Origins of the 1st cast fish rumor...

[thill]

I notice a lot of guys don't like to catch a fish on the first cast. They say it's bad luck.

Well let me tell you, I personally believe some non-fish-catching little WEASEL thought up that little superstition to spook the guys who WERE catching.

Said weasel and buddy are fishing, and buddy hooks a fish on the first cast. The little weasel is jealous, so he says, "Oh man, NOW you've done it! Bad luck!"

His buddy is unsure whether to believe or not, but the stress builds by the minute, causing him to work his lure a little different, faster, trying to entice a hit. Soon, he's becoming desparate, trying to escape the "bad luck. (The little weasel is snickering, now.)

Next, the rumor is spreading, and people start to believe.

Bass are PACK FISH. If you catch one and hurry to get back out there, you will probably catch more. Not always, of course, but fishing is never an "always" thing.

Me and my friends LOVE to hook up first cast! That means the fish are there! PACK FISH, remember? In fact, if one of us hooks up, the other will throw to EXACTLY the same spot, and generally it's DOUBLE HEADER time! That trick works again and again on almost every trip!

I LOVE catching on the first cast! Because generally, that means a fish on the second cast, and third and fourth... At least until the pack of fish spooks or moves on.

Ignore that weasel's little confidence-robbing comment. It ain't true. He's just got sour grapes.

TH