Some Information on Amistad form BASS

[Sean Hinton]

Guys,

Please get this out to all your club members that will be fishing the STQT or the BCWC at Amistad. You should have a US passport in your possesion while on the Mexican side of the lake. If you break down in Mexican waters, and you beach your boat on Mexican soil, EXPECT a visit from a gunboat. This comes from BASS and the Texas state president, who has held several tournaments there. You will be detained, and arrested by Mexican authorities without a passport.

If you do not have a passport, and cannot get one before the tournament, you must stay in the water and do not beach your boat on Mexican soil. You will need to call and get a tow across the border into the US before you can beach the boat. Don't even beach the boat for a pit stop on the Mexican side of the lake. The Mexican authorities, while under the guise of preventing illegal drug traffic, and illegal US immigration, use this as a way to shake down the rich Americans fishing the lake. You will loose a lot more than fishing time and potentially an extended stay in a Mexican jail.

--
Jay McMillan
Colorado B.A.S.S. Federation President

[here fishy,fishy]

I can't see having a tournament at this lake, There are guys I'm sure that have signed up for this that will not be able to aquire a pastport in such a short amount of time. Poor planning! You might have to move the tournament to make it fair for all!

[Sean Hinton]

You talk about poor planning on who's part?  The Current BOD's for Colorado BASS Federation Nation is trying to keep everyone informed on whats going on.  We can only bring the members information as we get it and pass it on ASAP.  So you say poor planning on who's part?

Sean

[here fishy,fishy]

Sean, if you want to continue to have this tournament at Amistad, do youself a favor and save yourself alot of time, problems,money and headaches and just make the Mexican side of the lake off limits. There are 100's of thousands of places to fish on the American side!

[here fishy,fishy]

You talk about poor planning on who's part?  The Current BOD's for Colorado BASS Federation Nation is trying to keep everyone informed on whats going on.  We can only bring the members information as we get it and pass it on ASAP.  So you say poor planning on who's part?

Sean

I'm not aiming this at you, the people you got the permit from should have provided all of this info for at that time. They are the ones to blame!

[Allen]

It's not poor planning.  It's not poor anything.  You can't make half a lake off-limits.  Don't go there if you don't feel comfortable going there.  You don't have to have a passport, it's recommended.  Pee off the side of the boat and don't break down.  I plan on fishing in Mexico, and don't have a passport, I don't NEED one.  Again, it's a recommendatoin, not a requirement.

[Shakeehead]

I don't think it's "POOR" planning on anyone's part.  Sean and the rest of us, me included, try to get out information to everyone as soon as WE get it.  Sometimes it's good, sometimes it's bad.  I do think the communication is getting better, but people still have to make their own choices with the information that's out there.  Just like going to Amistad for the STQT, it was a choice of the CBF to go there.

Don

[Fish_4_Five]

I agree with Shakeehead.  I don't see it as poor planning either.  People have been checking on the passport issue and letting us know what they find.   It was recommended from day 1 that we get passports. Some have and some haven't (me included).  I may try to get one now though. If the reason for being hassled is "drug running" I don't see how a passport is going to matter anyway.  If they're going to hassle you that book isn't going to stop that. No need to change anything at this point.  Make sure the boat is sound and keep those trolling batteries charged! 

Just my opinion.

[giggyhead]

If you are worried about it, DON'T GO!!  You cant take away half of the lake for the few people who are afraid to fish it.  I am going to fish Mexico!

[Sean Hinton]

Lake Amistad National Parks isn't required to tell us about the parameters.  All there responsible for is the permit.  We can't blame them for any of this!  Actually they've been a huge help for us.  It's our responsibility to know everything about the tournament waters.  As we find out more information about the tournament it's relayed to you.

I'm not going to put half of the lake off-limits.  You all know what could happen if you cross that line. 

Sean

[dave d]

If a non-boater wants to fish the Mexican side of the lake and the boater refuses will that boater be disqualified if a complaint is filed? Or on the other hand , if a boater wants to fish the Mexican side of the lake and the non-boater refuses.... Who pays the lawsuit if a non-boater is unwittingly taken into Mexican water and sht happens.

Might be stupid questions , but I would want them answered before deciding to go.

[Allen]

For cripes sake people read the U.S. Customs Law.  WE, the United States of America are requiring passports....that is to return to the country.  As it is written, any time you set foot on foreign soil, you should report yourself to the U.S. Customs Agency.  It's OUR law, not Mexico's.  If the Federales want to detain you, your precious little blue book will do you NO good.  What will do you good is a $20 bill.  U.S. Customs and International Law say you must have a passport to cross international nautical waterways.  Lake Amistad is NOT a nautical waterway.  A nautical waterway is open sea.  Read the definitions, read the law.
Read the first sentence of this thread........."You SHOULD"....does not say you MUST!
You'd think we were going to Russia with all this b.s. 

[wildlifex]

O.K. Children,
Calm down, if you are on the Mexican side and have boat troubles,
drop an anchor and call me and I'll come drag you to U.S. waters ,
were the coast guard can help.
John

[Allen]

If I call you, will you drag me around to your fishing holes?