Bananas!!

[Hill373737]

Is it just me or is anyone else convinced that bananas on a fishing boat bring bad luck. I always think that successful fishing requires lots of tackle, plenty of knowledge and a heap of good luck.

 

I took two of my brother-in-laws out for a mid week fish … neither of them are keen fisherman but were hopeful of getting some fish. I had a simple plan - launch at Patonga, troll Barrenjoey for a while, head down into Pittwater to try a few kingy spots and finish up on a flathead drift, along the way offering the fish a range of hard bodies, plastics and bait.

 

I definitely can’t say I get fish every time I wet a line but I’d usually expect at some point during the morning we would have hooked up on a fish, expecially since the flathead drift is fairly reliable. On top of that, on the run across Broken Bay, my motor alarmed twice with a non-critical alarm which is yet to be investigated.

 

I’d given the brother-in-laws fairly simple instructions - just bring what you want to eat and I’ll have everything else. We decided to have lunch on the flathead drift and when they opened up the cooler bag that their lunch was in … I was in total shock to see they had bought a couple of bananas onto the boat.

 

I don’t have any scientific evidence to back this up but I’ve always believed bananas on a boat will spoil a good days fishing - I don’t remember how I worked this out so it was probably passed down to me as a kid by my dad.

 

I can’t do anything about sorting the lack of fish for the last trip and I still have to check the motor to see whats happening with it, but my big concern now is does the bad luck stay on the boat - should I take to it with bleach, tuna oil or maybe just sell it to some unsuspecting fisherman??

[frankS]

Just a silly superstition passed down from the days when cargo boats were frequently wrecked and those carrying bananas were particulary venerable, as the fruit perished so rapidly only the worse conditioned boats would be cheap enough for the merchants to hire and those very poor conditioned boats sank more often due to their non sea ability, hence banana boats were seen as being unlucky and few wanted to crew them.

Frank

[JonD]

I always take bananas and have done for 40+ years of boat owning. Just got in from a great session on the snapper.

Occasionally our bananas get squashed in our food bad, so yes they had bad luck.

[blaxland]

Its better to blame the banana than to kick the dog

[rickmarlin62]

many game fishos believe bananas are taboo on a boat...I personally have caught a 90kg stripe with a banana skin rigged over a skipping slimy..haha.go figure..it works..rick

[Hill373737]

I'm definitely off on bananas on the boat although OK with banana bread -I forgot to mention I came home to a 1.5m tree snake in the carport where I keep the boat - snakes on the boat for next outing would have been even worse than bananas!

 

[rippinlips]

The banana myth dates back to when they were stored with other fruits and they caused other fruits to ripen and as a result go off much quicker on the olden days super long voyages.

[masterfisho7]

All game boats I have been on will not let you take bananas .

[big Neil]

Stupid myth. I take bananas with me every time I go fishing. Mind you I never catch any fish...LOL. bn

[Smasher]

I thought the scientific basis was that fish could smell it on the jig after you’ve been handling it. But by all means it’s probably a myth, up with there with eating carrots to improve your eyesight.

[JonD]

52 minutes ago, Smasher said:

I thought the scientific basis was that fish could smell it on the jig after you’ve been handling it. But by all means it’s probably a myth, up with there with eating carrots to improve your eyesight.

That's a good one, you can actually catch fish on banana skin from mullet to bluefin tuna etc.

Banana fingers from yesterday.

 

[rickmarlin62]

maybe your the long lost b3 banana neil....bahahaha

[big Neil]

6 hours ago, rickmarlin62 said:

maybe your the long lost b3 banana neil....bahahaha

Oh I wish Rick! Always wanted to be long and thin, but you have to work with what you got, eh? Neil

[rickmarlin62]

yeah mate..hope you and yours are well.....lots of guys used to play tricks on each others boats at tournaments I used to fish...hang bananas from outrigger clips...and put one or two free swimming nanas in the live bait tank...all in good fun of course...rick

[Scratchie]

I never take bananas on my boat or banana boat sunscreen even. Most game boats I go on don’t either! Although, it is bad luck to be superstitious! 

Cheers scratchie!!! 

[Hill373737]

Great photos JonD, some nice fish there.

I checked and don't see any bananas lurking in the background of the photos so still not convinced. 

[JonD]

8 minutes ago, Hill373737 said:

Great photos JonD, some nice fish there.

I checked and don't see any bananas lurking in the background of the photos so still not convinced. 

New challenge to add to the $20 rod outfit is to now add a catch on banana skin.

[Blackfish]

That sounds like a great challenge, which I recon whats fishing is all about.

[JonD]

59 minutes ago, Blackfish said:

That sounds like a great challenge, which I recon whats fishing is all about.

The little $20 outfit was knocking over bass after bass today, with over 40 fish caught and released between the two of them. The way the bass were this afternoon I feel sure they would also fall for banana skin.

[Blackfish]

I'll get onto "Sports Betting Agency" and have my money on you guys. 

 

[JonD]

Only rats on the $20 rod in the banana boat today!!!!!

 

[Blackfish]

Could you imagine what you would have caught without the Bananas on the boat. 

[JonD]

1 hour ago, Blackfish said:

Could you imagine what you would have caught without the Bananas on the boat. 

Most boats were heading home as we headed out due to the 20 knot NE wind, according to the ramp rats and pro boats no kings were caught again today. The kings have been very quiet for the last week but we've still found a few each trip thanks to our lucky bananas

 

[frankS]

1 hour ago, JonD said:

 The kings have been very quiet for the last week but we've still found a few each trip thanks to our lucky bananas

With perhaps a little bit of skill and some local knowledge thrown in there somewhere.

Frank

 

 

[Hill373737]

5 hours ago, JonD said:

Only rats on the $20 rod in the banana boat today!!!!!

 

Love that photo .... still not convinced though, looks like you had a good days fishing which could have possibly been a great days fishing if you didn'ty have bananas on the boat!!