850 miles of shoreline, recreation, and fun! Beautiful Amistad Lake was impounded in 1969. It is located on the edge of Del Rio. It is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful lakes in Texas. The water is extremely clear, up to 20ft visibility in many areas. Amistad has a great population of hydrilla, making it a wonderful habitat for largemouth bass. The lake is also well known for trophy stripers and gigantic catfish. Amistad is a great scuba diving environment. In the near future, we will keep you updated with diving reports. If you have more information regarding diving, please let us know.
Two and a half hours drive from San Antonio, 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. For houseboaters, Amistad may very well be one of the friendliest. In fact, the name Amistad means friendship in Spanish.
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. Sure, the desert region gets nippy at night in winter, and the area gets its share of rain with about 18 inches annually. But summers are long and warm with plenty of heat to dry you off after a swim.
Prehistoric Adventure on Amistad
With over 360 million years of history for you to explore in the cliffs and caves, along the shore, and in the whole Amistad National Recreational Area it’s easy to step out of the water and back in time. Humans have lived in this area for over 12,000 years, and there are over 400 recorded archaeological sites to seek out and explore.
Take advantage of this season’s high water levels and explore the many excellent examples of 4,000 year old rock art located in the upper reaches of the reservoir. Pictographs in Panther and Parida Caves are local favorites.
To learn more about how to really explore and enjoy Lake Amistad any time of the season, be sure to stop in at the Marina Shop and ask our locals. With everything from world-class fishing, miles of shoreline dotted with private coves, ancient rock art sites, and seemingly endless watersports, it’s tough to choose just how to spend your time here at Lake Amistad National Recreation Area.
Lake Amistad bass fishing has been rated #1 by ESPN
Lake Amistad fishing guide is one of the premier full-time Lake Amistad fishing guides. Check out the photos of recent Lake Amistad catches and the updated Lake Amistad fishing report. Lake Amistad sprawls across the Mexican border 13 miles northwest of Del Rio, Texas. Most of the ramps, lodging and marinas are located in the Diablo East area off of U.S. Highway 90.
You will fish from the latest in bass fishing boats and equipment. My expertise as a guide on Lake Amistad comes from a lifetime of fishing and years of national tournament bass fishing all over the country on deep, clear lakes just like Amistad.
My familiarity with catching quality bass on Lake Amistad also comes from living within minutes of Lake Amistad. I have spent countless hours on the lake both as a bass fishing guide and professional angler. Let me help you catch big bass on Lake Amistad.
Lake Amistad National Recreation Area
Just 175 miles drive from San Antonio, 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. For houseboaters, Amistad may very well be one of the friendliest. In fact, the name Amistad means friendship in Spanish.
Lake Amistad National Recreation Area offers countless outdoor adventures for everyone. 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. There are also over 400 Indian archeological sites, including caves, rock shelters, mounds and Indian pictographs for one to explore.
The limestone rock bottom, not mud, gives this lake a clarity unmatched in the nation. The calm, aqua-blue water is also helped out by two gushing underwater springs, Indian Springs and Good Enough Springs – which add over 2 million gallons of spring water to the lake every hour.
If you’re a serious bass fisherman, you already know that Lake Amistad offers some of the best bass fishing in the world. Considered under-fished now for many years, as well as the recent increase in catch-and-release, Amistad is currently enjoying excellent stocks of America’s most popular game fish, Large Mouth Bass, but also the hard-fighting Striped Bass, Crappie, and the popular Sunfish are plentiful. Because of the excellent fishing, people come from all over to participate in the many fishing tournaments year-round.
