Authorities Warn Visitors To Stay In US Waters At Falcon Lake

Falcon Lake is world renowned for its bass fishing. Last year, it also became the infamous scene of a homicide investigation.

The sheriff near Falcon Lake is reminding people to stay out of Mexican waters after a U.S. fisherman recently reported that he was fired on and returned from Mexico with a bullet hole in his boat.

Texas authorities issued a warning about pirates more than a year ago, before a reported attack on an American couple using personal water craft in Mexico. The body of David Hartley has not been found.

During a recent tour of the lake with the Border Patrol, a reporter and cameraman were required to wear life preservers and body armor.

David and Tiffany Hartley took the same route when they went out on Jet Skis last September.

Omar Garcia, of the Border Patrol marine unit, pointed to markers in the lake that show where the border begins.

“Anything east of the markers is U.S., anything west is Mexico,” he said.

Sixty-five percents of the lake is in Mexico.

“As long as the anglers don’t make landfall in Mexico or if they don’t make contact with another vessel in Mexico, they’re free to come and go,” said Border Patrol Agent Ramiro Cerillo.

Smugglers also go back and forth. Border Patrol Agents Clara Torres said smugglers will try to blend in with fishing boats and bring their contraband in the boats themselves.

Coves in the lake, which are good fishing spots, also make for a good hiding place. That is why border agents rely on boats to patrol the shoreline and all the nooks and crannies of Falcon Lake.

“Once they get in that brush it’s almost impossible to see them,” Garica said.

At the same time last year, authorities in Texas were warning people to be on the lookout for pirates on Falcon lake in an area controlled by the Zetas cartel.

The Hartleys were six miles inside Mexican waters. Tiffany Hartley told investigators the couple was taking photos of a church when they were attacked by gunmen.

Torres said it is not very common for people to go that deep into Mexico.

After the death of David Hartley, there was disbelief. The story stunned locals living near the lake. But nearly a year later, the disbelief has been replaced by doubt said the editor of the Zapata County News.

“I think there are still a lot of questions, a lot of doubt,” Karran Westerman said. “Exactly what happened? Where the Zetas really involved?

The homicide investigation remains open on both sides of the border. So far, no body has been recovered in Mexico.

But the bass still lure plenty of fishermen, and visitors continue to flock to Falcon Lake. Fishermen on a boat passing by gave a thumbs-up to fishing.

When asked if he would go to Mexico, visitor Jose Gomez said no.

“No I won’t,” he said “I won’t risk it.”

Kristy Evans, another visitor, added, “It’s a great sport. You just want to keep it somewhere safe.”

For some that means sticking close to shore at Falcon Lake.