Presa Miguel Hidalgo

The Miguel Hidalgo dam, which everyone in El Fuerte calls El Mahone, holds back the Río Fuerte about 12 kilometers north of town, forming a large reservoir in the hills. It was completed in 1955, and its water is used to irrigate farmland in northern Sinaloa.

Building it meant flooding the valley. Seven villages disappeared under the water, among them El Pajarito, San José del Toro, and the old El Mahone, and their people were moved to new communities such as Juan José Ríos and the Valle del Carrizo. In years of severe drought the water drops so far that the ruins of an old church, house walls, and the village cemetery reappear, and INAH researchers have come to document them.

For most visitors, though, El Mahone means fishing. The lake is known for its largemouth bass, and El Fuerte has a long tradition of guided fishing, with local families who have run boats and guides for generations. Trips usually start early in the morning. The area is also one of the coldest in Sinaloa in winter, with nights that can drop to a few degrees above freezing.