Banana Jinx!

[merrittboy1]

Ok, I have heard a lot about the no bananas rule in boats and how it could lead to BAD luck. I know that many people feel very strongly about this and I kind of half heartedly accepted it. But, these last two days have made me a strong believer. Starting yesterday, lost several fish to lines snapping, poor netting and knots being poorly tied. Normal stuff. Then, my guest snapped my favorite rod into pieces while pulling it off the clip while coho fishing. Then, my reel was spooled in a weird down rigger incident. So in all I chalked it up to my stupidity, which it could have been. Jokingly, asked my guest if he had any bananas on board, nope! So today, it continued, letting my down riggers down, lost a ball off the clip..... Then within a few minutes lost a spring... It did not end there, lost three fish in less than an hour.. Bad luck kept going..... Very nice day headed out for coho, wind blew up in no time at all, no chance of fishing, hard time standing. Went in to calm water, thought we had a fish on, nope, down rigger lines tangled, have never had that happen, almost lost two set ups.... And then to finish down rigger line got caught up in my prop, not wrapped, just caught because we made too sharp a turn in rougher water. Was a mess getting it free. So the last two days have been a mess, frustrating to say the least.... So we kept joking about bad luck and jinxes, went to put sun screen on and my guest says he has his own, lo and behold what does he pull out of his bag, BANANA BOAT sunscreen! I am now a true believer in this curse..... We had a good laugh, cry, and buried the tube deep inside his bag, was going to throw it overboard but didn't.. Within minutes though we did get some good luck, he finally caught a nice spring! 29 lbs.. After all that happened during the two days, I wanted to cut his line..... Any other stories like this? It was sooooo weird! NO BANANAS for sure......not even sunscreen! Lol.

 

[Big Green Machine]

http://www.sportfishingbc.com/forum/showpost.php?p=348484

 

[Island Fish Lifter]

banannas really? give me a break.

 

[Rockfish]

banannas really? give me a break.

As I understand it, this has been a superstition among mariners for hundreds of years and like many older superstitions may well have its roots in very practical considerations. Large stocks of bananas ripen very quickly in tropical climates, faster than most fruit, and sailing ships could not always count on the wind to get the cargo to market in time. They could also harbor rodents and poisonous snakes and insects. Not something you would want to live and sleep with in close proximity.

At any rate it seems it may have moved from superstition to a tradition now. I think they should make a derby prize of having a witch doctor come and remove the banana curse from your boat. Also know a guide who will ask and not let you even get on his boat with a banana and makes you eat it right there. He does have a sense of humor however, and will put the peel on one of his friends guide boats.

Compare that with generally well educated, multi-millionaire, NHL players who win the cup semi finals and are afraid to have their picture taken with it because they are afraid there is a curse that if they do so they won’t win the Stanley Cup. Now for that I say “give me a break”.

 

[Aces]

As I understand it, this has been a superstition among mariners for hundreds of years and like many older superstitions may well have its roots in very practical considerations. Large stocks of bananas ripen very quickly in tropical climates, faster than most fruit, and sailing ships could not always count on the wind to get the cargo to market in time. They could also harbor rodents and poisonous snakes and insects. Not something you would want to live and sleep with in close proximity.

I don't understand how this correlates to a sport fishing boat. I guess if you're looking for excuses for not catching.....

 

[JAC]

I have had 2 banana come aboard this year both days many bad luck things happened. Anything banana does come on my boat my wife thinks it's funny she was the one that brought both of them aboard and now she is a believer also. NO banana's on my boat don't even eat them the night before haha

 

[Rockfish]

I don't understand how this correlates to a sport fishing boat. I guess if you're looking for excuses for not catching.....

It’s a tradition for some and not a particularly harmful one. Most established self identifying groups have them. It creates a sense of history and group identity. Sometimes it’s a way to poke fun at yourself or have fun like the Banana Challenge Derby and Trophy. I don’t think it is looking for excuses or overly serious and some who play along are among the most productive guides on the coast who don’t need any excuse. No big deal really, my sense is it is just suppose to be fun and perhaps as much fun to challenge and take them.

I sense an opportunity here; Anyone want to help write up a federal grant application for a half million for a little formal research on the critical banana sport fishing hypothesis? The stakes are too high, we need answers now, call your MP.

 

[Fish Assassin]

Bring a banana, see what happens..... I don't want one on my boat though. But many have made it on my boat over the years. Dead fishing, broken gear, malfunctioning equipment etc.... I don't need any fish so if you want to put it to the test bring one out, but bring cash to replace and fix things that go wrong.

 

[Aces]

I particularly enjoyed my banana out fishing today

 

[spring fever]

I particularly enjoyed my banana out fishing today

So----How was the fishing??? Did you lose any gear?? I have had some decent Banana days but a lot of fun to blame anything and everything on them!!

 

[Sotally Tober]

I have had 2 banana come aboard this year both days many bad luck things happened. Anything banana does come on my boat my wife thinks it's funny she was the one that brought both of them aboard and now she is a believer also. NO banana's on my boat don't even eat them the night before haha

Too funny. We had this conversation during a recent fishing trip.
It was decided that even having a banana in your system would force the guilty party to crap it out on the dock before getting on board.

 

[Aces]

So----How was the fishing??? Did you lose any gear?? I have had some decent Banana days but a lot of fun to blame anything and everything on them!!

Well, we did break off a nice Chinook today but when the client clamps down on the handle when the fish is 15 ft away from the boat that's going to happen. I won't blame that on a banana. Ha Ha!!

 

[merrittboy1]

Well it did give me someone to blame everything on... Pretty weird though, that so much happened! Lol. I am superstitious for sure.

 

[seadna]

I have bananas on my boat nearly every trip. I have mostly good days while on the boat and my results are uncorrelated with the presence or absence of bananas. I don't believe in superstitions. I'm thinking of renaming my boat "13 black-cat broken mirror" and fishing under a ladder while eating a banana.

 

[seadawg]

I have bananas on my boat nearly every trip. I have mostly good days while on the boat and my results are uncorrelated with the presence or absence of bananas. I don't believe in superstitions. I'm thinking of renaming my boat "13 black-cat broken mirror" and fishing under a ladder while eating a banana.

If you did that, you would need horse shoes to catch anything.

 

[Sculpin]

I have bananas on my boat nearly every trip. I have mostly good days while on the boat and my results are uncorrelated with the presence or absence of bananas. I don't believe in superstitions. I'm thinking of renaming my boat "13 black-cat broken mirror" and fishing under a ladder while eating a banana.

Great post lol. Getting pretty tired of all the worry warts around here . Everyone has to blame a bad day on something it seems. Sad really......

 

[jeffywestcoast]

taking banana's to the the 1000 fathom line would be uncivilized.... john I found your iPAD cord in my gear ...