Superstions?

[little_stephen]

Im just curious if u guys have any superstions that keep u in line for fishing!?

ive found that each year i organize my tackle once a month all thru the winter, i feel like i wont be well enough familiarized with my tackle when the season starts if i dont!?

(ironically i barely use all of it and by the end of the fall its a mess again!)

so lets see whos a believer in superstions and who isnt?!

[ilovefooffur]

No superstition here.  I just use my favorite bait and hope for the best. 

[dead eye]

Sad to say but yes, I have certain hats for tournaments. I break them in pre fishing.

[Paul Roberts]

I worked in a large tackle shop for few years. I got to see angler's buying habits and sometimes it was pretty interesting. The most common superstition surrounded lure color.

Some would want something very particular, and that made no rational sense.

Do you have the lime green tear-drop, with the orange-red spot?

I'd pull out five large trays of tear-drops (tiny ice fishing lures) in literally a 100 paint schemes. Looks like we're out of that one, but it looks we do have lime green with the pinkish-red spot.

Nope. And the guy wouldn't buy it. It had to be the exact thing he caught that big mess of perch on. Mind you that he had been fishing 20 feet down through a 6-inch hole into 18-inches of snow-packed ice conditions of complete darkness! I came to realize that, for many anglers, lure color choice had little to do with fish and the environments they live in.

One night a guy came in and spent a long time just staring at the huge variety of color patterns offered by the manufacturer of one popular trolling spoon, all hung across a wall in front of him. He finally picked something then, on ringing out, said, How do you choose? How do you know?

And I off-handedly replied, Oh, the State Fisheries Department imprints the fish with certain colors before they leave the hatchery. Then the lure manufacturers know what color patterns to make.

The guy looked at me, and said, Really??

I said, Nah.

A chuckle went through the shop, but the guy didn't laugh.

Ooops, I thought. I certainly intended to include that customer in my joke. But, I realized in some people's mind, almost anything MIGHT be possible. The truth is, not everything is possible. But much about water and fish are true mysteries, and myths and superstition may fill the voids.

I TRY to refuse superstitions. Realizing how important concentration is in fishing, I try not to get distracted by nagging half beliefs especially negative ones. But in general, I put on my skeptics hat, grit my teeth, and refuse to let the exact color, chipped paint, eyes/spots, or a myriad others things of little importance, distract me from finding and catching fish.

That said LOL I just spent the last week, tweaking my crankbaitts: important stuff like hook sharpening or changing, and fine-tuning, but some less important stuff too likealtering the color/finish on some cranks to look more like the bluegills that live in my ponds! I get a charge out of doing it, but realize that a plug is NOT a bluegill, and is hard pressed to mimic one, except under right, and rare, conditions. My detailing is mostly just pleasing artwork, and I must admit it dips a bit into the superstitious the hopefulness that adds a tiny spark of motivation or enthusiasm to my fishing. I suppose that's the crux of it.

So I guess there are positive superstitions too -like lucky fishing hats, or CBs tinted like "real" bluegills. But I'm just careful not to let such things, especially negative ones, become more important than they really are. If I forgot my luck hat, or the paint chipped off my highly detailed crank, I'm gonna grit my teeth and put my mind where it'll do the most good, instead of fretting about it.

[little_stephen]

I'd pull out five large trays of tear-drops (tiny ice fishing lures) in literally a 100 paint schemes. Looks like we're out of that one, but it looks we do have lime green with the pinkish-red spot.

HAHA!!!!!!!!     i go with whatever catches the fish! lol    its all about realizing whats just dumb luck and whats really important!

[Sam]

Growing up in south Louisiana we had lots of superstitions, but none for fishing.

Grandmother was a Cajun lady who always had superstitions.

Only one I know of regarding bass fishing is that you are not to have a banana in your boat. 

[swilly78]

I always drop a pinch of Copenhagen into the lake Im fishing as a silly little "sacrifice".  Its goofy, but its the first thing I do when I go fishing for the day.

[EastTexasBassin]

I don't like to catch a bass on the first cast.  So many times, it resulted in that bass being the only one for the day.

I don't know if this is a superstition, really, but it seems that leaving the camera and/or net behind is a sure way to hook your biggest bass of the year.

[Eternal Angler]

Hmmm, I don't have anything too big.

I usually change my fishing line every three months.

Make sure I don't touch the bait.

I definitely organize my tackle box every year.

These are probably good pointers, not superstitions 

[Fishes in trees]

I'm not a big fan of yellow.  I never, ever, wear a yellow shirt.  Should a buddy have a yellow hat, I'll offer a spare hat of another color.  I don't like yellow in my boat.  No fish yellow.

[Fishing Rhino]

No superstitions here. 

I don't consider your monthly routine to be a superstition.  Although, it has been said that luck is sometimes the result of good preparation.  Or, the harder I work, the luckier I get.

It also eliminates much of what we would attribute to "bad luck", such as a line breaking because we didn't check the line for nicks and abrasion after landing the last fish.

Being organized makes you more efficient.  That should result in catching more fish.

[fishfordollars]

No bananas in the boat

No fish on the first cast

Don't get the net out until you need it.

[A-Jay]

Oh Yes - My wife just has to fish and I mean has to, a 1/4 Green Pumpkin swim jig that MUST have Red Eyes. Now here's the kicker, after having a toothy critter bite one eye off the bait and that bait catching several fish, she insists that I rip off one eye (doesn't matter which one) prior to using a new swim jig because a one eyed jig is better !

A-Jay

[bassfisherjk]

No fish on the first cast

Also I have a hat that is always in the boat,even if I don't wear it.

[J-B]

That the lure has to be in the water and tied onto a line that is attached to my rod.    Otherwise, I just never seem to catch a fish. 

[Paul Roberts]

Oh Yes - My wife just has to fish and I mean has to, a 1/4 Green Pumpkin swim jig that MUST have Red Eyes. Now here's the kicker, after having a toothy critter bite one eye off the bait and that bait catching several fish, she insists that I rip off one eye (doesn't matter which one) prior to using a new swim jig because a one eyed jig is better !

Now that's dedication. Hey, whatever works; As long as it keeps her using J-B's advice.

Fun thread.

[JohnnyBigger]

I dont eat mexican food the night before a tournament for more reasons than one

[RyneB]

If i have another person in my boat i refuse to make the first cast of the day. I dont know if its really superstition or not but I hate catching the first fish, i feel its always bad luck.

[detroit1]

JohnnyBigger- that was funny. Mine is , like others, is no fish on the first cast. So my first cast is usually only 15' and i burn it back to the boat. When your taking someone out for the first time, i make sure they see me do this. The look on their faces are priceless as they wonder if i have a screw loose..(well)...later

[flyboy]

NO BANNANAS

[Radical Conservative]

Haha I love the Copenhagen superstition. I might try it pretty soon but I sure hate to waste good Copenhagen unless it works! Ha. I do have certain boxers that I think I do better in.. I'm sure I'm not the only one..

[zero limit]

No digital cameras never catch any size, but cell phone/camera does not seem to matter

[SDoolittle]

When I was a kid and Dad took us crappie fishing, we always had to throw the first one back.

[SirSnookalot]

Nope !

My tackle is a mess and I like it that way, I never organize it and never fish with more than a few lures with me.

I had the same xrap on for 3 weeks, caught a couple dozen snook and more bass........why change?

[Luke at Gouldsboro]

I always wear a black shirt, and when i step into my boat it's always my left foot first