When planning a long fishing trip, never say the species you are actually targeting, this seems to guarantee never catching that fish. That is why I fish only for Killer Whales now.
Here in Kentucky, my dad always used to say "If the cows are laying down, it's a bad day to fish." I'm 36 years old and still think about this when I see cows on the way to a fishing hole.
Whenever you say to yourself “I’m just gonna go around this bend to see how it looks then I’m done” the next bend looks amazing and you fish for an hour longer then repeat
Last Saturday night I hooked a 4lb Largemouth on my first cast. The bass wrapped up in the trolling motor. I managed to lip the bass with my right hand and pulled the motor up with my left, but I also managed to kneel on the foot control and spun about six feet of flyline into the prop. I wrecked my 8wt floating line, took 20 minutes to get the motor apart and back together. My first cast was also my last that night. Had to fish my 7wt this weekend. So yes I am convinced of the first cast curse.
We never take a virgin rod on a serious fishing trip. A new rod is taken straight from the shop and cast into a ditch, a catchment pond, etc. to purge that minty-stink.
Great topic. A couple of my favorites are "if the cows are eating fishing will be good" and "wind from the east, fish bite the least." I haven't said wind out loud in ten years, it feels like bad luck typing the word.
For the concept of the "W"..."Wind out of the south bait falls in their mouth, wind out of the north dont go forth, wind out of the west fishing is best, wind out of the east fishing is least" thanks grandpa!
My wife is a great fisherwoman & loves the dry fly. No fish rising anywhere for hours. I say, "No risers for hours, quit wasting your time." And ..... Boom! She gets a fish to rise. Never, ever fails. Damn she's good :)
2 that I know are true. The first one is that it’s bad luck to do 6 wraps when tying a clinch knot or improved clinch knot. You can do 5 or 7 but knot 6. The second is that if you leave your trash behind at the river or don’t pick up trash you find you will get leaky waders.
I no longer book a guide in advance. If I want to fish one of the larger western rivers, I just walk into the fly shop the day before and see if they have anyone available. All of my biggest fish have bee caught with that guide- the low totem pole guide.
"W" stands for two NO-NO words when doing any type of fishing: A) Weather & B) Work. We NEVER talk about either of these W words while fishing! Love Hugh Fly Fisherman! Keep up the good "W"
On your drive to fishing, if the cows in pastures are up and eating, the fish will be eating, if the cows are all laying down the fishing will be slow.
I'm left first too, started with baseball cleats and continues to this day. Gloves, pants, street shoes... other things. I've heard left foot first on the boat first as well. Thanks Ben!!! Keepin it Huge in CA!
Great topic Ben! - years ago after back to back trips of hitting a bird or chipmunk with car followed by a rotten days fishing has me convinced the two go hand in hand, serious mojo killer for sure. So I work hard to thwart any suicidal attempts by roadside creatures when enroute to the water, but damn do they try to get ya, it's like they know!
More of a skiing thing, but I do it fishing too; Never announce out loud "This is the last run" Because people usually get hurt on their declared last run of the day. So calling out the last hole or last cast is just asking for disaster. Thanks Ben Stay wet Keep em huge!
Oh sweet! Im headed out tomorrow for the morning, and not only is the whole trip ruined, i now have new crap to worry about and $10 says I put my left boot on first... great video man!!
The no bananas is always a rule in the boat. The superstition comes from capsized ships carrying bananas where the flotsam would contain bananas which then was a sign of bad luck.
Fish love to bite any time you’re not prepared. Whether it’s having a snack, replying to a text, or having a smoke/ sip that bobber will almost always duck under.
Never cast to a black cat while standing under a ladder and looking in a broken mirror! If you do, don’t forget to throw a handful of salt into your reel over your left shoulder. That’s huge!
OMG! You are talking about my boyfriend! His name is even Kevin! We laugh and joke that he has a black aura because every time we try to go fishing or hunting it snows or rains! I have pictures of freak snowstorms trying to steelhead fish, where there were 50 mph winds and 4ft of snow in MAY!
Love it! Food for thought... the KOD guy (Kiss of Death). although a good person and great at many things.....whenever he goes on a trip with you it is super tough fishing. He usually gets skunked and talks about it constantly. (I call that "skunk breath" and yes it stinks)
My personal favorite: If you’re on the water, and you have caught a fish, and had a beer sometimes a shot of something a bit more potent is required to appease the fish gods and catch another fish! Also, this is more for ice fishing, but if it’s slow start cooking food and you can guarantee the flags start popping
I do miss uptown angler in New Orleans. I have that hat! You may have convinced me to make it my lucky hat! BTW some guides don’t like derivatives of bananas....banana bread, plantain chips....
