"Casting between the stalactites was tricky enough, but even more troublesome were the bats who wanted to eat the fly. With each cast, bats dropped from the ceiling and wheeled and twisted between the stalactites to catch the fly. We quickly became adept at catch-and-release bat fishing. On the first few drifts the fly passed right over the nose of a catfish patrolling the shallows. The fish did nothing until I gave the fly a little flick.. With one strong stroke of its tail the catfish torpedoed the fly and rolled on it like a cat on a mouse. The fish was tough; it ran up the creek and then doubled back downstream, where it dove under a large chunk of ceiling breakdown. We pounded down the shoreline after it, splashing water and throwing wicked shadows from our helmet flames. Our whoops and hollers echoed down the passage and flushed clouds of bats off the roof who swirl in squeaking confusion. It was utter chaos.