Si Se Puede … Yes We Can

After Zimapan, FLW Mexico set to compete in Costa FLW Series Championship

FLW Mexico Photo by Dave Washburn.

July 12, 2016 • Jaime Luengo • Archives

Mexico’s Lake Zimapan is different in many ways from the lakes to the north such as Florida’s Lake Okeechobee and California’s Clear Lake, but one element it has in common with those famous fisheries is big bass.

That was proved the first weekend in July when FLW Mexico held its last qualifying tournament to decide who will represent the country in the International Division of the Costa FLW Series Championship. Two 10-pound-plus bass were caught, along with several other fish that any tournament angler would love to find in the bottom of his landing net during a competition.

Zimapan, which is about a three-hour drive northeast of Mexico City, is typically a deep lake, but summer weather and current agricultural needs have served to reduce both the size and the depth. Though Zimapan is more than 800 feet deep at its dam, the lake was about 60 feet below normal pool during the FLW Mexico tournament. Low water kept stringer weights lighter than usual, but there were still some impressive limits caught by the two-angler teams.

First place and a berth in the Costa FLW Series Championship on Table Rock Lake in November went to the team of Jose Juan Ortiz and Jose Mario Granados, whose two-day total weighed 28 pounds, 12 ounces. Rafael Chavez and Rafael Murguia were second with 28-07, while Chema Rosillo and Eduardo Silvestre were third with 27-08. The big bass of the tournament weighed 10.68 kilograms, (11 pounds 7 ounces) and was brought to the scale by Miguel Hernandez and Antonio Hernandez on day two. A 10-pound-plus fish was boated on day one of the event by Cesar Perez and Juan Pablo Corral.

Besides Ortiz and Granados, the other team that will represent Mexico in the Costa FLW Series Championship is composed of Chema Rosillo (pro) and Eduardo Silvestre (co-angler). They earned the spot as the points champions in the two FLW Mexico events held this season. Rosillo and Silvestre also won the season-opener at La Lajilla Lake and finished third at Zimapan.

The first history-making season of FLW Mexico was a rousing success, and word of it has spread far and wide. No doubt that 2017 will see more of the country’s great bass fishermen attracted by the chance to compete and perhaps one day be a part of the Forrest Wood Cup.

The last tournament of the season was made more special by the appearance of Dave Washburn and his family. FLW’s vice president of operations, Dave and his family first drove two hours to their home airport, then hopscotched their way south on connecting flights to be a part of the fishing festivities at Zimapan.

Their presence after more than 12 hours of wearisome travel to a country unknown to them was taken to heart by the contestants and fans, who realized that Dave’s presence stamped this as something exceptional, and that they were sharing in a unique milestone in the international sport of tournament fishing.

Yes, Mexico has crowned its champions, and now it’s on to the Costa FLW Series Championship.