Superstitions

[sinkingtip]

Hi Guy's - thought it might be interesting, and hopefully amusing, to start a thread on piscatorial 'superstitions'.
A couple of examples to get the thread started would be..........

A) "Tight Lines" - I have met, over the years quite a few anglers who consider this expression, when directed towards them, to be the 'kiss of death'. One in particular actually 'tackled down' on one occasion after hearing this and left the water without wetting a line (no, it wasn't me !)

B) Salmon on your 'piece' (a packed lunch for those not of working class Scottish origin)) - once heard a fisher say that he "never came to the riverbank with salmon on his piece" and claimed it brought him, and those around him, "bad luck". I believe the definition of 'salmon' was smoked, baked or tinned. Apparently sardines, tuna etc were perfectly acceptable.

C) On a sightly different tack but, nevertheless worth mentioning, was the late, and fondly remembered, Joe Elliot who was the Ghillie at Upper Murthly (that was in the days before the Murthly water was titled "one" and "two") - told us 'fresh faced and impressionable youths' about a "lassie who lived in the Dunkeld area and possessed the bonniest heid of red hair in Perthshire". Apparently this "lassie" would supply Joe, and a very select band of anglers, with her cut-off hair every so often. Joe claimed that the texture and strength of colour of this lady's hair made fantastic tying material for what can only be described as an early variation on a red 'shrimp' fly. For the record, and I can recall Joe telling me her name after a few drams, her surname wasn't Gowans !! - that much I do recall....and give him (and her) their due, the "flea" looked fantastic !!

D) I, on several occasions, had the pleasure to fish with an extremely 'interesting' gentlemen, who has since gone on to write a book on 'pheromones' (you probably know who I mean), claim that a friend of his (aye, right !) ALWAYS put his fly box under that side of the mattress on which his wife slept the night before a fishing trip and that there was a certain time of the month where this 'practice' was "extra deadly"....although I cant imagine what he meant by this....

Contributions appreciated........any more examples.............??

[macsalmo]

Hi SinkingTip, cracking thread.

Paragraph 'D' ; I can't get on that side of the mattress, let alone my fly box

Gary

[sinkingtip]

Love it macsalmo ;D ;D ;D!!! - keep them coming guy's.

[Fruin]

When at school, I occasionally went trawling on Loch Lomond with a guy that, when things got quiet, swore by singing a wee chant of "nika naka noo noo, nika naka noo noo" over and over again.
I used to hope the B****** got a fish just to shut him up

Never said anything, he was the grown up and it was his boat

[salmondan]

Fantastic idea for a thread sinkingtip, we should get loads of miles out of this one.

I have loads of the usual (lucky socks, underpants, petrol station etc) superstitions, none of which seem to work very often, or indeed work at all when it comes to salmon. One that is perhaps a little out of the ordinary was in force about 6 years ago. I had a job which entailed travelling the length of the country every week, every time I passed a river I'd say "fishy fishy, elusive fishy" (a la Monty Python's flying circus). The only time I didn't say it was when I was actually going fishing. In my twisted logic it meant that the fish (ALL fish) knew where I was at all times, except when I was going to try catch them .

It didn't work . I have no idea why .

Bizarre? Probably.

[ibrox]

Is that what the smell was on the newbie beat that day Dan . ur feet .
Could've been worse .......

;D ;D ;D

[sinkingtip]

fruin said:

When at school, I occasionally went trawling on Loch Lomond with a guy that, when things got quiet, swore by singing a wee chant of "nika naka noo noo, nika naka noo noo" over and over again.
I used to hope the B****** got a fish just to shut him up

Never said anything, he was the grown up and it was his boat

Hi Fruin - would that have been "nickety, nackety, noo - noo - noo" as in the immortal lyrics of the Scottish classic "The wee Cooper O' Fife".
Thanks for taking to this thread gents. Much appreciated and please keep it coming. Nice to have a bit of light relief every so often. ;D

[sinkingtip]

Go on Springer - live dangerously !!.... we will vouch for you when they come !!

Salmondan - I like it !!!....Unusal to say the least but, nevertheless, perfectly understandable in a primeval sort of way ;D

[macsalmo]

On the side of the M6 at Tebay in Cumbria there is a wood on the side of the fell in the shape of a loveheart, years ago a british fighter pilot crashed his plane at that very spot and his wife had the wood planted in his memory . When my mate and I first heard that tale it took me two days to remove that rugby ball from my throat if you know what I mean since that day we salute that wood everytime we pass it for good luck It worked well for us last season (or it could of been the lucky underpants, socks, tee shirt, jumper hat, net, waders etc ;D).

