Our Story & Mission
How It All Started
We were living in Philomath, Oregon when this story began twenty years ago — with a love for fishing, a heart for those in need, and a calling from God to build a business that would fund a ministry in Mexico. While researching Christian organizations in Tepic, Nayarit we discovered the Casa de Niños. Two trips to visit the Casa and Lake Aguamilpa later, everything pointed to the same answer: this was the place.
We sold our home in Oregon and moved into a rental house across the street from the Casa. In 2007–2008, we bought the property on Lake Aguamilpa, imported three boats from Texas, and built the Palapa that would become the community gathering spot at Fishin’ Mission Adventures.
The Casa de Niños is located in Tepic about 45 minutes from Lake Aguamilpa. They care for orphaned, abused, and abandoned children — as well as single mothers in need. The people who run it pour everything they have into those they serve. That’s who we built this for.
Dave and Barbara Sanders, founders of Fishin’ Mission Adventures
Building With Purpose
When we first set eyes on the property, it was bare land. There was no way in except by boat — and that’s still true today. You fly into Puerto Vallarta, make your way to Tepic, and then board a boat at the Aguamilpa dam for the 15-minute ride out to the lodge. The lake opens up around you, the shoreline pulls away, and the world you came from starts to feel very far away. That’s exactly the point.
Building on a boat-access-only property means every bag of concrete, every door and window, and every piece of furniture must arrive by water. We built a long staircase up the hill to move everything from the boat dock to the building site — and when the loads got heavy enough, we rigged up a small motorized trolley on the stairs to do the hauling. These days it hauls guest suitcases, which feels like a fair trade. The two-story lodge, caretaker’s house, and outbuildings were all built with stone excavated from the property, mortared with sand from the grounds. We hired local Huichol laborers who knew this land and put real skill into everything they built. The property operates entirely on renewable energy — rooftop solar panels, solar water heaters, and a small wind turbine.
Come Experience a Feel-Good Fishing Adventure
Every fishing package supports two causes: the Casa de Niños children’s home, and free medical and dental clinics for our Huichol and Coras indigenous neighbors who live in villages along the lake. As one guest put it: “The fantastic fishing — AND the niños get to eat today, go to school, and have a safe, warm bed tonight.” That’s exactly it.
Getting here is how the adventure begins — and the people willing to make the trip tend to be exactly our kind of guest. This isn’t a drive-up, coolers-and-crowds kind of operation. The anglers who find their way to Fishin’ Mission Adventures want to slow down, get out on the water, and know that their trip dollars are doing something worthwhile in the world. If that sounds like you, we’d love to have you join us.
— Dave & Barb Sanders
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