Lake Amistad Welcomes Spring Break Anglers

It’s a mild march weekend in Texas. Spring break has started for many and there is no doubt college students are migrating to Texas’ many beaches and lakes. That’s a pretty easy prognostication to make. However, Spring Break welcomes more than just students ready to have a good time and enjoy their week off, it starts off some of the largest bass fishing tournaments in the country, bringing in hundreds of fisherman ready to catch big fish for big prizes.

According to March always produces more big Texas largemouth bass than any other month, a function of the fishes’ physiology and the bass anglers’ behavior. Most of the heavy fish are more commonly females. As spring approaches and water temperature begins its steady climb from winter lows, female largemouths that spent the winter developing eggs that add to their heft, begin moving out of their deep-water winter quarters and into warmer shallows to lay them. This means fishing time for bass anglers.

About a 200-mile drive from San Marcos, straddling the Mexican and American border, lies a true gem in the desert, Lake Amistad. With over 850 miles of shoreline and 68,000 acres of sparkling water, it's one of the largest and most popular lakes in Texas. According to www.nps.gov, boaters and fishermen at Amistad enjoy one of the longest and warmest lake seasons in the country with a boating season that starts earlier in the spring, and goes later in the fall than most other lakes in the US.

“It's just plain warm and wonderful most of the year,” said local business owner Debbie Hunter. "Lake Amistad's lake level is currently the highest it has been in 17 years, so all the businesses and visitors are loving the high waters,” said Hunter.

Lake Amistad boasts some of the best lake snorkeling and scuba in the state, the best bass fishing in the world, and one of the largest collections of archaeological sites anywhere. According to the U.S. Department of Interior on their website, “The Amistad National Recreation Area is home to dramatic 4,000 year-old rock art.” These mysterious paintings adorn rock shelter walls in the upper reaches of the Amistad Reservoir. Boaters can usually access Panther and Parida Caves, depending on lake level, and hikers can go on a guided tour at nearby Seminole Canyon State Park and Historic Site. University of Texas A&M Corpus Christi student, Anna Bruns, was asked about the cave paintings

“I camp here almost every year with my family for spring break! Lake Amistad provides a lot of historic areas that were inhabited tens of thousands of years ago and it is just hard to find place like this often with such beautiful surroundings.”

It is an appealing occasion for spring breakers. But most importantly for locals and newcomers alike, is the start of the annual Bass Masters tournament. Bass Masters welcomes different fishing clubs to participate in a largemouth bass fishing tournament with the top three places receiving cash and gift prizes.

When asked about the tournament, fisherman Ronald Carter had this to say. “I come every year to try and win this thing; even if you don’t win the heaviest fish gets its own $500 prize, fat cash for fat fish I like to say,” said Carter.

Many other tournaments for different groups are held as well. There are so many that the press is always on location ready to film and reveal results. In an opinon piece on Amistadbass.com, BASSMASTER Magazine writer, Tim Tucker blogged about the lake,

“It is simply the hottest big bass lake in America,” said Tucker.

With everything from world-class fishing, miles of shoreline dotted with private coves, ancient rock art sites and seemingly endless water sports, it's tough to choose just how to spend your spring break here at Lake Amistad whether you are an angler or a student.