Wives tales and myths versus truth...

Over the years I've heard some things like "don't do xyz when you fish". So I thought it might be fun/informative to post a couple that I have heard and see if anybody else knows whether mine are true/false, or has any of their own to ask/answer. Some of these things have to be myths/wives tales, but who knows which ones?!? :)

1) Noise in an aluminum boat - this one was answered in another thread - the consensus seems to be that the noise doesn't really scare the fish away but can be annoying to dads/grandpas - lol...

2) If a fisherman is a smoker, the fish can smell it and will avoid his bait/lure until it's been in the water for a few minutes (assumedly to rinse off the smoke smell). I've heard this more for catfish (when using stink bait) than anything else, but just curious what everyone else thinks...

IMHO ... there's a little bit of truth involved in both #1 & #2

"Talking" noise doesn't bother anyone except maybe the other anglers in the boat, as it does not transmit below the water's surface. Dropping things & fumbling around in the alum boat "can" disturb the fish, but not always.

Smoker's smell ... I've always heard this as it relates to Bass fishing, so I would guess Crappie could be just as sensitive to it. However, my cigar smoking Grandfather (R.I.P.), as well as my current smoker fishing partners & myself, have yet to see our smoking habit deter fish from biting our lures/baits.

As with most myths ... there's usually some bit of truth involved, or a twisted view or version of it, or an experience that sets the precedence for it. It's sort of like the old excuse sayings of "you ain't holding your mouth right" or "spit on your bait" .... neither of which have anything directly to do with your success or failure at catching a fish ... but are, in fact, meant to give you an excuse for your failure, and/or build your confidence (when you do succeed).

... cp :kewl

I cannot honestly say whether it does or does not bother the fish to the point they leave an area, but an older gps unit with the seperate antenna, sonar units and livelwell pumps can be heard at least 15' below the boat and that is a fiberglass bass boat. I do however, think that noise can shut the bite down if it is excessive.

Peace and Tight Lines

CS

There's the one that you should "spit on the knot" that I hear both ways periodically.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lowe170w

There's the one that you should "spit on the knot" that I hear both ways periodically.

---

"Wetting" a knot before you cinch it down, is to lubricate the line so that friction is reduced. The friction, from the line being tightened around itself, creates heat ... which can weaken the line.

I've never heard of this practice being considered negative :scratchhead :confused:

... cp :kewl

How bout winds from the east they bite the least, winds from the west fish bite the best

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by sweetbeaver

How bout winds from the east they bite the least, winds from the west fish bite the best

---

That one does have some truth to it ... when you consider WHY the winds are coming from each particular direction. It has to do with High & Low Pressure cells, more than wind direction alone.

Low pressure cells run counterclockwise, producing South & West winds-- High pressure cells run clockwise, producing North & East winds. Add in the warming/cooling effect of wind direction, changes in the Barometric Pressure level, and the changing weather conditions caused by either the High or Low ... and it becomes a bit clearer as to why this "saying" has lasted so long.

Winds from the East - fish bite the least
Winds from the West - fish bite the best
Winds from the South - blows bait in their mouth
Winds from the North - do not go forth

It's not 100% accurate, but does have some merit (when taken in context with all the other existing "conditions")

... cp :kewl

I heard one the other day.
No bananas in the boat. No clue why, but I bring them on my camping/fishing weekends.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Hanr3

I heard one the other day.
No bananas in the boat. No clue why, but I bring them on my camping/fishing weekends.

---

Absolutely bad luck......

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Hanr3

I heard one the other day.
No bananas in the boat. No clue why, but I bring them on my camping/fishing weekends.

---

That goes way back to ancient seafarers. Lots of different theories, but it's been around for hundreds of years.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Hanr3

I heard one the other day.
No bananas in the boat. No clue why, but I bring them on my camping/fishing weekends.

---

We had that discussion on the Main Forum, not long ago : seems to have come from the early days of shipping bananas ....

(copied from a post I made in that thread)
... it's a widely held superstition, maybe even "worldwide" :dono and probably comes from several different sources. One being that boats hauling bananas, back in the "olden times", would overload the boat ... and moderately rough seas would sink them. Also, when mariners stopped at islands on their intercontinental voyages, and picked up bananas ... they also picked up spiders, snakes, vermin, and bugs. These pesky stowaways could sicken or kill an unlucky sailor/voyager. They also ripen rather quickly, and emit ethylene gas. The gas is highly flammable, and is also known to cause death when breathed from within confined spaces.

There's also:
the "slipped on a banana peel" injury potential. And the oil (scent) may rub off on ones hands & "spook" the fish. The fastest ships were used to transport the quick to ripen fruit, and the speed of the ships were too fast to catch fish from, while trolling. Sailors becoming ill from eating bananas, or getting "the runs", thereby not being able to fish or crew the ship. The ethylene gas, emitted from the ripening bananas, would also "ripen" other foodstuffs faster, causing them to spoil faster ... thus diminishing the choices of what was available, and removing the vitamin intake of the crew (potentially causing a greater chance of scurvy, and/or other diseases).

As with most superstitions, it's merely a case of mistaking correlation for causation ... and being passed on, generation to generation.

... cp :kewl

"God does not subtract from a man's lifetime, the days spent fishing" ......

