In Spanish, “Amistad” means friendship, a pleasant sentiment similarly evoked by the Amistad Reservoir in Southwest Texas. Located just outside of Del Rio, straddling the Mexican-American border, Amistad Reservoir serves as a welcome retreat to many South Texans, hailing from as far away as San Antonio and Austin. With plenty of fishing combined with on-site hunting grounds, Amistad lives up to its friendly moniker by serving as a great escape for outdoor enthusiasts with bonding opportunities around every rocky curve of the shoreline. The lake itself, covers 64,900 acres, reaching depths of 217 feet. Be advised, however, that due to the size of the lake it does extend into international waters, thus recreational fisherman looking to try their bait in Mexican territory should acquire a Mexican fishing license beforehand, sold at the Amistad Marine in Del Rio. As far as fish populations are concerned, whether hailing for Mexico or the United States, Amistad Reservoir’s largemouth bass supply is the most commonly found and sought after species in the water. Largemouth anglers historically have the most success on Amistad when fishing in the winter, spring and summer months. In the summer months and at midday temperatures, fishing in deeper and more heavily covered waters (by vegetation or shade) will likely produce more promising results, as many will seek shelter from the sweltering border temperatures. The waters also house sizable numbers of both channel and blue catfish, alongside white and striped bass. White bass fisherman should plan their trip in the spring spawning season. Also present are smallmouth bass, though in relatively smaller numbers compared to the largemouth variety.