Truth or Fiction? Photo: Cameron Miller
Anyone who’s been around fishing for a while knows that many, many anglers believe that having a banana along on a fishing trip represents some seriously bad juju.
A story we recently heard about a day of steelhead fishing is a classic example. Two friends were fishing and one of them caught a fish and then ate a banana. No fish were caught afterwards. The banana was blamed for the turn in luck.
We’ve heard a few claims made on the origin of the ‘bananas are bad’ belief – bananas used to make other fruit spoil in the holds of ancient ships…ancient fisherman learned that if they traveled so far to sea that their bananas spoiled, they had passed the good fishing…Billy used to catch 41 bass a day but hasn’t caught one since that one time he brought a banana in his boat so clearly bananas are bad…
Regardless, what do you think about bananas and fishing?
- In the case of the two steelheaders, were there more fish to be caught that day?
- Do you actually have to eat the banana to be cursed?
- Do bananas emit a mysterious oil that works its way from your hands onto your fly or lure?
- Is there some giant unseen cloud of yellow bad karma that miraculously develops when a banana gets within range of the boat and encompasses you, the boat and all within, telling all fish to stay away?
- What if you’re fishing from shore and have a banana in your pack – still a bad idea?
- Have you been cursed by a banana in your boat?
- What about the opposite – did you have the best fishing of your life while happily munching on bananas all day?
Leave us a comment and let us know!
{ 32 comments… read them below or add one }
I don’t ever recall having a bad day of fishing, maybe the catching wasn’t so good and whether I had a banana in my vicinity, well, I never have thought twice about the banana legends so I concentrate more on whether I brought the right flies and not what I brought for lunch.
Bananas in boats? Don’t you know it’s bad luck to be superstitious?
It’s good practice to avoid even the suggestion of nanners prior to or during fishing. To be on the safe side I also limit my intake of nanner nut bread prior to an outing.
Scientist tell us that ripe bananas emit ethylene gas – maybe that’s the problem. I have great luck fishing and emitting other gases.
I’ve added Pringles tater chips to the no-go list. I had a bad one man pontoon boat wreck while carrying those aboard. I’m still picking little crusty bits of tater goodness out of my gear.
While we’re at it, let’s put “banana hammocks” on the list of banana-related items that have no place on a boat. Or anywhere else, come to think of it.
It’s probably not a good idea to even mention bananas on a fishing site.
Bannanas don’t pack well anyway. No loss.
I don’t know where the “Banana Phenomenon” came from, how it was created or by whom. But I do know… “YOU DO NOT BRING BANANAS FISHING” and especially on a boat. It’s a guy thing, we dont know why, we dont need to know. We just know that you dont do it!!! And the guy that does… he get’s gurned for the entire trip and any misfortunes fall upon his shoulders and this can even last weeks after the trip. It’s good fun. ~ss
not bad juju, shut up and fish
Ain’t the sign clear enough?
I too have a “No Nanners” sticker on my Koffler…it’s amazing they still make it to the boat with an occasional newbie! Bastards! GWhen the fishing sucks, you can blame the six degrees of seperation on the banana.
Two examples. #1: When tuna fishing a while back and one of the guys brought a bannana with him. Lucky for him he started eating it dockside before we left but the mate caught him and told him to get it off the boat. We when 7 for 13 on yellowfin that day and the bannanas where to blam for the lost fish (the captain was pissed). #2: When pond fishing with a buddy and the bass would not take a thing I tied on the ugliest fly I had and caught 13 bluegill (hey they have fins too). My buddy does the samething but comes up empty handed. On the way back to the car I found out he had a bannana for breakfast, enough said. I won’t even touch them now and the wife knows to keep the away from my gear at home and I don’t have a boat (yet) but I already have the “no bannana” sticker.
I’m gonna experiment. I’ll be in AK soon and I’ll put this “Banana” myth to the test. Maybe we should call “Myth Busters”.
I will dedicate a day of fishing with a banana in the boat and even eat one.
I bet I catch fish just the same.
The hard part is going to be where to find a banana!
Maybe this could be a segway to a post about fishing with confidence and how it may effect your success? I personally subscribe to confidentally fishing without a banana in my boat or in my belly. Can’t hurt my chances right!
or confidently
two small fishing boats trolling barracudas, one boat caught 50 the other boat 10, the two boats side by side, back and forth in a coastal, same bait same distance, guess what had bananas on board?
So I threw bananas at sea began to catch fish.
2ºa friend does not believe in the history of banana, and takes a dozen bananas hidden in the boat of another friend, to prove that it did not exist, the engine of the boat broke and needed back-hauled
I am amazed at the banana responses! To prevent bananas from being bad luck they must be cut up and placed on a penut butter sandwich before you bring them on the boat. But P-butter and jelly is better luck, at least in Andros!
Doug,
I do believe there is something about peanut butter. When I used to guide on the Nushagak and fishing was slow, a peanut butter cookie with coffee would always produce a bite.