This one is a perpetrated myth, having no biblical reference .... but, is in fact an Assyrian or Babylonian saying (depending on which website you reference) that reads :

"the gods do not subtract from the allotted span of men's lives, the hours spent fishing"

(this is FYI, only ... and is not meant to start a debate on religion or religious teachings. Site rules prohibit such debates/discussions, except in the Way Off Topic Forum)

... cp :kewl

So, I could tell my wife that I am going to prolong my life by fishing? LOL I love it. :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by crappiepappy

"God does not subtract from a man's lifetime, the days spent fishing" ......

This one is a perpetrated myth, having no biblical reference .... but, is in fact an Assyrian or Babylonian saying (depending on which website you reference) that reads :

"the gods do not subtract from the allotted span of men's lives, the hours spent fishing"

(this is FYI, only ... and is not meant to start a debate on religion or religious teachings. Site rules prohibit such debates/discussions, except in the Way Off Topic Forum)

... cp :kewl

---

Wish it did , I might wind up out living Methuselah. :biggrin

I've heard the above said as well. I believe that the bite can be affected by the weather, but fish will eat everday if they can. I also believe that you need to be as quiet as you can. What I heard when I was young was that if you eat fish and drink milk, you will die. Where did this come from?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RCC

I've heard the above said as well. I believe that the bite can be affected by the weather, but fish will eat everday if they can. I also believe that you need to be as quiet as you can. What I heard when I was young was that if you eat fish and drink milk, you will die. Where did this come from?

---

As far as 'being as quiet as you can' .... talking doesn't bother the fish as much as it might bother someone else in the boat (who may be there for the peace & quiet, as much as for the chance to catch a fish :Rofl ) Noise created by dropping things in the boat create vibrations that are transmitted into the surrounding water ... and that 'may' spook the fish, especially if they are in an area that doesn't normally have much in the way of activity/noise.

Drink milk/eat fish = death .... myth !! Probably stems from other cultures/countries, & relates to religious taboos or unsanitary milk & fish processing.

... cp :kewl

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RCC

I've heard the above said as well. I believe that the bite can be affected by the weather, but fish will eat everday if they can. I also believe that you need to be as quiet as you can. What I heard when I was young was that if you eat fish and drink milk, you will die. Where did this come from?

---

Only dangerous if eating fish and drinking the milk straight from the cow. :twocents You could get stepped on .:Rofl

I read it was started by certain religions that forbid eating meat or meat type products with or in sucession with fish.

FACT: sound travels 11X farther in warm water than thru air. Don`t believe it? Put your ear barely underwater on a calm quiet day. You will hear boats farther away than you can see them, regardless of the wind, which can "deaden" or reduce sound travel thru air. LOVE watching guys in bass boats ROAR up to a good spot, idle back 50` away, coasting in, and then throw everything in the tackle box and get "skunked". In VERY cold water it goes up to around 13X to 14x. Low frequency sound waves pass easily thru most fluids; that is why the US Navy uses ultra low frequency transmissions to do 1 way messages to our nuclear ballistic missile submarines while they lurk at depths of 1,000+ fow moving along at a crawl to remain as silent as possible until needed. But feel free to make all the noise you want...as far as fish detecting nicotine, yes, in high enough concentrations, so feel free to toss the cigar and cigarette butts into the water...BTW, most bug and insect repellants have guess what in them? Make sure to spray up REAL good...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lowellhturner

FACT: sound travels 11X farther in warm water than thru air. Don`t believe it? Put your ear barely underwater on a calm quiet day. You will hear boats farther away than you can see them, regardless of the wind, which can "deaden" or reduce sound travel thru air. LOVE watching guys in bass boats ROAR up to a good spot, idle back 50` away, coasting in, and then throw everything in the tackle box and get "skunked". In VERY cold water it goes up to around 13X to 14x. Low frequency sound waves pass easily thru most fluids; that is why the US Navy uses ultra low frequency transmissions to do 1 way messages to our nuclear ballistic missile submarines while they lurk at depths of 1,000+ fow moving along at a crawl to remain as silent as possible until needed. But feel free to make all the noise you want...as far as fish detecting nicotine, yes, in high enough concentrations, so feel free to toss the cigar and cigarette butts into the water...BTW, most bug and insect repellants have guess what in them? Make sure to spray up REAL good...

---

Believe it or not I've seen times the only bites were when a boat came through and stirred up the water. I was fishing a tournament years ago in White river and found fish the day before in a small bayou . We couid not catch a keeper till a boat ran through the small bayou past us. In just minutes we caught enough to place. After it settled down no more hits .:twocents

I hate see'n any trash on the water. some folks don't consider cig butts trash around here.:mad Lots of things are said to repel fish ,insect repellant, gasoline, and never thought much about tobbacco but bugs don't like it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RCC

I've heard the above said as well. I believe that the bite can be affected by the weather, but fish will eat everday if they can. I also believe that you need to be as quiet as you can. What I heard when I was young was that if you eat fish and drink milk, you will die. Where did this come from?

---

LOTS OF SCHOOLS SERVE FISH ON FRIDAYS WITH MILK :dono . THIS COMBO MAY NOT BE NEAR AS BAD AS OTHERS THEY SERVE ! LOL MASHED POTATOES AND MYSTERY MEAT .nonono