It's something Zapata residents say they've known all along, but now it's official.
Zapata’s falcon lake has been named best bass lake in the United States by a very popular nationwide magazine.
And as our Annette Garcia reports, the Zapata Chamber of Commerce is excited to welcome even more visitors to the lake.
“Zapata is great. I love the lake. I love the lake we've always come fishing here.”
“We usually fish here and we catch a lot of big black bass. Lots.”
For Reda Garza, no lake beats Falcon Lake for bass fishing.
“My granddaughter, husband and myself, we caught 12 ten pounder, 9 pounder, 7 pounder.”
A Zapata resident of 34 years, she admits, she’s a little bias.
But now her claim is official.
“After comparing these statistics they came up with Falcon Lake as being the number one best bass fishing lake in the United States.”
The national monthly magazine, Bassmaster has ranked Zapata’s falcon lake the best bass lake in the United States.
Number one on a list of 100.
Beating out thousands of other lakes nationwide.
“It’s tremendous.”
The news comes as no surprise to locals.
People come all the way out here and bring a boat along with them but the people who know this lake well say you don’t need a boat at all.
“There was a man from Florida and he said I hauled my boat all the way from Florida and I didn’t even need it. He saw me hauling all the big black bass out you know.”
It's the first time Bassmaster has compiled a list of the top rated spots, all chosen by professionals after weeks of collecting data.
“They used editors professional anglers. The states wildlife departments.”
The news is being welcomed with open arms.
And it's all the buzz at local tackle shops.
“It’s huge it fills up hotel rooms gas stations tackle stores. Everything else. It’s been wonderful.”
Preparing to hopefully get a little bit busier.
“With this I think those anglers who have never been here will be drawn back to falcon and those who already come will keep coming because of the great news.”
Bassmaster is the largest tournament company in the United States.
Their monthly magazine has over 800,000 subscribers.
The president of the Zapata Chamber of Commerce hopes the article will draw in more people to Zapata.