River Lodge Offers a Taste of Mexico

By Bob Hood, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas

Jul. 29–RANCHO LA PISTOLA, Mexico — Listen closely, especially at night, on this remote stretch of the Rio Grande, and you can usually hear it: the sweet sound of absolutely nothing.

This stretch of the river on the Texas-Mexico border between Langtry and Amistad Reservoir features towering limestone cliffs that are sparsely dotted with bright red and blue blooms of wildflowers and cacti this time of year. At its widest points here, the river is 500 to 600 yards across.

And sitting on the Mexican side, on a cliff overlooking the river, is Rancho La Pistola’s fishing camp. It’s quite a trek from Fort Worth — a drive of about 450 miles, followed by a boat trip of about 3 miles — but it’s well worth the trip.

But this is no luxury resort with curbside parking; in fact, to drive there would require about two more hours across Mexican ranch roads. Better to hop in your boat and motor on down to the beautiful cantina on a rock ledge at the entrance to a small creek.

Where else can you find a stretch of rustic river that is almost void of boat traffic and full of beautiful desert scenery — and provides good fishing for bass and catfish in wind-protected waters?

Rancho La Pistola is a 58,000-acre ranch owned by Javier Diego. The Diegos (Javier, two sisters and a brother) own 200,000 more acres in Mexico, and selling sheep, goats, cattle and rocks provides steady ranching income.

But it’s Javier Diego’s fishing camp that has caught the attention of U.S. anglers and river enthusiasts.

Larry Scruggs of San Antonio says Diego’s fishing lodge is becoming a preferred fishing destination for several reasons: the remote location and quiet surroundings, the good fishing for largemouth bass and channel catfish, the great service and Mexican cuisine at the lodge, and the nearby pictographs.

Earlier this month, I joined two longtime friends — Scruggs and Dallas resident John Gill — and Gill’s brother, Mike, for a few days at Rancho La Pistola.

Soon after we arrived, Scruggs and I motored in one boat about a mile down the river to a lone tree near a bluff on the Mexican side. I poured a liberal amount of soured maize into the water, and we began fishing with punch bait. In less than three minutes, Scruggs hooked a feisty channel catfish and, within a short period of time, we had 15 channel cats on ice.

Later, we went after largemouth bass and caught several on small spinners, jigs and plastic worms along the flooded willows and rocks bordering the river. Most of the fish were small, but Scruggs said 4- to 5-pounders are common.

And when the fish aren’t biting, there’s plenty of things to do along the river. Panther Cave, on the Texas side of the Rio Grande just below Rancho La Pistola, contains pictographs that date back as far as 4,000 years.

Scruggs pointed out several other caves along the river with pictographs and pointed out areas of a railroad bed on the Texas side that was built in the late 1800s — the second transcontinental railroad in the U.S.

Rancho La Pistola

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Cost: $300 for two nights and three days, meals and lodging.

Lodge: The accommodations are rustic but comfortable, and someone is always ready to help you. One lodge room has two full-size beds and another has five or six bunk-style beds. The food is very good and served family style at one big table at the visiting party’s convenience. They served juevos rancheros and sausage for breakfast and fajitas, ribs and baked chicken at other meals during this stay. Between meals, they’ll offer snacks such as nachos.

Information: Call Larry Scruggs at 210-789-1645

Directions: Drive to Del Rio (a little over 400 miles from Fort Worth), then take U.S. 90 west through Comstock to the bridge that crosses the Pecos River. Just before the bridge, exit to the National Parks Services boat ramp.

Boat ramp: The ramp, parking area and restroom facility is on the banks of the Pecos, a few hundred yards from its confluence with the Rio Grande. Three-day launch ramp-parking passes ($10 per boat) are available from a machine that takes cash or credit cards. After putting in on the Pecos, turn left on the Rio Grande and go about three miles to Rancho La Pistola.

Mexico license requirements: For fishing or boating on the Mexican side of the river, you must have a boat permit and fishing license, which are available at Fisherman’s Headquarters (830-774-5670) on U.S. 90 in Del Rio. One-year boat permits are $40; fishing licenses are $31 per week, $41 per month or $51 per year.

Rancho La Pistola

****

Cost: $300 for two nights and three days, meals and lodging.

Lodge: The accommodations are rustic but comfortable, and someone is always ready to help you. One lodge room has two full-size beds and another has five or six bunk-style beds. The food is very good and served family style at one big table at the visiting party’s convenience. They served juevos rancheros and sausage for breakfast and fajitas, ribs and baked chicken at other meals during this stay. Between meals, they’ll offer snacks such as nachos.

Information: Call Larry Scruggs at 210-789-1645

Directions: Drive to Del Rio (a little over 400 miles from Fort Worth), then take U.S. 90 west through Comstock to the bridge that crosses the Pecos River. Just before the bridge, exit to the National Parks Services boat ramp.

Boat ramp: The ramp, parking area and restroom facility is on the banks of the Pecos, a few hundred yards from its confluence with the Rio Grande. Three-day launch ramp-parking passes ($10 per boat) are available from a machine that takes cash or credit cards. After putting in on the Pecos, turn left on the Rio Grande and go about three miles to Rancho La Pistola.

Mexico license requirements: For fishing or boating on the Mexican side of the river, you must have a boat permit and fishing license, which are available at Fisherman’s Headquarters (830-774-5670) on U.S. 90 in Del Rio. One-year boat permits are $40; fishing licenses are $31 per week, $41 per month or $51 per year.

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blhood@star-telegram.com Bob Hood, 817-390-7760

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Copyright (c) 2007, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas

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