Photo by Jerrin Uecker of North 40 Outfitters
Warning Signs
Repeating a successful fishing trip holds
all sorts of potential. Unfortunately,
part of that equation is the chance that
it doesn’t meet expectations. Many
variables influence this and we learned
of one hazard that first morning on the
mothership. At 5 a.m., as we loaded the
boat, we noticed Telleen with both hands
on his face, looking stressed out, like
the grim reaper pulled his card. I was
confused because Telleen was so excited
leading up to the trip—while traveling for
two days he paced back-and-forth and
couldn’t sleep. Then I realized his issue;
eight organic bananas were sitting in the
boat next to him. A cardinal rule—for the
superstitious angler—was broken.
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To reach some of British Columbia’s most
remote rivers anglers must cross open water in
large boats, and then race upstream in smaller
jet sleds. The scenery, alone, is worth the effort.
I’ve always considered the no-bananas-
on-the-boat phobia as humorous, and
I’ve even placed no bananas stickers on
my boats and fly boxes, but I didn’t really
believe the presence of that fruit on a boat
could influence my fishing. Now, I have to
wonder.
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