A fishing tournament went on as scheduled this weekend at the lake, which some say, is the best place in the country to fish. But many feared that no one would come after recent reports of robberies on Falcon Lake. As our Annette Garcia reports, fishermen say the economy is depending on them and they won't let Mexican pirates get in the way.
"It doesn't take long to see why so many people love Falcon Lake. 'Even Bass Master Magazine rated this lake as the best in the country to go fish,' says one fisherman. Nearly twice the number of participants came from around Texas to join in on this year's API Bass Tournament despite recent reports of armed robberies on the waters of the lake. The good turnout is not surprising to some. Tournament officials say they're ready for any scenario. 'The Texas Parks and Wildlife, Border Patrol, and Zapata County Sheriff's Department; They've been very helpful in guiding fishermen for any questions they may have,' says Robert Chavez, API Bass Tournament Director. Going home is not an option. 'If they're fishing the Texas side of Falcon, they have zero problems. We've got more law enforcement on the waters than we've ever had,' says James Bendele, of Falcon Lake Tackle. (Annette:) 'Fishermen have their bait ready and say they won't let anything get in the way of a good catch, especially not when the economy is depending on them.' 'We definitely need to help them support this economy. That's why we're here,' says one fisherman. Participants and organizers alike say what they really fear is people shying away from such a beautiful place to fish. Regardless of what pirates may be watching, people don't want to see a deterioration of the area's economy. They hope this weekend's successful tournament will help cancel out some of the worries. 'We like to see a positive image for this lake; it's an economy-driven source for Zapata.' 'No problems here on Falcon. Come on down!' In Zapata, Annette Garcia, Pro 8 News."
Recently, the Texas Department of Public Safety issued an advisory to boaters after Zapata County authorities received reports of several armed and attempted armed robberies on the lake. The robberies were believed to be members of a drug trafficking organization.