Photos: see pp. 2-4 for C.A.S.T. for Kids, pp. 5-6 for Lake Baccarac MX trips
Photos: see pp. 2-4 for C.A.S.T. for Kids, pp. 5-6 for Lake Baccarac MX trips
C.A.S.T. for Kids (CFK) is an award-winning national charity, established in 1991 to benefit Special Needs kids ages 6-18+. Formed by two flyfishermen in Washington State, CFK became a 501(c)(3) charity in 1994. It enriches family lives through non-competitive fishing events. In most of the 100 or more events now held each year, experienced volunteer boaters each take a child and their mandatory adult companion out for a few hours of fishing and boating. Each child receives a rod/reel combo, a full tackle box, a box of worms, and an event hat and t-shirt. After a tasty lunch for everyone, in an awards ceremony the kids and their boat captains receive commemorative plaques with their photo. They also have a chance to tell the audience how THEY THINK their boat trip went. Boat Captains have a chance offer their perspective. The contrasts are often hilarious.
Kids and their families pay NOTHING to participate in CFK events. All costs are covered by local sponsors. The events are organized, planned, and staffed by volunteers (including me).
I coordinate annual CFK events in the Phoenix area, at Lake Pleasant. The next one is in 2025 — the date is still in play. It will be Arizona’s 24th annual Lake Pleasant event. It is likely to again be at Pleasant Harbor Marina & RV Resort. Great facility, easy access. As always, I hope to surpass participation in previous years, this time to more than 50 kids, 50 boat captains (pontoons and deckboats are always needed!), 50+ shore volunteers, and 50+ sponsoring businesses, charities, organizations, and individuals. Registration will open ASAP after New Year’s Day and remain open until about 4 weeks before the event. It must close early to enable us to order supplies and get ready for the event. More information will be forthcoming, ASAP.
Note: if you JUST want C.A.S.T. for Kids information, skip from here to the annual event pages (2024, 2023, and 2022) way back up in the Header. But if you want more, read on below.
Fisher House is another award-winning national 501(c)(3) charity. This one support for ongoing medical care for Veterans. Fisher House has more than 70 Ronald McDonald House style places where Veterans stay while receiving medical care. It also provides places for their families to stay close by their loved ones. Fisher House picks up the entire bill for the Veterans and their families. I'm proud to have been a Fisher House donor for years.
My good friends at BigFishBullies are now handling booking for Pro Bass Adventures in Mexico, at Lakes Baccarac and El Salto. Josh and Justin are revamping operations with the Owner to enhance what he and now-retired Doug King built. Meanwhile, lunker Florida-strain largemouth are enjoying good water levels and anglers are enjoying the ba
My good friends at BigFishBullies are now handling booking for Pro Bass Adventures in Mexico, at Lakes Baccarac and El Salto. Josh and Justin are revamping operations with the Owner to enhance what he and now-retired Doug King built. Meanwhile, lunker Florida-strain largemouth are enjoying good water levels and anglers are enjoying the bass. The information below is just a starting point for arranging the Bucket List Trip of YOUR Lifetime! Please email me for expilict detaiils on all aspects of trips.
I am taking another group down to El Salto for November 30-December 7. I have 7 slots left. When they are filled, game over. So get in touch with me ASAP if you (and your son, daughter, and/or buddy) are interested in joining us. I will give modest $$ incntives for paid paired-entries, a double-incentive for double-paid-paired entries.
********************************************
Want to catch the bass of a lifetime?
Mexico is a largemouth bass angler’s dreams. After a few Bucket List trips to El Salto, with Billy Chapman, Jr. and Anglers Inn, I began fishing at Lake Baccarac with Doug King and Pro Bass Adventures (PBA). I prefer Baccarac because in recent years it has produced more big fish (10+ pounds). But is a very close race!!!
PBA Lodge Manager Juan Villa and his staff at Baccarac are wonderful — friendly, attentive, are very fun-loving! The rooms are nice, so is the lake view. The food is fantastic — big meals and excellent quality. The fishing boats (pangas) are in great condition, with SpotLock on the trolling motors and FFS on the Lowrance graphs. Plus, at every water level, in every season, in every weather condition, the well-experienced guides can find every nook, cranny, hump, point, etc. where big bass lurk — without even using the fancy electronics.