My personal superstition is that I never fish hungry. The fish can sense your hunger and will vacate the area. Always have a snack before you hit the water.
I went back to my monster truck, Brawndo roots this year and started Striper fishing on a spinner rig. Got no fly fishing done at all, and I miss it. W didn't effect me this year though, so that was nice.
I found that a hearty meal of chicken tendies before going out helped me catch a bucket load of fish on the Colorado in Grand County this weekend. So it's chicken tendies for me before I go out from now on. Saw a load of your stickers on cars up there, Ben. You're huge on Grand Lake.
Since I make my own rules, catching a fish on the first cast is a good luck charm to me. And calling your shot is always encouraged bc it looks really cool when it happens and it’s funny when it doesn’t 👍🏼
On the lake i like to go fly fishing at, if it isn’t raining, you ain’t catching anything, but if it is raining, and i mean literal downpours, dry fly only, works every time
The slow day, no fish, mind wandering, thinking about that movie last night with the scene where...and getting a hit...that you "farmed the hookset" (that is a new one for me.) Then trying to stand, move, look, think and recreate all the karmic/cosmic/kismet actions that led to that one hit that you had.
Wow, reading all these comments could make one extra superstitious, but if I had one to pick it would be the first cast fish! Had that happen to me too many times!
Kicking in old-school, Colorado-style - this one was gospel truth, I swear: until the development of digital cameras, if you spent more than one day fishing the Frying Pan and didn't have the Huevos Rancheros at the Two Rivers Cafe in Basalt at least once, every single one of your photos would turn out to be blurry once you got them developed.
First Cast Fish..THIS ONE IS TRUE. even last week. First cast was a 16" sea run brook trout. A brute for 16", Thick and Deep. That was the last sniff of a fish for two hours.
My former boss took me crappie fishing on his boat. He had a banana that day and it broke down. I still don't believe the myth, but it was a funny coincidence.
Good list. So regarding the lucky hat. I had a particularly good one and it came off one day while I was off shore tuna fishing. Is there a ceremony to try and move some of that mojo to a different hat?
Dude totally true....I launched a banana out of my boat from a dude's lunch.....we still don't speak . My ADD OCD USMC move is to dip my fly rod under the water before my first cast of day....idk...I cant stop. Now because of you I will be more aware of what wading boot goes on first!!! Dang it more to ponder
If you hook a tree on the first cast of the day it's going to be a really good day! Disclaimer: This does not work if you do it on purpose. Believe me I tried.
Spent a day without a bite on a drift with a buddy. At the end he whips out a banana he had stashed the whole time. Hasn’t been on my boat since, and I haven’t been skunked like that either.
I will only listen to Johnny Cash in MT or its air space. ...Was actually on a flight from Detroit to Seattle and looked down and figured out that we were over Helena. Listened to Johnny for about 30 minutes then turned it off, worried plane might go down if I didnt...
Always toss a coin in the water before you start fishing. We call it "paying the fishing gods". Also, when cracking open a beer while fishing, always pour a little overboard. You never want the fish to go thirsty.
You forgot to say anytime you stop fishing to untangle line or pick something up or anything and the line and fly are in the water to always set the hook before casting. We know fish love unattended flies
Invited Kevin to fish the night bite friday and up early saturday for the grey light. He's busy. Looks like we'll have good weather. Down with cork sucking!
My dad always told us that you have to lick your first fish of the season up the back from tail to nose if you want a good year. As an adult I realize that he was just being an ass
Always count to 7 when wrapping knots, doesn’t matter how many wraps there actually are as long as you count to 7
The good ole 6 or 7 or 8 wrap clinch knot!
Low key, 6 wrap improved clinch is my go to lol
What about palomar knots
I never heard of that one but damn it! Now I’m going to start!!!
@@giomartinez2454 7 wrap polomar knots the worlds new strongest knot
When planning a long fishing trip, never say the species you are actually targeting, this seems to guarantee never catching that fish. That is why I fish only for Killer Whales now.
Lmao
Don't bring sardines! You will catch no fish!
