Fishing Voodoo

March 15th, 2008 Buster

What are you superstitious about? I think many people are superstitious about their sport. You hear about it all the time. Some athletes like to wear the same socks, shorts, or shirts of every game. The mental game of a sport is just as important as the physical being of an athlete. Have it you ever watched an adventure race and see someone break down in the middle of a race? I have and I can completely understand. I think I was near that point on a trip to Colorado with a couple of Outdoorzy members many years ago when we hiked the trail to Long’s Peak. But that was in my backpacking days and now I am a fly fisher.

As for personal superstitions, I don’t shave my face before or during any fly fishing trip whether a single day or multi day trip. By the time I get home, I have the beginnings of a good mountain man look; scruffy beard, crazy hair, and sometimes a nice outdoor funk. Of course, my fiancé disagrees with the funk, but when you play hard in the outdoors, there are some things to be expected.

Another one of my superstitions is when I am wading on a fishing trip, I never ever bring a net with me. I have one; it’s nice. It is currently hanging in my closet at home and that is where is going to stay. I have needed one from time to time while wading, but I always seem to make due without one. However, when I am floating in my kayak on a fishing trip, I always bring a net. You never know when you are going to hook into that 20 incher. Personally, I don’t want to fall into the water from my kayak and the extra length of a long handled net is useful for netting a fish from the kayak. For those who aren’t familiar with fly fishing nets, smaller fly fishing nets are smaller and hangs from a D-ring on a fishing vest or lumbar pack. A boat net is much larger with a longer handle and wide net opening.

What is your voodoo or superstition? What ritual do you do for every backpacking, day hike, or canoe trip? What do you take with you? Do you have a luck rock, piece of gear, shirt, hat or piece of clothing? Lets hear it.

This is Steve (On the Right) and I (On the Left) on the White River in Arkansas. As you can see, I have been fishing for several days and have not shaved. Then there is Steve, I don’t think he has stopped fishing and may still be on the river.

Entry Filed under: Fly Fishing, General