Photo by Ulysses S. Romero/file | The Zapata Times
Fishermen return after a day on a cold Falcon Lake to have their catches officially weighed for a FLW tournament last winter.
Lorraine L Rodriguez
The Zapata Times
Zapata officials are concerned over a Texas Department of Public Safety warning boaters of armed robberies and attempted armed robberies by pirates at Falcon Lake, but said the warning is only a precaution.
“Local authorities never said it’s dangerous to fish in Falcon Lake as long as you stay in U.S. waters,” said Jose F. “Paco” Mendoza Jr., chief executive officer of the Zapata County Chamber of Commerce. “It’s only a precaution.”
Mendoza said members of the public have misinterpreted the message authorities conveyed as “stay away,” which could keep visitors from going to the lake, thus impacting the economy. Falcon Lake and the fishing tournaments it attracts are known as one of Zapata’s main sources of revenue.
“The message is being misunderstood,” Mendoza said. “We want people to enjoy the lake.”
The Zapata County Chamber of Commerce re? ported several calls and electronic mails coming from frequent visitors of the lake concerned over the warning authorities issued Tuesday, urging boaters to avoid venturing into Mexican waters.
The message came from a DPS advisory to boaters after at least three reports in the last month of armed robberies have been reported since April 30, carried out by men believed to be members of drug trafficking organizations in Mexico.
According to officials people on boats fishing on Falcon Lake near Old Guerrero reported being held at gunpoint. In one of the incidents two people reported being held at gun point by heavily tattooed men carrying AK-47s and AR-15 rifles claiming to be “Federales” demanding drugs and money. The men were not in uniform. The fishermen gave the men $200 from their wallets and told them they did not have any drugs and were simply fishing and taking photos of the old church. The pirates followed the fishermen until they reached U.S. waters.
At least five fishing tournaments are scheduled for the months of May, June, and July: Rebel Bass Club Tournament, American Bass Anglers Tournament, API Bass Tournament and BBQ Cook-Off, South Texas Five Tournaments, and the second annual Fish for Life Extravaganza, sponsored by March of Dimes.
Although boaters have been made aware of the incidents, Zapata County Chamber of Commerce and surrounding businesses have not reported any cancellations in hotel reservations or tournament registrations.
Tom Bendele, owner of Falcon Lake Tackle said only one tournament was postponed: The American Bass Anglers Tournament was scheduled for this weekend but will now be on the following weekend. Frequent visitors from San Antonio and Houston know the lake very well and tournament organizers have made Mexican waters off-limits a rule.
“They’re not gonna stop coming,” he said.
(Lorraine L. Rodriguez may be contacted at (956) 728-2557.)
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