Here in Kentucky, my dad always used to say "If the cows are laying down, it's a bad day to fish." I'm 36 years old and still think about this when I see cows on the way to a fishing hole.
Ha! Had a similar saying growing up my my gramps “red sky at night fisher delight red sky in the morning fishers in mourning”
Whenever you say to yourself “I’m just gonna go around this bend to see how it looks then I’m done” the next bend looks amazing and you fish for an hour longer then repeat
agree
Picking up trash always improves my experience.
Last Saturday night I hooked a 4lb Largemouth on my first cast. The bass wrapped up in the trolling motor. I managed to lip the bass with my right hand and pulled the motor up with my left, but I also managed to kneel on the foot control and spun about six feet of flyline into the prop. I wrecked my 8wt floating line, took 20 minutes to get the motor apart and back together. My first cast was also my last that night. Had to fish my 7wt this weekend. So yes I am convinced of the first cast curse.
We never take a virgin rod on a serious fishing trip. A new rod is taken straight from the shop and cast into a ditch, a catchment pond, etc. to purge that minty-stink.
Exception to beer only after fish rule...morale beer, to set your mind right for the impending skunk
Great topic. A couple of my favorites are "if the cows are eating fishing will be good" and "wind from the east, fish bite the least." I haven't said wind out loud in ten years, it feels like bad luck typing the word.
For the concept of the "W"..."Wind out of the south bait falls in their mouth, wind out of the north dont go forth, wind out of the west fishing is best, wind out of the east fishing is least" thanks grandpa!
Seven turns on my knot. Not six, not five. Seven.
My wife is a great fisherwoman & loves the dry fly. No fish rising anywhere for hours. I say, "No risers for hours, quit wasting your time." And ..... Boom! She gets a fish to rise. Never, ever fails. Damn she's good :)
2 that I know are true.
The first one is that it’s bad luck to do 6 wraps when tying a clinch knot or improved clinch knot. You can do 5 or 7 but knot 6. The second is that if you leave your trash behind at the river or don’t pick up trash you find you will get leaky waders.
whoa, I always do 6 wraps. Personal choice I guess
Same! If I'm tying a streamer I go 5. Anything else I go 7. Never 6.
I no longer book a guide in advance. If I want to fish one of the larger western rivers, I just walk into the fly shop the day before and see if they have anyone available. All of my biggest fish have bee caught with that guide- the low totem pole guide.
My number 1 superstition, besides my lucky hat, is all knots have to have an even number of wraps. ALWAYS!
6.5 always. Half of 13
I do prime numbers. Fly tying too.
Ha! I'm a 3, 5, 7, kinda guy.
I’m always 6 +1 for good luck. And I always say it out loud
"W" stands for two NO-NO words when doing any type of fishing: A) Weather & B) Work. We NEVER talk about either of these W words while fishing! Love Hugh Fly Fisherman! Keep up the good "W"
On your drive to fishing, if the cows in pastures are up and eating, the fish will be eating, if the cows are all laying down the fishing will be slow.
Out here in the PNW steelhead fishing; if you forget the landing net, you almost always get a fish.
I'm left first too, started with baseball cleats and continues to this day. Gloves, pants, street shoes... other things. I've heard left foot first on the boat first as well. Thanks Ben!!! Keepin it Huge in CA!
black clouds and dirty hippies 🤣... need more content like this in today's world. Thanks Huge FF!
Great topic Ben! - years ago after back to back trips of hitting a bird or chipmunk with car followed by a rotten days fishing has me convinced the two go hand in hand, serious mojo killer for sure. So I work hard to thwart any suicidal attempts by roadside creatures when enroute to the water, but damn do they try to get ya, it's like they know!
More of a skiing thing, but I do it fishing too; Never announce out loud "This is the last run" Because people usually get hurt on their declared last run of the day. So calling out the last hole or last cast is just asking for disaster.
Thanks Ben
Stay wet
Keep em huge!
First sip of every beer always goes over the side of the boat/into the water as a sacrifice to the fishing gods. Works some of the time, all the time.
I know it's a 50/50 choice, but I'm also 100% left foot first; ski boots too...
Oh sweet! Im headed out tomorrow for the morning, and not only is the whole trip ruined, i now have new crap to worry about and $10 says I put my left boot on first... great video man!!
If you bring an extra rod you won’t break it but when you forget an extra rod your chance to break the rod goes up
The no bananas is always a rule in the boat. The superstition comes from capsized ships carrying bananas where the flotsam would contain bananas which then was a sign of bad luck.
