Thread: Belize 2

So this Mayan dood told us about this jungle river where there were Machaca.

We loaded up the 4 runner with machetes and fly rods and hit the road.

We floated quite a bit of it with a native to get a feel for it. I don't know what happened to those pics so you're just going to have to take my word for it.

Jim and I dropped off the native guide and went back up into the hills to a place we spotted on the float down we thought we could drive to.



Dropping off our guide. I'm pretty sure he doesn't eat bananas anymore.



Parts of it had too thick of a canopy to use a fly rod so we stooped to using a spinner.

I have no idea what this fish is but a friend of mine down there said it sounded like a Mayan mullet when I described it to him. That's a Mepps from Jim's Colorado tackle box. Look at how well that thing is camouflaged with the bottom.




Two casts later, Jim caught his twin.



We moved down river and Jim finds a hole full of Machaca.



Machaca are supposed to be a cousin of the Piranha and after seeing how aggressive they struck, I believe it. They would go airborne after flies or lures.

Look at those choppers



I move upriver for casting room and hook up.



They tore up some flies



Jim moves down river and works with the proper tool.




I heard an American real estate agent in Costa Rica say they were like an American Shad. I never saw a Shad with choppers like that.


On the way out Jim shoots this photo. When I first looked at it I didn't even notice the hitchhiker. Little guys feeling pretty safe.





Back at Jim's house, this Bare necked tiger Heron was doing some fishing as well.




Part 3 coming

Dang... I'd be scared to wade in those mangroves with 'gators around. It looks like you guys did well. Thanks for the post.

Dennis

Those are some great shots!

Weird fish. Ditto that wading would creep me out a bit...is the water free of parasites or little things that would swim up your urinary track to lay their eggs?

Originally Posted by mushmouth

Those are some great shots!

Weird fish. Ditto that wading would creep me out a bit...is the water free of parasites or little things that would swim up your urinary track to lay their eggs?

If you're referring to Candiru I hear ya.

I've seen some scary stuff in my travels around central and south America. From aggressive vipers in the Darien Gap to toothless skanks in Port-au-prince, I have to say Candiru sketch me out more than anything else I've ever come across.

Fortunately, there aren't any in Belize.

In looking at the context of the photos, I can see where some might think I'm a little unbalanced, sort of like Gary Bussey with a flats skiff, but let me say this.

Jim took that pic way down river near the where it empties into the ocean. That is actually a Morelets saltwater crocodile. They are very shy and we were in no real danger. Besides, I've watched "the Crocodile Hunter" on TV

Totally UNBELIZABLE !!!