Less Costly Tackle Solutions for El Salto and Picachos
Restaurants may sometimes have a strict “No Substitutions” policy, but here at Half Past First Cast we’re not that rigid. If deviating from planned itineraries, techniques or shopping lists can somehow make your dream fishing trip better or more attainable, then we’re all for creativity – as long as you’re not being pennywise and pound foolish.
When we recently shared our suggested “starter list” for a basic four night, three and a half day trip to El Salto or Picachos, those of you with no tackle already in reserve may have balked at some of the individual items’ prices. For example, spending over $20 for a single Lobina Lures Rio Rico or for a lone Megabass Vision 110 jerkbait might seem a little extreme, particularly if you’re not likely to use the tackle again. We recommended those lures because we’re convinced that they are the best in their respective classes for our goals, but plenty of other anglers prefer different alternatives, or enjoy adequate success with less costly options.
With that in mind, I’ve built a second shopping list that includes some (but not all) more inexpensive lure and gear choices. If you’re headed to El Salto or Picachos for the first time, you can adopt it in its entirety, or simply swap out one or more items for their more expensive counterparts on the prior list. That’s up to you. For the sake of comparison, if you were to order the first list today (August 2021), with no promotional or sales code, it would total $328.18. By comparison, this newer “bargain” list would total $256.84 under the same circumstances. Obviously, as you increase the quantity of certain items (perhaps because you need more of something or because you’re packing for a group) the gap between the two might grow. Only you can determine whether that will make a difference in your life or in your ability to take a trip to Mexico, so view all of this with a critical eye. At the same time, remember that our first list is a bare minimum of what we’d expect to take, so if, for example, you want to bring nine packs of tungsten weights (three packs each of three different sizes) as opposed to the three on the list, the additive savings might be substantial.
Without further ado, click here or on the picture below to head over to the Tackle Warehouse site to see our “alternate wish list.”
A few additional notes:
Despite the fact that some of these items would not be our first choices in their respective categories, only tackle that we ourselves would pay hard-earned cash to buy is on the list. We’ve left off anything that we know or strongly suspect would not work, even if it would come at a substantial savings.
In some cases, the items are the same on both lists. In some cases this is because we think that there’s no substitute for quality. For example, I am convinced that while you can catch plenty of bass on a Senko substitute, day in, day out, the original from Gary Yamamoto is the best option. It may cost more, but I think the difference is worth it. So too do the many pros who are sponsored by other companies in whose boats I see the originals.
In some cases, the duplication between the two lists exists because our original choice reflects the least price option. For example, the Storm Wildeye Shad is true bargain (just a buck or two per swimbait) that is perpetually on our list of El Salto staples. They catch lots of fish throughout the entire year. If you can find a lesser-cost alternative that’s anywhere near as productive, stock up on them!
In some cases the savings may only be minor, but if you’re committed to minimizing your costs, every little bit can count.
When comparing tackle options for cost-effectiveness, make sure that you are comparing apples to apples in terms of numbers. A pack of 10 big worms that costs $5 might at first seem more expensive than another brand that costs $4, but if that latter option only includes five worms, that’s not the case.
When in doubt, increase your order. It’s not impossible to go through 20 big worms in a day of fishing, or to lose a couple of crankbaits every day (even though the Anglers Inn guides are exceptional at retrieving snagged lures), and it sucks to not have your confidence baits. It’s always better to have too many than too few. You’ve already spent a few grand on the trip, don’t let it be less than optimal in order to save a few bucks.
While we’ve suggested some of our favorite colors on these lists, don’t feel that you have to adhere precisely to this limited set of options. In the COVID era, supply chain issues have sometimes made getting exactly the tackle you want in a timely fashion a challenge. Typically I think that getting a “ballpark” color of your preferred lure is better than getting the perfect color of your second choice. For example, if you can’t get a chrome/blue lipless crankbait in your favorite model, get chrome/black rather than going without.
If time is not of the essence (and you’re not terribly concerned about the recent inventory issues) wait for the Tackle Warehouse sales. They almost always run a good one on Black Friday after Thanksgiving. In the past they’ve also run others around the events or holidays like the Bassmaster Classic, Memorial Day and Independence Day, although those are not quite as historically consistent.
One last note, shoot us an email before your trip if you have any questions about what to bring. We’re in touch with the staff at El Salto and Picachos on a regular basis and we’ve been there during the majority of the months the lodges are open, so we can help you make the choices that are right for your budget, your fishing skills, and the particular time of year that you’ll be heading South of the Border.
