{"id":20074,"date":"2019-05-21T17:00:16","date_gmt":"2019-05-22T00:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/community.nrs.com\/?p=20074"},"modified":"2022-01-06T08:51:42","modified_gmt":"2022-01-06T16:51:42","slug":"fishing-central-america-when-rubber-meets-water","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/community.nrs.com\/duct-tape\/2019\/05\/21\/fishing-central-america-when-rubber-meets-water\/","title":{"rendered":"Fishing Central America: When Rubber Meets Water"},"content":{"rendered":"

The deep-throated groans of howler monkeys echo off the steep river banks. Gusts of wind send pink and white flowers floating to rest on the water. Small fruits plunk below the overhanging trees. The machaca wait below, feeding off the buffet line delivered by each new blast of air funneled down the river corridor. Machaca are the herbivore cousins of the piranha. Rather than razor-sharp teeth made for cutting flesh, they have a full set of human-like teeth built to crush nuts and fruits.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Shale Dog is tied to the raft frame on a short leash, forcing her to remain on the floor. She doesn\u2019t understand the new restraint, especially on such a placid stretch of river. On our home waters in the western US, she has the freedom to bounce around the raft and surf the tubes. But the owners of the Costa Rican farm where we are camped have warned about a crocodile. They lost two dogs this year and I wasn\u2019t taking any chances with my girl.<\/span><\/p>\n

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I tie on a pink foam hopper because I\u2019m fresh out of flower and fruit patterns. The machaca are largely herbivores and I\u2019m banking on finding one curious enough to taste a piece of foam proven on Montana\u2019s trout. I hold the oars mid-river, waiting on the next gust of wind. It comes in a flurry and the big flowered tree begins shedding, its petals floating elegantly to settle on the water. I grip the oars and steady the position until the wind settles enough to grab the rod and make a cast. <\/span><\/p>\n

I huck the hopper at a group of feeding fish.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>One pokes it, I twitch. It pokes again, I twitch…then wham! A little machaca attacks the hopper, more like a predator than an herbivore, and fights like crazy, doubling over a 6-weight fly rod for a minute before coming to the boat. Another hour of fishing and a few more machaca on the dry. Tossing a ball of fruit would likely produce better results.<\/span><\/p>\n