NO BANANAS IN THE BOAT BOB. WHATS UP WITH THAT? DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING AGAINST BANANAS. I'M THINKING A SECRET FISHING TECHNIQUE BUT ARE YOU GONNA LET US IN ON IT? ARE APPLES & ORANGES OK. JUST CURIOUS. MAYBE FISH REALLY HATE THE SMELL OF THEM. I WOULD HATE TO SLIP ON A PEEL & FALL OUT OF THE BOAT. HAHA

It is about scent!! Many feel bananas have a negative effect on fish. Since Bob is usually fishing no bait zones, even the slightest scent can have a effect on his day. I have heard the same about citrus, but am not aware of any studies. I stick to salty pretzels

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Marty
http://www.steelheader.net
marty@steelheader.net

Its also a Hawiian fishermans superstition that when you have bananas in the boat the fish will run from you. Same as if your family fights or your wife commits adultry while the man is out fishing...It will scare away the fish.
Before derby,s we hide bananas in the other contestants boats (friends are rivals that we have serious bets with) at night in the marina.

This superstition is amazingly widespread. On the east cost, many, many of the skippers won't let a banana carrying client on the boat. I asked one where this all got started and he said something about a banana boat sinking in some harbor in Hawaii and the fish disappearing for a long time.

No bananas in my boat either. Or any banana products, for that matter. I am a firm believer that it DOES impact fishing success. This is no "superstition" either. Consider yourselves warned!!!

It's an old wives tale, but I've also heard something about fish being repelled by the slightest scent of banana oil. Either way, you need to wear gloves when you chuck them overboard, as you don't want to get any on you. Bob D. beat me to the derby story, but it seems like it happens at every derby, especially at the weekend long functions.

Hey Robbo:

Is that a banana in your waders, or are you just happy to be fishing with the king of Chuck N Duck. Yukon Jack rules.

No bananas in my boat either. Just plain ol' bad luck. Can't catch a fish till they are gone. No banana candy, no pictures of bananas or even look at one.
If you bring one on board the fish won't bite, your seats will fall off, your trailer will break and lightning could very well strike you, your car won't start. All other boats will catch all the fish. You will loose all your gear, probably will have an accident in your pants and your wife will run away with the weirdo from next door. fp

You guys have got to be kidding me!! No bananas in the boat? Steelhead love anus(or is it anise???) oil(licorice), garlic, even chew spit(done it). Now if a fish is willing to share a dip with ya, why not a banana? Definitely less likely to cause cancer than Copenhagen.Hehehe.....\

P.S. Hey Bob D, does that mean every time i've been skunked my wife was sleeping around? Geeze, she's been a busy gal...wait till I get home!Hehehe....

[This message has been edited by backlash2 (edited 03-02-2000).]

I've heard of saltwater salmon guides running out of herring and then cutting a banana peel into the shape of a cut spinner(pennant) and catching coho on them. This might just be a fish story but then again you could consider it "food for thought" ha, ha. On a serious note, I have been informed by one of my fishing buddies, who has a fisheries science degree from U.W., that citrus is one of the most offensive scents to salmon and steelhead along with L-Sereine, which is an amino acid secreted from your skin.

Next time you're fishing crowded areas and some guy tangles your line for the hundredth time, don't get mad and yell at him. You can simply take out your little bottle of citrus car freshener, while rubbing your fingers all over his bait, and give his lure a spray or two(just kidding).

Life is short.....Fish Hard!

Bananas = Bad Luck, plain and simple in my book. Thus, the sticker on the back of my boat and my policy of no bananas on board!

THANX GUYS, I'LL DO ANYTHING TO CATCH MORE FISH. I CAN EAT SOMETHING ELSE. BUT I LIKE THE IDEA OF PUTTING THEM IN OTHER BOATS. HEHE

My Fisheries degree aside, I'm listening to Bob on this one! Besides, I've only heard wives tales about salmonids not liking oranges or citrus. I have not seen any real proof or evidence to support it.

The only real "proof" (I say that lightly) that I have personally witnessed is how salmon fry in rearing pens react to human skin. They don't like it at all! I've read follow up studies that show that adult salmon tend not to like our scents as well. Can't say the same for steelhead, as I've only heard of these studies done on salmon.

All I know is no bananas, no oranges, and either use latex gloves when baiting up for salmon, or use a scent mask on your hands before handling salmon baits. Minty fresh Crest toothpast seemed to work ok!

Parker

Hey Bob, wasn't that a bannana in your boat sitting on your rowing seat about 3 weeks ago? My partner and I drove by and saw your nice boat sitting there in the parking lot while you where having breakfast in forks!!! Now what's up with that? He he he!

I can't believe I never heard this story before. That would explain why I got skunked the other night sturgeon fishing. I bet that's why my ex also cheated on me. Hey, now where do I get my potassium from? Don't want cramps from all the running up and down the river banks.

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Just because I look big, dumb, and ugly, doesn't mean I am. It means I can stomp you for calling me it!

Its all a myth! I'll eat a weeks worth the bananas and follow anybody down any river with a banana in my baitbox full of "TOP NOTCH EGGS" and still catch more fish than anyone who wants to fish there way down the river first... Not being egotistic but Its a fact CASE CLOSED!!!

Stlhdr1
Cure up a batch of eggs using banana pudding jello with your borax and let us know how you do following somebody with a clue.

I say Banannas to the whole theory. Although when I worked on a commercial troller in SE Alaska, you could not mention barn animals, leave a bucket with H2O in it upright, whistle (you might whistle up a storm). The only soap allowed on board was lemon sented Joy liquid soap. These were common "superstitions" on almost all the boats in the SE fleet.
Last week about half way through the drift we only had one fish to the net--and then I ate a bananna. You guessed it, we hooked another 8 fish during the last half of the float. Pass the bananna bread, please.

Yeah, I bet your still kicking yourself. Just think of how many fish you would have caught if You had'nt eaten that banana! I got in trouble once for bringing a 50 cent pack of banana creme cookies on my friend's drift boat. I think we did OK that day though. If your going to leave something home, leave your dog. I can't believe guy's who will fish a small stream with Rover. Better a dog than a gun.