I take small groups to Baccarac and El Salto, mainly friendly people who I know or know about (referrals count!) will be great company and cope well with a few trivial surprises. In my opionion, a group-trip barrel simply has no room for bad apples or whiners. You might know some of the folks I’ve taken there: Matt Allen and Tim Little (both of Tactical Bassin’), Justin Seay and Joshua Daniels (both of Big Fish Bullies), Tom Atherton, Mike Bodenchuk, Chris Borgers, Randy Bosket, John Daniels, Mike Goodyear, Steve Grier, Sandra and Robert Lancaster, Matt Rieser, Mike Sumrall, and others. No client has ever complained about their trip — especially not about their new Personal Best Bass!
I’ve never been fond of crowds, so one unexpected joy of my trips to Mexico has been consistently marvelous camaraderie among anglers at the lodges. Keeping things politics- and religion free helps a lot!
At least 95% of the anglers with whom I have interacted from other groups have also been great, sharing information about tried and true techniques, and tales of fish landed and GIANTS lost.
The PBA Baccarac Lodge typically hosts 12-20 clients at once. The clientele is cosmopolitan. Angler diversity leads to fascinating discussions and great information sharing. Newcomers are enfolded, rather than distanced.
Interested in a trip to El Salto or Lake Baccarac? For details, contact me at teebeej@gmail.com. A modest deposit will hold your spot. But if you snooze, you'll lose — and miss out on the bass of your dreams!
Best month to fish Baccarac or El Salto? Honestly, whenever you can get there! Seasonal patterns vary, often widely. Depending on water level and weather, PBA Lodges are usually open from late September or October through May or even June. July-August and sometimes September tend to be hot (less so if you live in Phoenix), but so is the fishing for anglers who make special arrangements to brave the temps (and No See-Ums!)!
I tend to prefer November and January. They are usually higher-water months, with t-shirt weather. Topwater lures, crankbaits, paddletail swimbaits, jigs, and Senkos all work especially well in November. By January, bass are already pre-spawn, spawning, or post-spawn, depending on the "winter" weather.
8-Day Trip Overview
Arrival (Travel) Day
Fishing Days
Departure Day
2025 all-in price estimated at max of $4500, which includes: $800 early deposit ($700 transferrable but not refundable), $2000 final pre-trip payment ($1800 transferrable but not refundable), plus ca. $2200 for all other NORMAL personal expenses as incurred. By NORMAL, I mean some clients pay huge BiG Fish Incentives, tip heartily, and might even wager with other anglers. Those are examples of unpredictable PERSON expenses.
Estimated Total covers: round-trip flight, double-occupancy A/C room and guided panga, all food, all drink (water, soda, beer, mixed drinks), staff tips, van tdriver tips, and guide pay.
Costs NOT included in estimates: extra baggage, Lodge tackle store purchases, tips above required amounts and pre-flight COVID-19 tests (if required).
Send an email to teebeej@gmail.com to receive more detailed trip information than you have ever seen: lake and lodge information, lodge and PBA staff, WHAT NOT TO BRING, solid tips on Customs Processing, clothes, tackle, etc. Try it, you’ll like it!
There is no question about this: Tactical Bassin’ will show you how to fish more successfully, on ANY water. Co-owners, master anglers and "video stars" (lol!) Matt Allen and Tim Little are unbeatable when it comes to guiding or to video content and quality. They are very specific about how they fish, why they fish that way, and they prov
There is no question about this: Tactical Bassin’ will show you how to fish more successfully, on ANY water. Co-owners, master anglers and "video stars" (lol!) Matt Allen and Tim Little are unbeatable when it comes to guiding or to video content and quality. They are very specific about how they fish, why they fish that way, and they provide online links to the tackle they use.
What probably impresses me the most about Matt and Tim, is that in person they are just like they are on screen: friendly, happy, funny, humble, extraordinarily knowledgeable and incredible at freely sharing their knowledge and skills. Exactly the kind of guys you’d want to fish with, again and again. Hard to believe, but their wives are just as nice and also excellent anglers!
Unpaid advocacy: to help Tactical make a living, please buy at least some of your fishing gear online from Tackle Warehouse by FIRST clicking the link on the Tactical website. This helps enable Matt and Tim to stay free of sponsor obligations that cause so many online YouTube bass fishing channels to pimp only sponsored products — whether or not they actually use them. At Tactical Bassin’, you will get the facts, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Full disclosure: over the years, Matt and Tim have donated many products for fundraising raffles at bass club and charity events that I have organized.
Fishing has been a passion for my whole life. After countless trips over six decades, I now consider myself a serious bass angler, perhaps even a bit above average in skills. In my younger days, I enjoyed modest tournament success in pro-ams and clubs. Years ago, I became aware of northern California’s bass fishing mecca: Clear Lake, northwest of Sacramento. For decades, it has been a perennial Top Five American Bass Lake. Finally, I planned a December trip to Clear Lake with two local friends who had fished it before, with Matt Allen, a legendary trophy-bass guide who lived on the lake. So, we made plans to fish with Matt.