I dropped the guests at the dock this morning and on the drive back I ran over a banana. By the time I saw it and realized what it was it was to late. I now wonder if it can affect my day on dry land. I did like the sound of it popping as I ran it over!
After 21 seasons in Alaska, I can tell bad banana stories for hours. For a few years I laughed, then I began to notice a pattern. Then Saltwater Safari Co in Seward had their crazy no bananas incident that made the news. I soon got serious about no bananas. I admit to catching a few fish with bananas on the boat or eaten by anglers, but only a few. I have a long list of days that went bad or started bad when bananas were present or eaten by guests. I’ve had the no bananas sticker on my boat for ten years for a reason!
How about some science? “Ethylene is a hormonal trigger in plants that causes cells to degrade and fruit to ripen. A good example is the banana. The presence of ethylene is what causes the banana to go from hard and green to soft and yellow.” (quote from NASA)
If we can smell em, how about trout and salmon that can detect chemical differences in parts per million? Don’t mess with bananas when you are fishing or handling your fishing gear!
Frankly, I wouldn’t want to risk slipping on a peel and falling in…only to be devoured by Jaws, piranha or the River Monster.
I am in agreement with Fred and his science fact. Fish have a sense of smell like no other.
So maybe the banana is not bad luck, it just smells bad?
I thought the only reason you didn’t bring a banana on a fishing boat was to keep your ass from getting kicked.
My husband rented a fishing boat on Tuesday. Wel had the right bait was in the perfect area and weather for fishing. Had the boat from 8-5pm. We caught no fish. My husbands brother asked if we had bananas on the boat. I didn’t understand why he asked this. As we were leaving the boat one of the riders had ate a banna and ha another one on the back of the boat. I caught not one fish. I had a banana for breakfast. I believe that bannas had something to do with the fact we did not catch fish. Every boat around us was catching fish. My husband caught none and he hurt his back on the boat.
I AM A BELIEVER OF NO BANNAS ON THE BOAT
I call B.S on the banana theory. Have you ever had a bad day of fishing without bananas? It does happen regardless and you could blame it on lots of things. Its still fishing and in fishing you have to accept the good with the bad. When I pull a no fish day when steelheading, It just makes me want to get right back out there. I’m willing to try Chris prices theory I bet the myth gets busted. Are there any bananas at AK west? cant remember seeing one.
Why even risk it!
My buddy told me the same thing and sent me the article mentioned. Its crap! I would rather be in the right place at the right time. Just this past weekend my buddy and I had caught pike, smallmouths, largemouths and a small musky. Finally, we finished the day casting poppers to bull bluegills on thier beds. Needless to say, 200 fish and 2 banannas later we had to quit. Not because the fishing was bad, only because our casting arms were sore. Is this how you spell banannas?
Bananas on the boat,
Yesterday a friend and I were trolling on Cayuga Lake in NY. We were catch fish mostly small ones and one keeper. I pulled out one of my two bananas and ate it and was immediately told that this was bad luck, needless to say we did not catch another fish for 3 hours. We discussed the bananas over and over again and I decided to throw the bananas over board. No sooner that I did this the fish began to bite again and we caught two more keepers and many more small fish, 10 in all. So my opinion even though I am not superstitious is NO bananas on the boat!!!!
For those of you who are no believers about bananas don’t test your luck. My worst days of fishing have had a banana somewhere involved. I no longer tempt fate and leave the bananas at home and won’t even eat one on the days I am to fish. Why risk it???
I googled the banana thing after a really bad day fishing when I found out a buddy had brought bananas on board. Salmon fishing –
Day 1. No Bananas – Fished for 4 hours. 2-big Chinook, 5 big pink salmon, lost one cannonball ($20.00).
Day 2. Bananas on board. Fished for 7 hours. 2 injuries, $120.00 worth of lost gear (some of it inexplicable), 1- small pink Salmon. Lots of lost fish
Day 3. No Bananas – Fished for 4 hours. 1-big Chinook, I-big Hatchery Coho, 6-big Pink salmon. No gear lost.
Moral of the story……NO BANANAS!!!!!
I bought a boat “Outer Space” and wanted to change the name to “No Bananas” but it’s bad luck to change the name of a boat. Taking bananas fishing is about as smart as walking under a ladder or letting a black cat cross your path. It’s just too risky.
I recently went fishing in Naples, FL, the Captain purchased live bait and was shorted and while trolling the troll motor broke. As the Captain tried to fix the troll motor I offered him a banana, much to my surprise he looked at me like he wanted to feed me to sharks and stated “YOU HAVE BANANAS ON MY BOAT!!” I was then educated very firmly about no bananas on a fishing boat they are BAD LUCK!!! Needless to say we never got the troll motor to work, having said all of this this myth may have some truth!!! Sorry Captain Drew Gary
I once witnessed a fishing boat sink at a boat ramp. As it went under a bunch of glistening bananas surfaced and floated away. True story.
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