Boat ramps close at Port Mansfield

Story by Craig Nyhus, Lone Star Outdoor News.

A Willacy County elementary school student tested positive for COVID-19, prompting shelter-in-place orders in the county for two weeks, beginning March 25. The student apparently has not traveled outside of the local area.

The shelter-in-place order issued by the Willacy County Commissioners Court does include an exemption for outdoor activities, as long as persons maintain social distancing, but orders from the Willacy County Navigation District have fishermen wondering if they can get out.

If they are planning to launch a boat from one of Port Mansfield’s boat ramps, the answer is no. On March 26, the Willacy County Navigation District closed all public boat ramps at Port Mansfield, including the North Boat Ramp, the South Boat Ramp and the Airboat Ramp. Public fishing piers were closed last week.

On March 25, before closing the ramps, the district had implemented hours of operation from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. for the North and South ramps, and had closed the Airboat Ramp.

For anglers who already have a boat in a slip in the harbor, Ron Mills, the executive port director, said the district won’t be policing people who have a boat in a slip. 

“The harbor is open,” he said. “People can come in and out, and commercial fishermen — we have about a dozen of them — can still go out and make their livelihood.”

The order, signed by Mills said boat charters would be advised on March 27 of additional specific provisions that may affect their operations.

Getaway Lodge at Port Mansfield notified its social media followers of the boat ramp closings, saying it would let everyone know “as soon as we are back to normal business.”