Fishing 1.8

Finding the right kind of boat, even to go look for bonefish, is proving to be a major problem.  So, God willing, I’m going to build a boat.  A couple of my friends here are going to help me.  One, John Mizura, has built a boat before.  We are going to use a technique called “Stitch & Glue” to build a 16 foot Flats Boat.  This is the same kind of boat that the flats fisherman use in all of the prestige places I’ve mentioned to you like Bimini, Ascension Bay, the Florida keys, etc.  If you would like to see the boat, go to www.databoat.com, select “boat plans” and then “power boats under 20 ft”.  The “Phantom 16 is the boat we’re going to build.   I think it will take a couple of months.  (Yet another project, eh?) 

We will use this to go visit the flats in Corozal Bay, and also to go up the New River, which is clear as a bell and filled with interesting fish like snook, grouper, red snappers, etc.  Tarpon and permit live in the outlet from the river. 

When we were getting dark soil at the Libertad sugar factory, Robyn, his brother, and I took a side trip over to to a little town called Caledonia.  The river there is just beautiful. Unlike almost all the muddy rivers I’ve seen, fished, and swam in the states, the New River is crystal clear.  I could see the bottom clearly about 4 feet down.  Caledonia is about 5 miles up the river from Corozal, so we definitely need a boat to do that trip.  When the rainy season starts (in a month or so) I’m told that the river will get muddy, and then clear up in time for the holiday fishing season in November and December.

Along the river, there are all kinds of water fowl like herons, pipers, bitterns, and my favorite, the Double-striped Thick-knee.  Out on the flats, we’ll be looking for Black Noddies and Red-Footed Boobies, which abound.  <grin>  [Our reference is _A guide to the birds of Mexico & Northern Central America_ by Howell & Webb, which we got from Amazon.com.]

I just ordered a new reel, line and backing, and a few flies to “tied” me over until we get our stuff down here.  So, I may run into a boat, and get to fish, but mostly I’m still looking and praying.

As the lawyers say, “Happy trials to you…”

Sr. ric