Fish love to bite any time you’re not prepared. Whether it’s having a snack, replying to a text, or having a smoke/ sip that bobber will almost always duck under.
Never cast to a black cat while standing under a ladder and looking in a broken mirror! If you do, don’t forget to throw a handful of salt into your reel over your left shoulder. That’s huge!
Tow I definitely agree.... catching fish on the first cast it’s the worst nightmare.... I have around 10 hats but only one is lucky... 🤫
OMG! You are talking about my boyfriend! His name is even Kevin! We laugh and joke that he has a black aura because every time we try to go fishing or hunting it snows or rains! I have pictures of freak snowstorms trying to steelhead fish, where there were 50 mph winds and 4ft of snow in MAY!
Love it! Food for thought... the KOD guy (Kiss of Death). although a good person and great at many things.....whenever he goes on a trip with you it is super tough fishing. He usually gets skunked and talks about it constantly. (I call that "skunk breath" and yes it stinks)
My personal favorite:
If you’re on the water, and you have caught a fish, and had a beer sometimes a shot of something a bit more potent is required to appease the fish gods and catch another fish!
Also, this is more for ice fishing, but if it’s slow start cooking food and you can guarantee the flags start popping
The fish hear everything, you have to stop your own heartbeat so you can catch one.
I do miss uptown angler in New Orleans. I have that hat! You may have convinced me to make it my lucky hat! BTW some guides don’t like derivatives of bananas....banana bread, plantain chips....
When I was a kid, my Grandad used to say "if the cows were laying down in the field, then the fish won't bite". More often than not, he was right.
Curse of catching a fish on the first cast is oh so true... just happened to me last week.
My personal superstition is that I never fish hungry. The fish can sense your hunger and will vacate the area. Always have a snack before you hit the water.
Never, ever, ever, tie a knot with 6 wraps. 5 GOOD. 7 GOOD. 6 BAD!
I start my day with the last fly I used on the last day..(yesterday). At least 10 casts.
I went back to my monster truck, Brawndo roots this year and started Striper fishing on a spinner rig. Got no fly fishing done at all, and I miss it. W didn't effect me this year though, so that was nice.
-I’m not sure if I should put Michael Scott of Stevie wonder in this video
Kevin -hold my beer
I found that a hearty meal of chicken tendies before going out helped me catch a bucket load of fish on the Colorado in Grand County this weekend. So it's chicken tendies for me before I go out from now on. Saw a load of your stickers on cars up there, Ben. You're huge on Grand Lake.
Since I make my own rules, catching a fish on the first cast is a good luck charm to me. And calling your shot is always encouraged bc it looks really cool when it happens and it’s funny when it doesn’t 👍🏼
I don’t even pack a dip until I’ve at least gotten a hit from a fish
On the lake i like to go fly fishing at, if it isn’t raining, you ain’t catching anything, but if it is raining, and i mean literal downpours, dry fly only, works every time
The slow day, no fish, mind wandering, thinking about that movie last night with the scene where...and getting a hit...that you "farmed the hookset" (that is a new one for me.) Then trying to stand, move, look, think and recreate all the karmic/cosmic/kismet actions that led to that one hit that you had.
The first cast hook up curse is 100% real lol
Have to poop when fishing. You will be crampy and miserable but catch trophy fish.
When I trim my beard, I always joke that it is time to lose some river wisdom
Wow, reading all these comments could make one extra superstitious, but if I had one to pick it would be the first cast fish! Had that happen to me too many times!
I have to listen to “I’m gonna miss her” by Brad Paisley right before I come up to where I’m going to park...not sure if I’m the only one 😂
to us the superstitions are randomly true or we don't believe them, but the fishing gods are looking down like "why don't you believe our teachings".
Kicking in old-school, Colorado-style - this one was gospel truth, I swear: until the development of digital cameras, if you spent more than one day fishing the Frying Pan and didn't have the Huevos Rancheros at the Two Rivers Cafe in Basalt at least once, every single one of your photos would turn out to be blurry once you got them developed.
First Cast Fish..THIS ONE IS TRUE. even last week. First cast was a 16" sea run brook trout. A brute for 16", Thick and Deep. That was the last sniff of a fish for two hours.
I’m from Nebraska. If you drive by a group of cows and they are all sitting down on the ground... might as well as go home
My former boss took me crappie fishing on his boat. He had a banana that day and it broke down. I still don't believe the myth, but it was a funny coincidence.