As December approached, forecasts of bad weather caused my wimpy friends to back out! But I persevered and went solo. The weather was indeed crappy — freezing cold, snow and sleet, ice-covered boat and rods, gusty wind. Fishing barefooted in our customary flip- flops or sandals (kindred spirits!), Matt and I had the time of my life! It was awesome. Highlight: a 12.3 lb bass!
I had fished with some darned good anglers before, but Matt was in a class of his own. I was dumbstruck by how little I actually knew about bass fishing in comparison to him! Honestly, even while he was fishing he knew more about what I was and was not doing than I did. Matt thought me about fishing spots on spots, casting lines, swimbaits and glide baits and a thousand other things. He even, eventually, was able to teach me to tie a decent braid-to-leader blood knot.
Since that first trip, I've fished with Matt again and again, as both a client and a friend. In addition to sharing a passion for bass fishing, family and flip-flops or sandals in all weather, we both have a very strong dislike for Wal-Mart — long live LOCAL tackle stores! Oh, the strange ties that bind!
Through Matt, I also came to know his partner in fishing and co-owner of Tactical Bassin’, Tim Little. Tim is probably Matt’s peer in terms of fishing knowledge and skills, especially finesse fishing and electronics. More importantly, they are the most compatible duo of anglers I’ve ever seen. Their front-deck ballet is amazing.
Their families are the epitome of the "All American Family." Tactical Bassin’ videos and Instagram posts sometimes feature their wives, Cazbar and Tonya, both of whom are also accomplished anglers, and their wonderful kids. The wives’ videos are as instructive as the ones that feature Matt and/or Tim.
About two years ago, the Tactical Bassin' Family moved East. Their new home lake is Chickamauga but they still fish everywhere. They moved so they could more easily fish and teach about new waters, where the fishing is often fabulous. Also, east of the Mississippi the YouTube algorithm$ become more conducive to making a living.
With Tactical Bassin' gone, Clear Lake isn't quite the same any more. But rest assured, my Bucket List includes more fishing trips at Clear Lake and elsewhere with Tactical Bassin’. So should yours!
Fishing is, above all, a family-friendly sport. Many, if not most anglers, were first exposed to this awesome outdoor adventure as kids. More than a few probably caught their first sunfish, bass or catfish with a cane pole or perhaps a Zebco rod/reel combo. The fish at the end of the line don’t know what is "upstream" from that hook but t
Fishing is, above all, a family-friendly sport. Many, if not most anglers, were first exposed to this awesome outdoor adventure as kids. More than a few probably caught their first sunfish, bass or catfish with a cane pole or perhaps a Zebco rod/reel combo. The fish at the end of the line don’t know what is "upstream" from that hook but that does not stop serious anglers from spending their kids’ inheritance on better, more expensive equipment. Regardless the joy of fishing remains.
The folks at BigFishBullies are above all family-fishing focused. Sure, their expert guides take clients out for trophies, but kids on the boat are where they shine. Whether the kids have Special Needs and new to fishing or they are already seasoned veterans at an early age is immaterial. They and their siblings and adult companions are guaranteed a fantastic day on the water.
BigFishBullies also markets the best sun-protection hoodies and shirts that you can buy. Their brand is the only one the American Cancer Society has has approved. Personally, my favorite item is their summer hoodie because it protects my hands, neck, throat and face as well as my ever increasing bald spot(s).
With its corporate HQ (lol!) in Phoenix, BigFishBullies already has a great presence in the Southwest. But for Instagram and Facebook users, they seem to be everywhere, every day. They and their followers post fantastic pictures of giant largemouth, smallmouth, catfish, gar, sunfish, bugle mouth bass (carp) and many other kinds of fish. And virtually every Follower post receives personal kudos from the BigFishBullies owners. It’s really a small-town approach to a worldwide enterprise!
The primary owners, Josh Daniels and Justin Seay, are two of the nicest people I have ever met. I have had the pleasure and (dubious?) honor of fishing with them in Mexico as well as the US. My trips with them at Lake Baccarac are Bucket List highlights of my life. One of the things I cherish most about both guys is their willingness to share information with their clients and close friends. Both are excellent teachers, on and off the water! And so funny!
