Remember this one - the jinx

[Slab]

Remember this Andy Griffith episode.

How many of you have superstitions about fishing. If you do please share. Who knows. It might just help some of us.

["G"]

only superstition around here is....no bannanas in the boat

[Good Stuff]

That's funny.....I'm watching it on TV right now.

[LBM]

Bananas have always been a snack staple for me while on the water.

The first time I had ever heard about it being some kind of superstition to avoid while fishing I think was on the Virginia board a few years ago. I think it was a picture of where horseshoer had tossed a banana in another fishers boat while on the water. I had never heard that before and had wondered if it was a superstition unique to the Virginia area. I am kind of interested in hearing if it is a common superstition from other areas of the country and some whys and wherefores as to how it came about.

[CrappiePappy]

I am kind of interested in hearing if it is a common superstition from other areas of the country and some whys and wherefores as to how it came about.

LBM ... it's a widely held superstition, maybe even "worldwide" and probably comes from several different sources. One being that boats hauling bananas, back in the "olden times", would overload the boat ... and moderately rough seas would sink them. Also, when mariners stopped at islands on their intercontinental voyages, and picked up bananas ... they also picked up spiders, snakes, vermin, and bugs. These pesky stowaways could sicken or kill an unlucky sailor/voyager. They also ripen rather quickly, and emit ethylene gas. The gas is highly flammable, and is also known to cause death when breathed from within confined spaces.

There's also:
the "slipped on a banana peel" injury potential. And the oil (scent) may rub off on ones hands & "spook" the fish. The fastest ships were used to transport the quick to ripen fruit, and the speed of the ships were too fast to catch fish from, while trolling. Sailors becoming ill from eating bananas, or getting "the runs", thereby not being able to fish or crew the ship. The ethylene gas, emitted from the ripening bananas, would also "ripen" other foodstuffs faster, causing them to spoil faster ... thus diminishing the choices of what was available, and removing the vitamin intake of the crew (potentially causing a greater chance of scurvy, and/or other diseases).

As with most superstitions, it's merely a case of mistaking correlation for causation ... and being passed on, generation to generation.

... cp

[glasseyes]

Crazy, but I have this hat that for somereason I wear it all the time when I fish, like it brings me luck. I have a dozen other hats that are in way better shape but for some reason I can't leave to go fishing till I find that hat. Kind of like that favorite bait that gives you confidence I guess LOL.

[bugman]

That was one of the best episodes on the greatest tv show of all time it's a shame things can't be as simple as they were portraied to be on the show......i always want to see a deer on the way to the water and never ever mention the wind in the boat because once you even whisper a word about it mother nature hears you and kicks it up another notch.

[shipahoy41]

LBM ... it's a widely held superstition, maybe even "worldwide" and probably comes from several different sources. One being that boats hauling bananas, back in the "olden times", would overload the boat ... and moderately rough seas would sink them. Also, when mariners stopped at islands on their intercontinental voyages, and picked up bananas ... they also picked up spiders, snakes, vermin, and bugs. These pesky stowaways could sicken or kill an unlucky sailor/voyager. They also ripen rather quickly, and emit ethylene gas. The gas is highly flammable, and is also known to cause death when breathed from within confined spaces.

There's also:
the "slipped on a banana peel" injury potential. And the oil (scent) may rub off on ones hands & "spook" the fish. The fastest ships were used to transport the quick to ripen fruit, and the speed of the ships were too fast to catch fish from, while trolling. Sailors becoming ill from eating bananas, or getting "the runs", thereby not being able to fish or crew the ship. The ethylene gas, emitted from the ripening bananas, would also "ripen" other foodstuffs faster, causing them to spoil faster ... thus diminishing the choices of what was available, and removing the vitamin intake of the crew (potentially causing a greater chance of scurvy, and/or other diseases).

As with most superstitions, it's merely a case of mistaking correlation for causation ... and being passed on, generation to generation.

... cp

You are a wealth of knowledge my friend! Wow. Personally, I am not superstitious at all, but I still carry a rabbit's foot in the tackle box. No reason, I just have not found the energy to toss it out. I'm 67 now and have carried it since I was 10 when my dad gave it to me. Now if the mother rabbit comes looking for her right front paw.......then it's on!!!!!!!

[Slab]

I took a photo of this on a Charter Boat last year:

Hope it's readable.

Oh, on that particular day I bought the Banana Juice thing pictured at the bottom of the photo on the boat, but we still caught some real nice fish.

[feelay]

Yep...no banannas!