Fishing Report - Lake Chapala

First time fishing in the lake in about 4 months.  The water level is up to just above last year's peak so fishing from the lower malecon wall is easy.  Evening fishing: more than 2 dozen tilapia + 4 carp (13" was the largest).  Bait: canned sweet corn - $9.90 from Walmart.

Anyone know how the Ajijic fishing competition went on September 16?

Great report Cincy. I see a few others fishing down there every morning too. Hopefully we can coax some of those black bass up this way.

While fishing on the Ajijic Malecon at Lake Chapala one morning last week I found this dead, and slightly decayed, giant tilapia floating in the water.  As you can see it measured approx. 13".  The biggest I have ever caught was 9" from the lake.  Not sure if this is a lake fish or some discarded fish from elsewhere but it would sure be nice to catch a few fish like this every now and then...!!!



That morning I caught 5 carp and 24 tilapia

I'll bet there are even a few bigger ones waiting out there for you Cincy.

We were fishing with the fish camp guys yesterday in SA off the overpass on the malecon. Everyone catching lots of tilapia but no carpa. They are there, you can see them, but they weren't biting. The tilapia were caught with small pieces of stale tortillas!!

BTW, they were saying the fish camp guys will take you out fishing in a panga from there.

I wonder what they would charge you? Bet they'd be all over that opportunity. Jaja. Bring your own life jacket. I'm in.

This was the largest of 9 carp I caught one morning last week.  A perfect specimen!  It weighed 3.5lbs and took 12 minutes to land on 4lb line (at least 10 years old!)  All the carp, and 7 tilapia, were returned to Lake Chapala alive and well.







January seems to be the best time for catching the larger carp based on the last 2 years

Nice one!!

Getting bigger each week...!!!

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Need another 10" in length to make this really interesting.

Are you still using corn and a bobber or have you switched to tortilla on the bottom?

Still the same terminal tackle:-  4lb line, little bobber, Size 12 hook, 2 pieces of can corn, fished on the bottom.  Yesterday, for the first time I tried some spam but only caught one tilapia.

The problem with having an open can of spam is that it attracts dogs, especially one particular light colored pit-bull named "Rosy"....!!!

Quick update:  First morning out on Lake Chapala for quite some time.  Never did much good in past years during July/August but since the lake is so high for this time of year thought I'm dip my line.  3rd cast found a nice 2 1/4 lb. carp (16") and 7 more followed (10"-12") + the usual 2 dozen tilapa.  Lots of action!



The most spectacular event this morning, though, was the rainbow striking out of San Luis Soyatlan and arcing over the Lake to Rancho del Oro - must be some gold left in those hills...!!!

Nice, thanks!

Getting prepared for the August 8th Fish & Chips luncheon. LOL

SunFan wrote:What do you do with your catch?  

The larger carp, +15" are usually given to either the maid, who has many children, or the gardener.  I also have a chef friend who has requested a carp for culinary use who may lead me to try cooking them myself in the future.  The rest of the catch is returned to the lake.

F.Y.Enjoyment;

Augustine of Tia Maria's in San Juan Cosala tells the story of the fisherman who caught a carpa measuring +4' and weighing muchos kilos. And Augustine was not only there he helped bring the fish to the fish monger at the Chapala mercado. Coming from anyone else I would have dismissed the story as pure fantasy but Augustine isn't just anyone. But still... So a few days later I was at the fish mongers and asked the old man, an sure enough, detail for detail, the story checked out. Then after a few day's while doing some reading I found that fish to be at the size of the current world record holder! Now I've never heard a urban legend in first person(s) but i'm going to lean into this one.

So next time you're at Tia Maria's ask him about the whopper, he seems to enjoy telling the tale.

A few years ago I lived in Hagerman, ID We used to fish for Bass, wen we caught a carp if it was a big one we would keep it, My wife at the time would cook it just like the bass and it taste just like the bass!!!