Folklore and Fishing

[TheOtherLine]

Okay. I am just trying to figure out if anyone knows anything about this or if Grouper Jim is trying to pull a fast one on me.

All I'm going to volunteer is: Banannas on fishing boats.

You tell me the folklore.

 

[Bryan 2530]

Don't bring em'

 

[Megabyte]

Bananas are said to be bad luck on a fishing vessel.

 

[susqking]

A lot of Charter Captains in Maryland have no bananas signs on their boats.

 

[goinsfishin]

The story as I heard it was that in the old days a ship would pick up a load of bananas and the crew would mysteriously begin getting sick and sometimes dying... This didn't happen with other cargoes.
The cause? Poisonous spiders hitchhiking on the bananas.

 

[pelagic2530]

ive heard several reasons. one was the spiders that goinsfishin mentioned. the other was that bananas in a ship's store of fruit would give off ethylene gas, which caused the other fruit to ripen and rot more quickly than usual. and the last was that a big time charter captain in Hawaii simply didnt like bananas, and fabricated the bad luck stories that persist to this day. Saltwater Sportsman did an article last year on fishing superstitions, it was pretty interesting.

 

[grouperjim]

And now the rest of the story.......Scoops/TOL (Larry) went out with me on my boat this weekend. My boat has NEVER been skunked. After about 45 minutes of fishing on the first spot I overheard Larry asking Doug if he wanted a banana. I thought he was just messing with Doug because he was catching all shorts. But sure enough, 20 minutes later I turn to see Larry peeling a banana. Doug and I educated him about the superstition. Needless to say, I fished on Doug's side of the boat the rest of the day because nothing was biting on Larry's side. So, when it comes to bananas, don't bring any if you want to catch fish. We did not catch any keepers after 8 hrs of fishing on 4 different spots. Other vessels all around us were catching nice grouper.

BTW Fruit of the Loom underwear used to have a logo on the rear tag inside the waistband that depicted several guys dressed as different fruits. One of the guys was dressed as a banana. After many complaints from fishermen, the CEO removed the banana guy from the tag. CEO must have been a fishermen.

Oh, I almost forgot, coming back to the ramp, Doug tended the bow line as we approached the dock (done it many times) and slipped as he stepped off the boat and got wedged between the boat and the dock! How's that for bad luck.....and no beer/alcohol was involved.

jim

 

[TheOtherLine]

Needless to say, I fished on Doug's side of the boat the rest of the day because nothing was biting on Larry's side.

Other vessels all around us were catching nice grouper.

jim

It's true. No bites on my side. And to show you what good sports they were, when I moved to their side, they moved to the other side. :shock: Thin line between the blood that joins Parker owners and their fish!

I have never heard about the bananna jinx!

I guess I'm going to have to start asking my passengers what they're packing before we go out. Just hope I don't get punched or slapped in the process. :wink:

 

[Bryan 2530]

I guess I'm going to have to start asking my passengers what they're packing before we go out. Just hope I don't get punched or slapped in the process.

HEY, is that a bananna in your pocket....................

 

[esfishdoc]

I've heard a story that goes like this: Many years ago in Hawaii when fish were caught with home made hooks and lures, banana leaves where used to make some lures. There was a terrible shortage one year of bananas and the local chief sent down an order that no one could use any of the bananas or the leaves that year... and if you where caught using them you could die a horrible death (as many of them did for any number of reasons). So... if you were caught fishing with banana leaf lures... you could be killed.... and that is where the bad luck originated.