Fishing on the lake

JimW, or anybody, does anybody except the locals fish this lake? I know you shouldn't eat it, I'm talking about catch and release. Is there anything worth catching and releasing?

There are fishing boats in front of my new house pretty regularly, and I have to believe they are catching something.

Merry

I've fished the lake quite a bit. The fish to go for are the carp as they plentiful, can get quite large and the locals love 'em.

The talipia are too small to mess with, the catfish are few and scrawny and the white fish are almost extinct.

The fishermen using nets are going for anything that swims and they are catching fish.

There have been a few very sizable carp caught in the lake. I have caught fish off the Chapala pier.

Merry, about 6 weeks ago, on a Sunday morning, I was @ the Chapala square, went upstairs to check out fish taken from Lake Chapala, and was shocked when one vendor had catfish/channel cats {still alive) I think to 2 KG taken from the Lake. If I understood him correctly, some of the local fishermen have constructed fish pens and are raising and selling them. This is probably the reason local pier fishermen are catching smaller cats.

Augstine, owner of the Viva Mexico restaurant in San Juan Cosala, has the whopper Lake Chapala fish tale of all time. I won't spoil it for you as he takes delight telling about the big one that didn't get away so you have to ask him. And while there try his Chiles en Nogada, a taste treat if ever there was one.

RoofBob wrote:Augstine, owner of the Viva Mexico restaurant in San Juan Cosala, has the whopper Lake Chapala fish tale of all time. I won't spoil it for you as he takes delight telling about the big one that didn't get away so you have to ask him. And while there try his Chiles en Nogada, a taste treat if ever there was one.

I will ask him sometime!

And I love love love his chiles en nogada, they are out of this world.

Merry

Jim W wrote:Merry, about 6 weeks ago, on a Sunday morning, I was @ the Chapala square, went upstairs to check out fish taken from Lake Chapala, and was shocked when one vendor had catfish/channel cats {still alive) I think to 2 KG taken from the Lake. If I understood him correctly, some of the local fishermen have constructed fish pens and are raising and selling them. This is probably the reason local pier fishermen are catching smaller cats.

Geez, I've never been able to deal with catfish. I think one slapped me in the face when I was a kid and they are so butt-ugly that it gave me nightmares. I can handle just about any other kind of fish. Plus as I recall from the ones I've accidentally caught... they are not exciting fish to catch. I do like to eat them though, and I'm glad they are raising them.

Merry

RoofBob wrote:I've fished the lake quite a bit. The fish to go for are the carp as they plentiful, can get quite large and the locals love 'em.

The talipia are too small to mess with, the catfish are few and scrawny and the white fish are almost extinct.

The fishermen using nets are going for anything that swims and they are catching fish.

Carp are fun to fish! You mean the locals love eating them or just love them? I thought they were not an edible fish.

I've seen a lady selling small tilapias in San Luis Soyatlan. I heard that the lake was stocked with them a few years ago?

Merry

CanuckBob wrote:There have been a few very sizable carp caught in the lake. I have caught fish off the Chapala pier.

Cbob, that sounds fun. I've heard that you don't need a license to fish from shore (or a pier). Is this true? Only to fish in boats?

merry

merry wrote:

RoofBob wrote:I've fished the lake quite a bit. The fish to go for are the carp as they plentiful, can get quite large and the locals love 'em.

The talipia are too small to mess with, the catfish are few and scrawny and the white fish are almost extinct.

The fishermen using nets are going for anything that swims and they are catching fish.

Carp are fun to fish! You mean the locals love eating them or just love them? I thought they were not an edible fish.

I've seen a lady selling small tilapias in San Luis Soyatlan. I heard that the lake was stocked with them a few years ago?

Merry

The locals really enjoy eating the Lake Chapala carp, it seems they make muy nummie ceveche. If you really get into carp fishing shoot me a PM and I'll send ya a buncha tips on fishing them. Oh and they put up a really decent fight too, nice fish.

merry wrote:

CanuckBob wrote:There have been a few very sizable carp caught in the lake. I have caught fish off the Chapala pier.

Cbob, that sounds fun. I've heard that you don't need a license to fish from shore (or a pier). Is this true? Only to fish in boats?

merry

Merry, Semarnat enforces license requirement, and a fishing license is required, however seldom enforced for bank pier or boat @ the best fishing spots.....Lake Chapala is way off the map for enforcement....LOL

Merry, Great Recipe we used to cook Carp in the States.

Start a fire and put a flat rock on it.
When rock is white hot put carp on it.
Cook for 2 hours.
Throw the Carp away.
Eat the rock.

LMAO

Jim W wrote:Merry, Great Recipe we used to cook Carp in the States.

Start a fire and put a flat rock on it.
When rock is white hot put carp on it.
Cook for 2 hours.
Throw the Carp away.
Eat the rock.

LMAO

OH that's about what I thought! I'll add it to my recipe box.

Merry

Jim W wrote:

merry wrote:

CanuckBob wrote:There have been a few very sizable carp caught in the lake. I have caught fish off the Chapala pier.

Cbob, that sounds fun. I've heard that you don't need a license to fish from shore (or a pier). Is this true? Only to fish in boats?

merry

Merry, Semarnat enforces license requirement, and a fishing license is required, however seldom enforced for bank pier or boat @ the best fishing spots.....Lake Chapala is way off the map for enforcement....LOL

Hmm, just did some Googling and it looks like an annual sportfishing license is only about 44 pesos?

I usually buy an annual license in Texas for like $90 US and then fish only once a year on the gulf, so including all costs the fish costs me roughly $75.00 per pound. Luckily I can fillet my own fish! Otherwise they would be about $77.00 per pound.

Merry

merry wrote:

Jim W wrote:

merry wrote:

CanuckBob wrote:There have been a few very sizable carp caught in the lake. I have caught fish off the Chapala pier.

Cbob, that sounds fun. I've heard that you don't need a license to fish from shore (or a pier). Is this true? Only to fish in boats?

merry

Merry, Semarnat enforces license requirement, and a fishing license is required, however seldom enforced for bank pier or boat @ the best fishing spots.....Lake Chapala is way off the map for enforcement....LOL

Hmm, just did some Googling and it looks like an annual sportfishing license is only about 44 pesos?

I usually buy an annual license in Texas for like $90 US and then fish only once a year on the gulf, so including all costs the fish costs me roughly $75.00 per pound. Luckily I can fillet my own fish! Otherwise they would be about $77.00 per pound.

Merry

Merry, buying a fishing license here is approx. 550 pesos per year........buying fish is far cheaper than catching.

merry wrote:

Jim W wrote:Merry, Great Recipe we used to cook Carp in the States.

Start a fire and put a flat rock on it.
When rock is white hot put carp on it.
Cook for 2 hours.
Throw the Carp away.
Eat the rock.

LMAO

OH that's about what I thought! I'll add it to my recipe box.

Merry

...Like my favorite turnip recipe
Get a pig
Get a bag of turnips
Feed turnips to the pig
Eat the pig

Costco has nice skinned & boned cat fish filets in the freezer section...breaded, deep fried, hush puppies, slaw, cold beer...shades of summers in the Lone Star state!