I love when this gets brought up as a reason NOT to go to Mexico. Just a couple of boys out fishing and minding their own business and got sucker punched. Could have happened to anyone.

Bass fishing is just as addictive as meth to some people. Everyone knows it is as dangerous to be in some parts of mexico just like being in some parts of LA. Some died hard fisherman are willing to take that chances to fish mexico lakes. On the other hand would they be saying it is safe if they were going to a marching band concert in mexico? Prolly not lol. Bottom line is sometimes trouble finds you for example. I'm a hispanic that doesnt know a whole lot of spanish and that my friend is a no no in mexico. Puts me in a vulnerable spot when communicating with mexicans.

" We also had security escorts while fishing Comedero that accompanied us throughout the day on the water and stood outside the bunkhouse while we slept. "

I really didn't like armed guards around...when I went back a few years ago... I wont go back there again. I feel much more comfortable at El Salto Anglers Inn.

The only place I've ever heard of fishermen getting into trouble was at El Salto. Two years ago.

Fouz told us the story about Charlie, just the tale he told scared me enough to never go there... You never know what will happen...

Yeah -- In a place they shouldn't have been at a time of night that they should have been sleeping. Take a sack lunch next time and eat it for a late night dinner. Why in the world would you go to a Cantina in a small out of the way town ? They just increased the chances of an incident by 1000 times.
C'mon Man !!!

To get a couple tacos?

I have caught 5-6 fish over 10 right here in north Texas not Detroit and I can carry my Kimber in the boat if I want to. Have a cousin that has a cabin on Lake Novillo Mexico and goes every year for 2 weeks and said their big fish on average is 7 lbs. Years ago I would have gone down there but things have changed and not for the better. If you feel safe go for it , just hope you don't make the head lines. Don't try sucker punching me in north Texas or you will make the head lines.

Shame on us, we didn't realize that was going to be the case until we arrived. On the last day, riding down to the lake on the bus, the clip in one of the guards machine guns fell out into the floor of the bus. Made us feel great. Good thing we didn't need him.

Better be REAL GOOD tacos ..... !!!

in the summer of 1970 I went to Tangiers,,,,,,I was 18.
got off the plane (walked down steps onto the tarmac) and there were armed guards standing about 20 yards apart from the plane to the terminal.
I thought Dang ..... then went to the Casbah and walked from the top down to the bottom, went to a belly dance / lunch show, had dinner at a hotel.
walked back past the armed guards got on the plane and went back to Spain. I didn't do anything wrong, they didn't shoot me, bad guys didn't attack, it was a great adventure. If you let little things keep you from enjoying life then you will truly never experience what this world has to offer. there is bad everywhere you go ...... you just have to avoid the bad and embrace the good.

the absolute most terrifying day in my life is when I took a wrong turn (in the middle of the day) while I was in PHILADELPHIA. I was in a neighborhood that I should not have been in. I ran stop signs and red lights trying to get stopped by the police or get out of there. Since there were no police in the neighborhood (too smart to be in there) I got out fairly quickly. Now will that/has that kept me from going back to Philadelphia,,,bsolutely not. Great City with great heritage and great food. Super place to visit, but I don't go back to that neighborhood.

Same with Mexico, I wouldn't suggest going out for a taco at the local Cantina after dark thirty, but I would certainly say YES to a trip to El Salto for some bass fishing.......keeping yourself at the fish camp.

Thanks for the input guys. I went to Salto last year, clearly its hot and you dont need to go looking for trouble....I get all that. I just want to know if this new level 4 is just a new rating system or if there has been events that has lead to the increase in over the past few months in Sinaloa.


No one can answer the following questions for me. I have tried the consulate, state department.....who can answer this?

Has an american been kidnapped or murdered in Sinaloa in 2017?
Have there been any reports of road blocks in Sinaloa?
When was the last time an american was attacked on lake Comendero?
What was the cause for this new rating system.

I'll throw my two cents in: It sounds like you are trying to justify taking the trip because you will be fishing on Comedero and you can't find a specific instance where someone was harmed while traveling to/from the airport or harmed while fishing on the lake.

That could be true, but I would not use the lack of a specific incident to determine whether or not it's safe to travel there.

Things are rough down there with all the cartel battles going on. You can read the borderland beats webpage and see how much turmoil is happening. You will be out of the country with none of the rights you expect to have while in the US.

With that being said, I think you would be pretty safe going straight from the airport to the fish camp and staying put until you travel straight back to the airport from the camp. But, there are certainly risks involved and you have to determine if you are willing to take those risks.

I have been to El Salto 3 times, once with a group of 14 and twice with a group of 18, and will go again, but only with a group of friends as I have in the past. All the times we went with Doug King's Pro Bass Adventures. They pick you up at the airport and take you and your gear to the lodge on the lake for no additional charge. They have security at night at the lodge but it is so unobtrusive you won't know it is there. They have everything you can legally want or need. No need for any other adventures other than fishing, comfortable lodging, good food and drink. You'll be too tired to even think of anything else. I do lock all my valuables in a case in my room when out on the lake. There is no need for valuables out there anyway. Need more beer on the boat, the guide calls back to the lodge and a boat will bring you more. Doug's crew also returns you and your gear to the Mazatlan airport. Nothing is easier than that. Yes there are Federales at certain points on the drives but they are not interested in fishermen going to and fro from the airport. If you think about it the cartels will probably take care of any local who does something to bring additional heat down upon the cartels heads. I have felt as safe on my trips with Doug's Pro Bass Adventures services as I have been on many other trips in the USA.