catalog Bryconidae · omnivore

machaca

Brycon guatemalensis

Freshwater

A Central American relative of the matrinxã, living in rivers and lakes of the Caribbean slope. It eats fruit and seeds that fall from trees and attacks flies and small lures with jumps.

Also called: machaca

forecast for machaca where found

common size: 30–45 cm
maximum: 59 cm
common weight: 0.5–2 kg
record/max.: 4.3 kg
depth: 0–5 m
ideal water: 24–30 °C

overview

who is the machaca

A characin of the genus Brycon, the same genus as the matrinxã and piraputanga. It lives in lowland and foothill rivers, streams and lakes up to about 600 m altitude, on the Atlantic slope of Central America, from Mexico to Panama. Juveniles eat insects, leaves, fruit and seeds; adults feed almost only on plant matter and gather under fruiting trees on the banks, such as figs. In Costa Rica and Nicaragua it is a known sport fish in lowland rivers and lagoons, where it is caught on fly and small lures imitating fruit and insects. For its size it fights with jumps and strong runs. It spawns in nests on sandy stream bottoms.

fun facts

It swallows whole figs and spreads the seeds upstream and downstream: it is a forest seed disperser.
Reproduction of the species in Lake Nicaragua has been studied in detail, of interest for managing local fishing.

how to recognize it

identification

Spindle-shaped, compressed body, silvery with a greenish to olive back and fins that may have orange tones; forked tail. Medium, shiny scales, small mouth with multicuspid teeth and an adipose fin. Resembles the Brazilian matrinxã and piraputanga, which are the same genus and do not occur in Central America.

how machaca fishing looks

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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.

distribution

where found

open on the large map

Does not occur in Brazil. Atlantic (Caribbean) slope of Central America, from the Grijalva River in Mexico to eastern Panama; on the Pacific slope only in the Choluteca River basin, Honduras. Includes Lake Nicaragua and lowland rivers of Costa Rica.

Habitat: Lowland and foothill rivers and streams, lakes and lagoons; eddies under fruit trees, banks with submerged timber and rapids with rock or sand bottoms.

famous destinations

Lake Cocibolca — San Carlos and Solentiname San Juan de Nicaragua — Greytown Parismina — Parismina River mouth Lake Arenal San Juan River — El Castillo

calendar and clock

when to fish

best season

time of yearbest: Feb–May and Sep–Oct

JanFebSeaAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Fished all year. Best with low, clear water; rainy-season runoff muddies the water and scatters fish. Fruiting trees along the bank concentrate the schools.

best time of day

Daytime. Active by day, most on the move in the morning and late afternoon, when it patrols the bank for fruit and insects.

weather, water and behavior

what affects the machaca
sensitivity The little bars show how much each factor affects this species. Five full: it feels it a lot.

cold and cold fronts

Colder water after heavy rain reduces activity.

atmospheric pressure

Little effect.

moon

Little effect.

rain

Runoff muddies the river and shuts fishing down for a few days.

water level

Low, clear water concentrates fish under the bankside trees.

noise

Wary in clear water; approach slowly and cast from a distance.

wind

Wind that knocks fruit and insects into the water can activate the fish.

depth

Surface and shallow mid-water, 0 to 2 m.

technique, gear and bait

how to fish

Fly fishing Surface casting Mid-water casting Natural bait with float

rod: fly #5 to #7; or light spinning 6' to 7', 6 to 14 lb
spinning / baitcasting reel: simple fly reel or spinning reel 2000 to 3000
line: floating fly line; monofilament 0.22 to 0.28 mm
leader: fluorocarbon 10 to 15 lb
hook: #4 to 1/0, barbless

lures

small popper and flies that imitate fruit and seeds
grasshoppers and foam beetles
spinner #2 to 3
small spoon 5 to 10 g

natural baits

bankside fruit (figs)
gafanhoto
bread

accessories

alicate
polarized glasses
landing net

tip from an angler

Find trees with fruit falling into the water and cast a fruit fly just below them, letting it drift without dragging.

what the law says

rules for the machaca

Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
Conservation: It depends on the riparian forest, which supplies much of its food.

We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.

catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.

A strong fish that jumps: remove the barbless hook quickly and release it facing the current, without squeezing the body.

in the kitchen

Tasty flesh with bones, like the matrinxã. Baked or fried.

calculator

how much it weighs without taking it out of the water

total length (cm)

Length-weight relationship W = a·L^b (a = 0.01023, b = 3.02; FishBase). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.

estimated weight

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sources and references

The season weights (months), the time of day and the sensitivities (cold, pressure, moon, wind, rain, tide, strong light, murky water and noise) are the app's editorial estimates, based on the literature below and on the field experience of anglers and guides. They are not official data nor a measurement made for this species, and they may vary by region and year. Closed seasons and legal rules appear in the rules section, with the norm and a link.