Although we are unable to determine how old the superstition is, it is common knowledge that having bananas on a boat is unlucky, at least among sport fishermen.
Banana-carrying boats are said to be unlucky in fishing, according to one superstition. There’s a good chance that if you own a boat, someone has advised you against bringing any bananas with you or you could end up in trouble.
What About Fishing Boats?
Call it what you will, but a lot of people report leaving on a beautiful day with no rain or storms predicted only to be pushed back to shore by thunderous clouds, torrential rain, and worst of all, lightning! If you have ever experienced a storm in Florida, you know that it is never enjoyable when you are the tallest object on the water and lightning begins to strike the water next to you, blinding you with its light.
Why Are Bananas Bad Luck on a Boat?
All sports, including bass fishing, are rife with superstitions. Jason Kidd cemented his status as one of the weirdest athletes to ever play a sport by blowing a passionate kiss at the rim before he shot his free throws. In bass fishing, the most prevalent superstition is just as strange, and anglers are just as passionate about it: no bananas on the boat. There are several equally ridiculous theories as to why this occurred and where it came from. Here’s a few of my favorites:
1. Bad Fishing for Banana Deliverers
Poor fishing on banana boats is one theory for the origin of this superstition. On cargo ships, fishing was a common past time for the crew. However, because the boats carrying bananas had to move so quickly to prevent spoiling, the crew never managed to catch any fish. And since all fishermen who get in trouble need an explanation, they pointed the finger at the bananas.
2. Floating Sad Bananas
The visual at most shipwrecks gives rise to a second (grim) rumor that bananas are unlucky on fishing boats. Rescue ships could identify shipwrecks by the abundance of floating banana cases because only debris would remain at the surface. People did not want them anywhere near their boat because of the association between floating bananas and shipwrecks.
3. Venomous Spiders
Because spiders are the worst, this one makes the most sense to me. The crew would be bitten by venomous spiders that camped out in these banana crates and wedged their spidery legs into the crew’s quarters. Being on a boat with bananas (and, consequently, spiders) was bad news in the days when bananas were still transported across the seas by wooden ship because spider bites are much more difficult to treat. so there won’t be any bananas on the boat.
4. LeBron James Ruined Banana Boats and Made Them Uncool
I had heard that eating bananas brought bad luck, but I don’t think the myth really took off until after this bizarre photo of LeBron James riding a banana boat surfaced. Nobody wanted to ever again associate bananas and boats with each other because this gave Banana Boats a bad name.
Conclusion
Whether you believe in superstition or not, it can be difficult to ignore the rumors that bananas are unlucky on boats.
Given the number of tales and rumors that have been circulated and the amount that has been amply recorded in naval history, fishermen all over the world are convinced that having bananas on board a fishing boat is unlucky, but they will be the first to point the finger at everyone and anything besides their ability to catch fish.