Average Air & Water Temperatures – Lake Amistad, Texas
| Month | High | Low | Water |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 63° | 40° | 58° |
| Feb | 68° | 44° | 59° |
| March | 76° | 52° | 61° |
| April | 83° | 59° | 67° |
| May | 89° | 67° | 74° |
| June | 94° | 72° | 79° |
| July | 96° | 74° | 84° |
| Aug | 96° | 74° | 86° |
| Sept | 91° | 69° | 83° |
| Oct | 82° | 61° | 76° |
| Nov | 71° | 49° | 68° |
| Dec | 63° | 41° | 61° |
All temps in Fahrenheit and averaged historically. Sources: weather.com / nps.gov
Lake Information
Lake Amistad is located near Del Rio, TX. Del Rio is located along the Mexico border 150 mi. west of San Antonio, Texas. Lake Amistad is a large, clean, deep reservoir that offers world-class bass fishing and endless recreational possibilities.
Map of Lake Amistad Fishing
Visibility in Lake Amistad varies according to the season and location. You could expect visibility of 20 to 25 ft. in the spring, and 8 to 15 ft. in the summer. Lake Amistad water temperature varies from about 55 degrees in the winter, to 85 degrees in the summer. Lake Amistad shoreline is almost always a deep bank or bluff.
The main channel is 100 ft. to 150 ft. throughout the lake. Lake Amistad is maintained by the National Park Service as the Amistad National Recreation Area. There are several nice boat ramps, picnic and fishing areas, dry camping, and marinas.
Over the last several years, there has been a rapid expansion of Hydrilla in Lake Amistad. This underwater vegetation grows thick in the summer and dies back to the lake floor during the winter.
The hydrilla in Lake Amistad can grow in water up to 40 ft. It grows from a clump on the floor and expands upward and outward to the surface, which provides oxygen to the water and creates an ideal environment for fish.
Is Fishing Lake Amistad Safe?
Lake Amistad, in its entirety, and the Del Rio area have not seen any problems of border violence affecting the Lake and recreational boating activity. I have personally talked with the Executive Director of the Del Rio Chamber Commerce and the Director of Marine Operations at Lake Amistad and the Rio Grande River in the Del Rio Sector. They have informed me that there have been no incidents of violence on Lake Amistad and there have been no reports from Mexican authorities of incidents in Mexican waters of the lake either.
Lake Amistad is totally different when it comes to its proximity to border boundaries. The population of persons, American and Mexican, near the lake is very low due to the rural nature of this part of Texas and Mexico. The law enforcement entities that work on Lake Amistad and around the region of Del Rio are very active and keep this section of the border very safe and secure. Lake Amistad is monitored very closely, possibly because it is federally owned and operated land since the lake is a National Park and Recreation Area on the United States side. The map below shows that Lake Amistad National Park’s water surface area is nearly 70% in U.S. boundaries. Lake Amistad offers nearly ¾ of its 65,000 surface acres of premier fishing waters without having to go into Mexican waters if you desire not to fish in Mexico.
- Lake Task Force Operations
- Rio Grande River Arm (50% Mexican waters / 50% U.S. waters)
- Devils River Arm (100% U.S. waters)
Lake Amistad Fishing Report – Current Patterns
Shallow: Active fish are being found in many creeks and crankbaits and swimbaits seem to be the best presentations. Shallow diving square bill crankbaits and jerk baits such as the Ima flit 120 are catching fish roaming around and feeding on shad. The Ima Rock-N-Vibe rattle bait continues to be successful in water less than 5 feet deep.
Mid-Depth: Look for fish ganged up around channel bends to back into the creeks. These bends in 10-20 feet of water are holding good numbers of bass and we have landed several 5-6lb fish utilizing this tactic over the past week. The Ima Beast Hunter and Strike Kind XD6 and Norman DD22 great go-to baits for this presentation. Some fish can also be caught using jigs in these areas.
Deep: Drop-shot fishing has become to the best way to catch numbers in deep water. Fish located at the edge of drops in 30-50 feet of water can be found all over the lake. I have been catching them with El Grande Lures Tubes and Hatch-Match sticks rigged above an oz drop-shot weight. Football jigs and Carolina rigs continue to be productive as well. The right location can catch good numbers with these lures. Some of the better quality fish are coming utilizing these presentations in the 20-30 foot depth zone. If I were targeting large bass the football jig and Carolina rig would be my go-to lures for now.
