Lucky hats and other superstitions

tjsingle

tjsingle

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Joined
Feb 27, 2017
Messages
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City
Downingtown, PA
Hey all -

I was thinking about this the other day while I was getting ready to go fishing, does any one have that one specific hat they have to wear fishing or the day will go poorly? Or other items that they make sure to have on them while out on the water?

I have been a firm believer in the lucky fishing hat, while rooted in zero science or research, I think it's essential. I've retired a couple of hats over the years, but not many.

My other superstitions include:
  • Cannot wear or use more than one new item, otherwise you'll have a bad day.
  • Need to catch at least 2 fish to prove the first one wasn't a fluke.
Curious to see what others say, haha.
 
I wouldn't say that I'm superstitious, but I would admit that I am a little stitious.

I have about two dozen superstitions that I've picked up over the years...I'm talking down to the order in which I tie my boot laces. I sweat through hats to the point that I know better than to get attached to one, but my "favorite" superstition is ALWAYS keeping an old fly on my patch.

To be more specific, it's an old-school salmon fly (the beautiful kind that I'm incapable of tying and would never risk throwing, similar to the ones @nfrechet ties) that I found stuck in the side of my first ever steelhead. Didn't think much when I pulled it out and sent the fish on its way, but that day ended up becoming the best day of fishing I ever had (yet) and one that I think about often.

I've tried leaving it behind, but whenever a fly broke off or a fish spit the hook, it was obviously because I didn't have my lucky fly with me.
 
No superstitions regarding hats or anything else fishing-wise. As a matter of fact, I wear several different "fishing" hats depending on the situation.
 
I don't think hats have anything to do with angling success. I wear a wide variety of hats and universally do poorly on the water.

Now, how you hold your mouth when you fish is a different story. The best position for your mouth is slightly loose, ajar and open about 1.5", sort of like you just walked into a tree trunk and whacked your forehead enough to stun but not quite enough to concuss.

I've always found this produces more fish for me..
 
I have a lucky fishing hat and have worn this one for about 4 years or so. The previous one was worn for about 10-15 years. I do not wear the fishing hat when I am not fishing, I wear other hats. When in the car between fishing locations, I can wear the fishing hat.

I have - on rare occasions - forgotten to change the hat and have done worse. I think it is a confidence thing.
 
tjsingle said:
The first cast jinx is a good one
Click to expand...
Tally another vote for this one.
My first cast is typically bad enough that I don't catch anything on it anyway.
It has happened to one of my son's enough times that he'll try to lose any fish that he hooks within 5 minutes after he enters the water.
I have no other suspicions, but none of us utter the "w-word."
 
I have clothing items I consider to have good fishing mojo but none are lucky.

I also think a good poop in a Sheetz, out house or porta potty can set the tone for a good day.

I avoid bananas in the kayak or wading pack.

Also a little stupid thing I do is no zyn nicotine pouches until I catch one fish. It’s a nice little reward system. And no I don’t spit them in the river.
 
Old vs current. Replaced in kind

1780326614658.png
 
My actual two fishing hats:
IMG_2315.jpeg

Orvis one from when they were made in the USA, and one I bought at the University of Maine when my wife and I lucked into one of their football games in progress. Knowing how hard it is to get into a Penn State game, I asked one of the local police officers if the game was sold out. He responded, “ It’s the university of Maine, you can probably walk right in 😎”. Ice hockey would be a different story up there.
 
I wear this hat on all my fishing adventures, because it's sentimental. It was given to me by the crane operator for the tree company I worked for back in the day. He was an avid trout fisherman and rod builder. We would share trout pics every time we worked together. A really good guy.

He used to tell me I was one of the very few climbers who he'd let set rigging straps without his direction. That was a nice compliment coming from a guy who's worked with a lot of climbers over the years.
 

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wildtrout2 said:
About 15 years old. I take good care of it, that's how much it means to me. The brim is reflective of that.
Click to expand...

Speaking hat choices and luck, mojo or indifference...

After I gave up my super dorky, Ernie Schweibert/Vince Marinaro wannabee Irish tweed hat for a ball cap, I had a steadfast rule that my fishing hats could NEVER have anything to do with fishing.

So, I wore a hat with a Guinness stout logo, a Kowalonek's Kielbasa logo hat and two different Michael Schumacher Ferrari F1 caps I rotated when warmwaters fishing that I still wear.

Later I went with baseball and I had a fitted MLB team spring training New Era ball cap I wore for about 23 years until MLB went woke and messed with the game to the point where I don't follow baseball anymore.

As I am partial to ball caps, after 20+ years with same (trout fishing) hat, I went with a fitted New Era "blank" cap with no team logo. I have experienced NO noticable bad luck since making the change.

I think I'll stick with this "blank" approach going forward. 😉
 
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