My good friend Bruce Holt of G.Loomis shows but one of the many reasons that Anglers Inn on Mexico's Lake El Salto is my favorite destination for bass fishing. In my book, Better Bass Fishing, he reveals how he caught this 13-5 lunker.

Nestled in the mountains of western Mexico, Anglers Inn and Lake El Salto are not subjected to the brutal cold fronts that sometimes rip down into the middle of the U.S. during winter and extend all the way to Lake Guerrero on the east side.

Mornings can be cool until the sun rises above the mountains and breaks through the clouds and mist. This is my favorite time on Lake El Salto. Just before I took this photo, I had three tremendous blowups on a topwater. The second one straightened the hooks on my Zara Spook. I managed to land the third one, which topped 9 pounds.

The cemetery is underwater when the lake is up. When it is low, I like to explore and take photos. Don't like to fish among the monuments and statues, though, because it seems disrepectful.

Birds are abundant from late fall into winter on Lake El Salto. Herons, egrets, coots, ducks, pelicans, osprey, and eagles are but a few of the species that share the fishery with gringo bass fishermen.

This osprey did not want to share his tilapia lunch with us. Tilapia, which reproduce every six weeks or so, provide plenty of food for the fast-growing bass at Lake El Salto.

El Salto's big bass sometimes appear to have "pony" eyes that bug out of their heads. I talked to a biologist about this and he said that often happens with rapid growth rate. My good friend Dave Burkhardt of Trikfish caught this 13-8 on a magnum Fat Free Shad in citrus color. On this five-day trip, we caught 13 bass that weighed 10 pounds or more, as well as countless fish of 5 to 9 pounds. About half of the lunkers were caught on crankbaits, while the rest attacked topwaters.

I caught this 9-pound-plus bass on a Yum Dinger in February. She would have topped 10 easily if she had eggs. January and February are good times to visit Anglers Inn and fish for big bass in shallow brush with soft jerkbaits and Senko-type baits.

I love the mornings for fishing, but sunset usually is more spectacular than sunrise.

El Salto spreads out about 23,000 acres when the level is up. Water hyacinth is the only vegetation. Bass typically are caught in flooded timber and brush, as well as on flats, around points, and along ledges and dropoffs.

Anglers Inn staff makes great margaritas, which were involved in my posing for this photo.

Lucas the macaw likes a nacho chip every now and then.

Bougainvillea blooms in abundance for weeks at Anglers Inn.

As with every other bass fishery, the bite isn't always fast and furious at Lake El Salto, but the beauty of the place never disappoints.