Basil just returned from North Carolina after fishing giants with Capt Mark of the Cannon Runner. They had one giant on Saturday and two on Sunday. Fishing was good and there were 30 - 40 giants caught among the fleet. One new guy came down to NC to fish with Capt Mark yesterday. While running to fishing ground, the new guy asked Mark whether he wanted to eat banana. Mate Eddie overheard it and ran down to the refrigerator and found bunch of banana ! Eddie immediately threw away all banana, but it was too late. There were only one giant caught among the fleet yesterday and of course, Capt Mark got skunked. Basil with a nice giant.
Kil: Do you have any idea where that bannana curse came from or who started it? If I eat a bannana on board does it just curse me, usually, or does it get everybody? Russ
I learned that at early age by my dad, uncles, cousins while growing up in Hawaii. In islands you don't bring bananas on an outing. All my years-experiences fishing with bananas in the vicinity have been poor. Do I believe in da superstition??? You betcha! So, as a habit, I never bring nanas fishing. Years ago when station in California me and a buddy went fishing for crappies ( I was the top crappie angler in the state) and them speck perch were busting da surface, fish was all over da place fast and furious, but we only caught 6 fish. I found out later on that my buddy had brung a Chiqita fo lunch. Saltwater or freshwater, BANANAS IS A NO NO!!.......hehehe
It is a curse. Most box lunch's come with a banana when in a foreign port. Always check for it before boarding. To put some culture in you tuna smelling guys, I am showing a link to the famous "Banana Boat Song". I found one that has four nice girls performing. Once you hear it, you will recognize it. This is your finishing school lesson for today. YouTube - Banana Boat Song
I don't believe superstition, but I am really afraid to see banana on a boat as there were so many slow trips when I saw banana. When I fished on the Gulf Eagle out of Port Aransas on Dec. 28/30, I saw one gentleman and his young son ate banana. I jokingly said to them Banana is a bad luck on a fishing trip, but they seemed they had no idea what I talked about. Obviously I got only one out of four yft and the boat had the slowest yellowfin tuna trip in two months.
Havent you guys noticed that there is no longer a Banana in the fruit of the loom commercials??? or on their tags???????? One of the big wigs was a marlin fisherman.... The banana thing started many moons ago.. old sailing ships.... once a banana begins to rot, it will accelerate the ripening of all of the rest of the fruit and ruin it.. and they would run out of fruit long before they had anticipated. Not sure how it tied into the bad luck for fishing........
I saw a thing on TV that said in sailing days that when they brought stalks of bananas on board critters came hidden in the stalks that would bore holes in the hull.
Kil: Do you have any idea where that bannana curse came from or who started it? Russ The superstition and folk lore related to bananas and fishing, the bad luck banana story. Here is another theory. Bananas are a mainstay of most cultures and are the world’s most popular fruit. However, these deliciously yellow treats have no place at sea. Since the 1700’s, it has been widely believed that having a banana on board was an omen of disaster. In the early 1700’s, during the height of the Spanish’s South Atlantic and Caribbean trading empire, it was observed that nearly every ship that disappeared at sea and did not make its destination was carrying a cargo of bananas. This gave rise to the belief that hauling bananas was a dangerous prospect. There are other documented origins to this superstition as well. Another explanation for the banana superstition is that the fastest sailing ships used to carry bananas from the tropics to U.S. ports along the East Coast to land the bananas before they could spoil,” Chahoc said. “The banana boats were so fast that fishermen never caught anything while trolling for fish from them, and that’s where the superstition got started. Another theory is that bananas carried aboard slave ships fermented and gave off methane gas, which would be trapped below deck. Anyone in the hold, including cargoes of imprisoned humanity, would succumb to the poisoned air, and anyone trying to climb down into the hold to help them would fall prey to the dangerous gas. And finally, one of the better known dangers of bananas at sea, is that a species of spider with a lethal bite likes to hide in bunches of bananas. Crewmen suddenly dying of spider bites after bananas are brought aboard certainly would be considered a bad omen resulting in the cargo being tossed into the sea. Any of these scenarios could be the reason behind fishermen’s mistrust of the yellow fruit, possibly all of them. Whatever the case may be, it is best that you don’t attempt to bring any bananas on board your next seafaring excursion, just to be safe.
To put some culture in you tuna smelling guys, I am showing a link to the famous "Banana Boat Song". I found one that has four nice girls performing. I really like those gir...I mean song...
Hey Jerry, remember Cinco? only 4 YFT on that trip after Cpt's wife decided to eat a couple & toss em over the grouper drops, not to mention JP's little trick of hiding 4 of em in my ice chest....... Then there's San Quintin, BC, but I 've already told that story. No banana's! for the record, I like banana's, just not while fishing
I am not a superstitious person, but I can attest to trips I've been on that absolutely sucked and there WERE nanner's present. I can't remember one good trip ever that I have been on and they have been too. No nanners for me either... Earl
i put a 12/0 7691S hook in a banana that might be brought on board my boat to troll for marlin.............. i put a double set o'16/0 hooks in the fool that brought'em on and board and troll him for mako!
Kil: Thanks for the history! But I've got news for you and Earl. If you think a bannana might be related to bad luck or if you worry that it might, or if you don't want to see one on a boat, then you are superstitious! I will say this: I used to do a lot of canoe racing, and, on the short races (10-40 miles--anything under say, 5 hours,) we aways took bannanas along, duct taped to the sides of our boat, so we could grab one quickly and eat it. You can keep one down even after you puke so they are great racing food. One time, we capsized on the Guadalupe river in our 4 man boat and when we turned the boat back over to make a mid-river entry, we had a bass inside that would have gone a pound and a half. So my experiences have been good. But I guess if I ever got on board with Gunsmoke, who has already hinted that he throws 'sips overboard (I lost a bet and have leave "sips" uncapitalized until next year), I guess if I brought a banana on board, I would get keelhauled. Russ
Russ, When it comes to fishing you don't take chances, I don't want banana's on a boat when I'm fishing. I re-tie knots after a good fish also.
Hey Ronnie, can we get that in writing???? JK.. I have been on some sailing trips to mexico when the nanners ruined the rest of our fruit... It does suck...
You guys need to get a grip. Uncle Russ does not believe in the banana curse. All you have to do when you step on board is say "knock on wood" 25 times while rubbing your belly with your left hand and tapping the top of your head with your right, and everything will be fine! Russ
You guys need to get a grip. Uncle Russ does not believe in the banana curse. All you have to do when you step on board is say "knock on wood" 25 times while rubbing your belly with your left hand and tapping the top of your head with your right, and everything will be fine! Russ and stand on one foot....
as long as hoagies, beef jerky, triscuits, licorice and water aren't bad luck I can't complain. Cheesesteaks too....but real cheesesteaks, not the ones you buy outside of philly
