple others. Recreational fishing is not that common here in Chapala and Ajijic but it is doable. There are some people that do it and...
There is a very active population of people on Lake Chapala who fish for a living. I believe there are about 6,000 people who make a living by fishing on the lake. This isn’t recreational fishing, but rather, fishing for a living. The kinds of fish that you can catch on Lake Chapala are tilapia, carp, catfish, and a couple others. Recreational fishing is not that common here in Chapala and Ajijic but it is doable. There are some people that do it and there are some stocked lakes within 2 to 3 hours from here, which are more for the recreational experience that some people might be looking for. There are groups that plan trips to these areas and they usually fish for a couple of hours or until your shoulder is about to fall off because you’re catching so much.
The ocean is only 4 hours away from Chapala. You can go deep-sea fishing there but of course you have to plan your trip, or you could go there over the weekend and hire a guide.
(Lake Chapala with the statue, "Jesus, the Fisherman," Chapala, Mexico, pictured.)
Posted January 28, 2016
Rosa Elia Cepeda - Charter Club Tours
There is good fishing around Chapala and Ajijic. One good location is the dam in Nayarit. There are several places where people go for fishing depending on what kind of fish they want to catch. You can catch robalo (common snook) in the dam. You can also go fishing in Lake Chapala itself. Here where the street Colon meets the lake, you would see men pushing their wheelbarrows full of fish every morning. They usually catch the small fish such as carp, white...
There is good fishing around Chapala and Ajijic. One good location is the dam in Nayarit. There are several places where people go for fishing depending on what kind of fish they want to catch. You can catch robalo (common snook) in the dam. You can also go fishing in Lake Chapala itself. Here where the street Colon meets the lake, you would see men pushing their wheelbarrows full of fish every morning. They usually catch the small fish such as carp, white fish, etc., and they sell them off the streets. We also have charal o boqueron in the lake. If you go across the lake, to the south side, you will see small villages where the main source of living is the lake. They also eat the eggs of the fish. It is locally called hueva de pescado, which is the Mexican caviar.
(Fishing boats, Lake Chapala, Mexico, pictured.)
Posted August 5, 2016
Tom Leonard - Hotel Perico
There is a very good lake for bass fishing in or around Chapala and Ajijic called Lake Agua Milpa. I have a good friend who would go there all the time who called it one of the best fishing spots he's ever been to. Lake Agua Milpa is a two-hour drive from Ajijic. There are cabins along the beachfront. It is up in the hills so there is not much around it. There are no cities that are near, but there a couple of little towns or "pueblos". The local people know the lake real...There is a very good lake for bass fishing in or around Chapala and Ajijic called Lake Agua Milpa. I have a good friend who would go there all the time who called it one of the best fishing spots he's ever been to. Lake Agua Milpa is a two-hour drive from Ajijic. There are cabins along the beachfront. It is up in the hills so there is not much around it. There are no cities that are near, but there a couple of little towns or "pueblos". The local people know the lake real well. There are guides who would take you to the lake. The fishing here is fantastic and the water is so clear. Lake Chapala is a shallow lake and the water is not clear. There is no real fishing in Lake Chapala, but sometimes locals would fish off certain areas of the wharf.
In San Juan Cosala (a town adjacent to Ajijic), some people would do net fishing. The fish they catch is not good for eating not because of pollution, but more because of the mineral content such as mercury. However, the locals do eat fish that they catch.
The closest town from Ajijic that's beside the ocean is Manzanillo. The drive goes through Colima and is about three-and-a-half hours from Ajijic. Fishing in the Pacific Ocean is fantastic. Manzanillo is known for marlin fishing and game fishing.
(Fishing at Lake Agua Milpa, Mexico, pictured.)
Posted July 17, 2017
Michael Eager - La Nueva Posada Hotel & Restaurant
Many years ago, Lake Chapala was seeded with tilapia. You can catch the tilapia with a net or a rod and a hook, but unfortunately it is not a fighting fish. Five years ago, they brought in a Mexican fish called "lobina" (largemouth bass). The lobina is great to fish because it puts up a bit of a fight. Traditionally, there have only been the tilapia and carps. Fishing has now become fun and exciting for the local fishermen because the lake now has the lobina fish. ...
Many years ago, Lake Chapala was seeded with tilapia. You can catch the tilapia with a net or a rod and a hook, but unfortunately it is not a fighting fish. Five years ago, they brought in a Mexican fish called "lobina" (largemouth bass). The lobina is great to fish because it puts up a bit of a fight. Traditionally, there have only been the tilapia and carps. Fishing has now become fun and exciting for the local fishermen because the lake now has the lobina fish. People fish in Lake Chapala every day. There are even fishing derbies. One of my maintenance men joins two derbies a year where they have 25 to 30 guys fishing, or sometimes even more depending on the time of the year.
There are also commercial fishermen who come in. A lot of the fish that they catch is for consumption or to sell their catch in the market in Chapala or there are guys wandering around the village with wheelbarrows hawking fish. A lot of the fish are mashed up and used for manufacturing of different fertilizers.
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(Lobina or large mouth bass, pictured. )
Posted September 28, 2017