BigFishBullies is creating new and exciting opportunities and I look forward to helping make them successful. Watch for their announcements about this. I won’t say anything more about this, because if I do they will never again share a secret with me. But, I am as excited about these new things as I have been about anything fishing related since I bought my first (and last!) bassboat brand new in 2006. I can’t vouch for newer Rangers but my 2005 Ranger 520DVX and its predecessors were built best and built to last. But I digress!
Please check into BigFishBullies for opportunities to expand your fishing universe, and that of kids you have or know.
The future of fishing depends on YOU!
Wildlife conservation, nongame wildlife, and endangered species have been my professional passion for more than 50 years. I have worked on these issues since 1971, in South America, Canada, Mexico, and throughout the United States (except Rhode Island!). I have been employed by an NGO (The Nature Conservancy; 4 years), a State Wildlife Ag
Wildlife conservation, nongame wildlife, and endangered species have been my professional passion for more than 50 years. I have worked on these issues since 1971, in South America, Canada, Mexico, and throughout the United States (except Rhode Island!). I have been employed by an NGO (The Nature Conservancy; 4 years), a State Wildlife Agency (Arizona Game and Fish Department; 30 years) and I have been a private consultant to many agencies and organizations along the way.
Now, I’ve pretty much wound down my conservation consulting business. I am getting back to writing articles and working on three books. But, I still occasionally take on short-term projects projects -- including manuscript editing for substance, format and grammar -- as the world changes but habitat destruction, species and ecosystem endangerment, and agency dysfunction continue unabated.
Wildlife conservation, nongame wildlife and endangered species have been my professional passion for more than 50 years. I have worked on these issues since 1971, in South America, Canada, Mexico and throughout the United States (except Rhode Island!). I have been employed by an NGO (The Nature Conservancy; 4 years), a State Wildlife Agen
Wildlife conservation, nongame wildlife and endangered species have been my professional passion for more than 50 years. I have worked on these issues since 1971, in South America, Canada, Mexico and throughout the United States (except Rhode Island!). I have been employed by an NGO (The Nature Conservancy; 4 years), a State Wildlife Agency (Arizona Game and Fish Department; 30 years) and been a private consultant to innumerable agencies and organizations along the way.
Now, I’ve pretty much wound down my conservation consulting business.
But, I still occasionally consider taking on short-term projects projects -- including manuscript editing for substance, format and grammar -- as the world changes but habitat destruction, species and ecosystem endangerment, and agency dysfunction continue unabated.
Wildlife conservation, nongame wildlife and endangered species have been my professional passion for more than 50 years. I have worked on these issues since 1971, in South America, Canada, Mexico and throughout the United States (except Rhode Island!). I have been employed by an NGO (The Nature Conservancy; 4 years), a State Wildlife Agen
Wildlife conservation, nongame wildlife and endangered species have been my professional passion for more than 50 years. I have worked on these issues since 1971, in South America, Canada, Mexico and throughout the United States (except Rhode Island!). I have been employed by an NGO (The Nature Conservancy; 4 years), a State Wildlife Agency (Arizona Game and Fish Department; 30 years) and been a private consultant to innumerable agencies and organizations along the way.
Now, I’ve pretty much wound down my conservation consulting business.
But, I still occasionally consider taking on short-term projects projects -- including manuscript editing for substance, format and grammar -- as the world changes but habitat destruction, species and ecosystem endangerment, and agency dysfunction continue unabated.
I'm Terry B. Johnson, second son and third child of four for George and Priscilla. I was born in 1947, in a suburb of Chicago IL. I lived in that area until my family moved to Oklahoma City, in 1959 (I think). For more details, please see my Blog (next Section). For now, suffice to say I'm retired from a career in wildlife conservation. I have a wonderful wife, two adult sons, two wonderful daughters-in-law and five magnificent grandkids (2 girls, 3 boys). Most of my time is spent with my family (don’t believe what they say!), reading, bass fishing, working on my bass boat and occasionally writing. I am also an active contributor to two award-winning national charities: C.A.S.T. for Kids and Fisher House.
I hope you will consider joining me in a C.A.S.T. for Kids or Fisher House charity event, on one of my sporadic bass fishing adventures or perhaps even make use of my abilities and abilities as a writer and editor of hundreds of popular and scientific articles, agency and technical reports, books and other publications.
I might bite but I’m not venomous. Probably.
Sign up to hear from us about specials, sales, and events.
I don’t have a store, but that doesn't mean we can’t do business!
United States
Open today | 09:00 am – 05:00 pm |
Copyright © 2024 teebeej.com - All Rights Reserved.
Powered by GoDaddy