Oh my gosh... I just realized that trimming my beard is why I was skunked on Sunday... Soab
Buddy and I have a “lucky” fly. We call it old faithful. It’s literally one fly. After we catch a fish we trade it back. Always catches a fish.
Good list. So regarding the lucky hat. I had a particularly good one and it came off one day while I was off shore tuna fishing. Is there a ceremony to try and move some of that mojo to a different hat?
Unfortunately, If the hat is not recovered, you must start from scratch.
Yea keep uaing the same methods you used before you lost the hat... It wasnt the hat
.... i think i'm my own black cloud
It's almost like God wants to joke with us when this stuff happens 🤣
Dam it... I'm the black cloud.
Disagree about your beer superstition. If I ain’t catching nothing, I crack a beer and luck changes for the better. Love your videos, thanks!
but then you already in the bad luck, then it's a luck changer 🤣
Dipping the net, if done right, guarantees a fish
Says wind: “It’s fine I’m not fishing”
Everyone fishing the river below: 😐😐
i never belived the banana one till i read the info sheet for my boat trip
Curse of the first cast is 100% real.
I uhhh i might be the black cloud, or maybe its the fact I only go in winter
Every tackle box needs a red/white bobber. You might never use it, but ya gotta carry it.
Dude totally true....I launched a banana out of my boat from a dude's lunch.....we still don't speak . My ADD OCD USMC move is to dip my fly rod under the water before my first cast of day....idk...I cant stop. Now because of you I will be more aware of what wading boot goes on first!!! Dang it more to ponder
If you hook a tree on the first cast of the day it's going to be a really good day! Disclaimer: This does not work if you do it on purpose. Believe me I tried.
Ive never caught a fish on a first cast in my life. I may just quit fishing of that happens...
My dad always told me "you're holding your mouth wrong"!
“If the cows are laying down, the fish aren’t biting”...it’s a PA thing I guess...
Bad luck; saying, ' just 5 more casts and then we'll go. ' Might as well just go.
The Rain Gear... TOTALLY.
Spent a day without a bite on a drift with a buddy. At the end he whips out a banana he had stashed the whole time. Hasn’t been on my boat since, and I haven’t been skunked like that either.
Tom Earnhardt only fishes out of Carolina Skiffs🤣
Full moon, a rising river and I left my rain jacket at home. What could go wrong?
Hahaha "Here hold my beer"
I will only listen to Johnny Cash in MT or its air space.
...Was actually on a flight from Detroit to Seattle and looked down and figured out that we were over Helena. Listened to Johnny for about 30 minutes then turned it off, worried plane might go down if I didnt...
there's the don't take your missus fishing but i do as either way i'm eating fish
Have you fished around Crested Butte and indulged at Slogar with their fried chicken. If not, you should
Wait for a fish to smack the juul for my fellow
new age fly guys
If we are not getting anything at first then you must crack a beer to wake up the fish. 🎣🐋🍻
Always toss a coin in the water before you start fishing. We call it "paying the fishing gods". Also, when cracking open a beer while fishing, always pour a little overboard. You never want the fish to go thirsty.
Follow the no white lighter rule
Buddies and I always double check that we don’t have one in our pockets before we start fishing
If you don’t look at the water, smoke (even if you never smoke anywhere or anytime else), before rigging up, you are screwed.
I’m also superstitious about the number of wraps on my knots. 7.
You forgot to say anytime you stop fishing to untangle line or pick something up or anything and the line and fly are in the water to always set the hook before casting. We know fish love unattended flies
3 min and 10 seconds inn! Laughing my ass of! Great stuff!
Invited Kevin to fish the night bite friday and up early saturday for the grey light. He's busy. Looks like we'll have good weather. Down with cork sucking!
My wife must wear a particular perfume for our trout float trips. It works.
My dad always told us that you have to lick your first fish of the season up the back from tail to nose if you want a good year. As an adult I realize that he was just being an ass
Lucky hat is a real thing. I switched hats a week ago, caught 0 fish and went home with 2 ticks on my junk.
No beer on beer....
Dont wear your new fishing hat fishing unless u want it to rain
Good one. Love all your videos.
If you bring a net, you won't need it.
Lol disproved that yesterday
Forgot our net... didn’t need it...
Amen
Maybe this is why I haven't caught a fish since I bought a net