The Lure of Angling Lore
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My Dad always told us to spit on our worm before casting out.
In spring, when lilacs are in bloom, weakfish are in the bay.
It is bad luck to bring a banana on board a fishing boat.
My neighbors took me salmon fishing on Oregon's Willamette River. They hardly ever came home from salmon fishing without a fish or two or...more.
I had packed a sandwich and a nice yellow banana for a late lunch on their boat. I had no idea that my brining a banana aboard the boat would be bad luck...like NO CATCH.
My neighbor's wife, Paula was trolling one of their home made flashers/lure and BANG...fish on. She handed me her rod saying something like.."its hooked" so you bring it in! Well.......that fish fought for several minutes....and SNAP...it was gone.
No salmon catch that day. When we returned to dock next to the boat launch, Howard, my neighbor and chief fish catcher...when asked by a few of his friends tied up at the dock...."what did you catch today???"
"Nuttin'....and it was Nuttin' because my neighbor Tom here with us, had snuck a banana on board.
Well the word passed down the line....lots of laughs and advice: "Don't ever ever ever bring a banana on any boast any time anywhere."
I was the fool for the day...and took no offense of the mocking works from the other fishermen/fisherwomen.
I have seen this work. When cows are lying down, stay home. When they are up eating, the fish are biting. However, this does not apply to salt water.
When the dogwood is blooming, the fish are hitting top water.
If the wind comes out of the East fish bite the least, from the West fish bite the best, from the North seek forth, from the south blows the hook in their mouth.
My Great Aunt Myrtle used to say it was a good time to go fishing when the cows were lying down