Gary

Ps; Alan, I would be behind bars with you if I released some of my others.

[salmoseeker]

Every morning without fail I shower and wash my hair
However if I'm fishing for salmon I NEVER EVER use any form of proprietary cleansing agent (shower gel, shampoo etc), they can smell it.

[donnieW]

I had a lighter that seemed to do the trick for me. I assured the missus that if I could just place it in a nice warm pheremonish area (but not inside the underwear) before I went out I would win the competition. What a roll I went on - 3 consecutive trout competitions and going well in "the big one", a new knockout competition with the final on Loch Voshimid. On the day of the final I went too far....it was quite a chunky awkward shape of lighter and the metal would have been cold, I suppose..........
I turned up to fish complete with lucky lighter and the start of a black eye!! And went on to win it ;D ;D Still have the lighter but scared to use it now!!

[Fruin]

sinkingtip said:

Hi Fruin - would that have been "nickety, nackety, noo - noo - noo" as in the immortal lyrics of the Scottish classic "The wee Cooper O' Fife".
Thanks for taking to this thread gents. Much appreciated and please keep it coming. Nice to have a bit of light relief every so often. ;D

That sounds very familiar sinkingtip. If you hear it coming from the Tummel this Saturday, you'll know that I'm getting desperate

[sinkingtip]

I am with you totally on the lack of personal hygiene issue Salmon seeker and have been so for as long as I can remember (on fishing day's only I hasten to add). However, although I boast a vast array of 'designer' scents (Blue Stratos excepted ) I would never dream of turning out on a fishing day smelling like the inside of the proverbial 'hoors handbag' . Teeth brushed, hair combed and a wee bit of non smelling armpit deodorant is about my limit although 'she who must be obeyed' has a definite 'opinion' upon my return and even more so if I have been away for a week !!.
But yes, I agree, I believe also 'they' can smell it - the fish that is - not the missus.

[sinkingtip]

Another one I have tended to adopt over the years is that when I have a 'successful' fly (a 'lucky' fly), not a pattern - a particular fly - I tend to try and give it away as soon as possible for fear of becoming overly 'attached' to it and its mystical powers of attraction . I once new a guy who had such a fly before losing it one day on the back cast (he unfortunately wasn't a Spey caster) - talk about total breakdown confidence !! It took a lengthy course of medication and specialist counseling before he was able to again cast with confidence (seriously).

[hornet]

Great thread ;D,

I never carry a priest as this is my main hoodoo, i think .

Always start the day with my hornet pbp fly .

Started to think about the guff from deodorant and it's effects it may have .

Can't think of any others as i just turn up and get on with it really.

Hornet

[para1]

There is a certain layby north of Perth, when we pass it we remove our headress.
Some years ago we were traveling to our beat and had to pass through Perth to get there.
My mate who was driving said that it did not look good to have a gallon bottle of whiskey sticking up in the back of the car. (this was to be placed in the top hut, we had another for the bottom hut).
We stopped in the above mentioned layby and both of us got out, my mate open the boot and in slow motion the gallon bottle dropped to the ground, followed by 1.5 ltr of sloe gin.:-(
This may seem an excessive amount but we were there for the week. Not a word was spoken.
My other mate who was in the back of the car and who had supplied the gallon didn't say anthing until we got to Perth, he then exploded and said "You better stop and get another bl88dy bottle.
In later years we used to fish for a small trophy, best fish for the week, we called it "The Gallon Memorial Trophy".
I nearly short cicuited my key board with tears as i typed this.

[sinkingtip]

Para 1 - Sloe gin Ouch !!! (hope it wasn't home made). Liked the concept of a 'memorial trophy' for a bottle of 'nips' - any other examples of non-human memorial trophies out there ?.

I think the 'priest' one is quite common hornet - certainly 'up there' with the "never carrying a net" superstition. Thanks for your contributions guy's. Keep it coming folks. ;D

[kercock]

I remember meeting Joe Elliot on several occasions at Dunkeld. At a guess would the other be an Irish doctor who later became a professor with a million stories ?
The words I dread are the already mentioned "tight lines", the kiss of death.

[para1]

Sinktip, Sloe gin definately home made, only way to drink it. The bought stuff is not good. They put WATER in it when there making it.
BTW, this years brew is excellent.

[elwyman]

kercock said:

The words I dread are the already mentioned "tight lines", the kiss of death.

Surely not as bad as:

"We've thrashed the water with the fly, put a spinner through it, and have'nt seen b*gger all". ;D