What to Bring For a hassle-free trip:
- Texas Fishing License
- Mexican Fishing License
- (Required if fishing Mexican waters, can be purchased the morning of trip)
What to Bring For your protection:
- Hat
- Sunscreen
- Polarized Sunglasses
What to Bring For Your Enjoyment:
- Beverages/Snacks
- Camera
- Tackle/Rods/Reels (captain can furnish equipment if desired)
Lake Amistad Fishing Guides
Ray’s Hanselman
(830) 317-9942
Lake Amistad’s original and premier fishing guide and three-time recipient “Angler of the Year” Ray Hanselman Jr. is a full-time professional Lake Amistad native fisherman with over 30 years of fishing experience, and 19 years of guiding experience on Lake Amistad, specializing in black bass and perfecting the latest tournament technique. One of the most versatile fishing guides in Texas, Ray is equally happy helping a father-son duo catch their first limit on Lake Amistad, or a seasoned tournament fisherman absorb the finer points of a new fishing technique that would normally take several trips to perfect. His obsessiveness with details will be immediately appreciated! – amistadfishingguide.com
Farwest Guide Service Raul Cordero
(830)422-7674
Our Lake Amistad fishing guide services include finding you lodging and getting you licensed. We’ll show you Del Rio, TX or Ciudad Acuna, Mexico, and make sure you have a boat lake permit. If you like attractions we’ll give you advice regarding the border with Mexico. Our Sister City, Ciudad Acuña, is very close and easy to get to. There are requirements for border crossings in both ways. – lakeamistadbassfishingguide.com
Lake Amistad Guide James Burkeen
830-309-9720
Want to fish the #1 bass lake in the country? Put the odds in your favor and hit the water with a guide who does one thing and one thing only, and that’s fish Lake Amistad for monster bass. Amistad Bassin is a client-centered guiding service that focuses on putting the client in the best possible situation to be successful. – amistadbassin.com
Lake Amistad fishing guide Kurt Dove
(830) 719-3648
You can expect a quality fishing experience on one of the nation’s top bass fisheries (ESPN’s #1 rated bass lake). I also provide services in angler development and tournament strategies. Whether you are interested in a corporate gathering or just “a day on the lake”, I would like the opportunity to entertain and teach while making your trip a success.Kurt Dove Professional Angler and Bass Guide Amistad Falcon Choke Canyon SW Texas Southwest Texas. You will fish from the latest in bass fishing boats and equipment. My expertise as a guide on Lake Amistad comes from a lifetime of fishing and years of national tournament bass fishing all over the country on deep, clear lakes just like Amistad. – amistadbassguide.com
Double “R” Guide Service
210-416-4563
Amistad, Falcon and Choke Canyon trips available. * Tournaments history includes B.A.S.T, Anglers Choice, Best A’Bassin, Media, Honey Hole, Bass Champs, and numerous open tournaments. – twoguysmarine.com
Jensens Guide Service
(830)734-8715
If you’re looking for a trip on beautiful Lake Amistad you’ve come to the right place. About Captain Jensen – I’ve fished Lake Amistad since 1994. I’ve fished several tournament trails to include; BASS, FLW, BassChamp, Texas BASS Nation, Bud light trails, Texas Fishing League and many local circuIt. I’m a USCG certified Captain and also an Assistant Fire Chief. – jensensguideservice.com
EliteGuideServices
EliteGuideServices is a multi-species freshwater guide service made up of licensed guides with hundreds of years of combined fishing experience. We focus on a quality fishing trip, client education, fun, and helping kids. Getting children outdoors and fishing can be life-changing. Research has shown what we have intuitively known all along – mentoring works. Compared to children that do not fish, children that do fish are less likely to start drinking alcohol and less likely to skip a day of school. – eliteguideservices.com