I started to think about the ritual my dad had on our way to our favorite lake to fish. We had to stop at a Holiday gas station in the morning for gas and a cup of coffee (English Toffee for me). On our way back home it was a stop at DQ for a Buster Bar. Even though my dad passed away 20 years ago, I continue this ritual today.
How about fellow IDO fisher’s. What are your rituals?
I’ll sometimes do the DQ thing on the way home. Quite often me and whoever is fishing with me have a friendly wager that the loser has to buy.
Regular fishing not so much but cat fishing, I get my rig out in the water and wait about 10 minutes. Then decide its time to have my breakfast or a snack and a smoke. That time of getting settled in and comfortable with your hands full seems to trigger the strike so I make sure to take my time and do it every time.
My parents never fished nor hunted. So once in a great while they would take me to a local river or dam.
Now days the kid and I wake up, stop at kwik trip or holiday for fuel and coffee and snacks and then on the way home he usually wants some kind of ice cream weather it’s dq or a gas stations.
Not long ago him and I went out hunting in the morning and skipped the coffee stop and he said it wasn’t the same with out getting his hot chocolate in the morning.
Used to be superstitious when I muskie fished a lot. Like always had to have a banana in the boat and would keep wearing the same “lucky” hat or shirt after a good day. Went on a span wearing the same waldo shirt for about 2 weeks straight at one point – couldn’t break the streak.
A buddy always matched his shirt to the sky color. Blue shirt for clear skies, gray for overcast, and black for night fishing. Yes he had all 3 with and would switch them out
My favorite is when we are up to our cabins. Everyone seems to like eating later in the evening except for me. Before 7pm, I’m in the truck pulling out the driveway with everyone looking at me like they are the starved dogs in an ASPCA. Amazing they still haven’t figured out how to cook for themselves over an open fire and wait on me….. 
Mine seems to be a visit to Thorne Bros or Joes to replace the lures bit off my previous trip.
My ritual is get up about 9am work nights hurry to shed hook up boat to truck. Pull out of shed. Wait in truck for 10 minutes. Get out and start rechecking line on rods. Sit back in truck wait another 10 minutes. Get back out and start to recheck tie downs bow strap. Sit back in truck wait another 10 minutes get out of truck go to house. Wife needs to put on lotion put clothes in the dryer. Do the checkbook wrap a present then may be ready in 10 minutes. Sit in truck for 30 minutes wife comes down. Finally get to lake its around 11am at this time “boy the bass just aren’t hitting very good” Could it be we should have been here earlier? Some questions in life will never be answered but I love every minute fishing with my wife. This happens every weekend for 3 days straight.
In his later years, Dad didn’t get out fishing with me much anymore. When I’d get home from a trip I’d always call him with the “fishing report”. He’s been gone 24 years now, and to this day I stop and think about calling him. Miss ya, Dad.
SR
Mine is more of an “after fishing” ritual.
I back the boat into the garage, grab a beer out of the refrigerator, and clean fish. My 4 year old then walks the leftovers down to the lower field with me and we relax on the deck and watch the eagles or vultures feast. I’d say on average they are on them in less than 10 minutes. If the vultures are around first they box out everthing else, and if the eagles get there first they do the same.
On our way to Canada we stop in Black Duck at Timberline and pick up one last lure before we head into Canada.
If I am driving past Mille Lacs on the way up or back, always stop at the Garrison Holiday for gas and bathroom break. It will be different when it turns into a Circle K, but I’ll still stop.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>tswoboda wrote:</div>
Used to be superstitious when I muskie fished a lot. Like always had to have a banana in the boat…WOW! this is controvesial – isn’t having a banana in the boat the universal harbinger of skunk-city when it comes to fisherman?
The only real bad luck is brought by voodoo. I’ve caught fish while eating a banana, or using a yellow lighter, heck even fishing next to a woman, but You cant get around voodoo when it comes to fishing.
I dont have a beer until I catch my first legal walleye. That said, sometimes I grant myself a “captain’s exemption”, but those are rare.
Whenever we go anywhere north of Duluth it’s a tradition to stop in at Marine General even if nothing is needed. It started when my son was young. The wall of spoons was captivating for him. To this day we buy some funky painted spoon almost every stop.
I am not religious or spiritual but I also developed the tradition of making a small offering to the lakes that I feel most “connected” to for whatever reason. Usually a sprinkle of tobacco or a spot of liquor along with a word of thanks. Like I said it’s not spiritual or superstitious for me, but it feels good to express thanks to the places that have made my life so much better.
We do a guys weekend ice fishing on Petenwell every year. Every walleye caught, we pass a 1.75 of Hiram Walker Peppermint around for the group (group sizes varies each year but its always at least 4 guys, sometimes up to 8)
There has been years that we didnt finish it, and years it was gone by noon….
I went a year without a net in the boat on P2.. It was more of a superstition than ritual. But wouldn’t allow a net in my boat that year. I would just tell guys I forgot it instead of explaining it.. Taught them how to hand land a fish with a #5 shad rap in the front of it.
Whenever we go anywhere north of Duluth it’s a tradition to stop in at Marine General even if nothing is needed. It started when my son was young. The wall of spoons was captivating for him. To this day we buy some funky painted spoon almost every stop.
I am not religious or spiritual but I also developed the tradition of making a small offering to the lakes that I feel most “connected” to for whatever reason. Usually a sprinkle of tobacco or a spot of liquor along with a word of thanks. Like I said it’s not spiritual or superstitious for me, but it feels good to express thanks to the places that have made my life so much better.
Didn’t think this was a ritual or tradition but every time I’m in Duluth ( once a quarter at least) I stop and shop spoons.
I find myself in the back room upstairs pulling things apart to see what is there. You know the area with old electronics and down riggers and such. No idea why. Never do find anything.
I do a couple of stretches with my shoulders and arms before every trip, no matter how long or short the trip is.
And I play a certain playlist almost every trip I take out in the boat. I start playing it right before I leave the driveway and I judge how fast or slow I get the boat loaded by what song I’m on when I head out.
Always have cookies in the boat…either homemade or monster cookies from Kowalskis.
Sometimes pie but that’s a little more of a logistical challenge.
Dairy Queen most common post fishing stop!
In his later years, Dad didn’t get out fishing with me much anymore. When I’d get home from a trip I’d always call him with the “fishing report”. He’s been gone 24 years now, and to this day I stop and think about calling him. Miss ya, Dad.
SR
This one hit home for me.
Not fishing related, but when ever I’m heading in to the woods deer hunting I play Ted nugent “Fred bear” and yesterday we were almost to the land and my son said dad you didn’t play Fred bear yet. So over the last 4 or 5 years of taking my son with me hunting he has picked up on my hunting ritual and now it’s become our hunting ritual
Sturgeon and Musky fishing must smoke a little mother nature to each fish.
Is that kind of similar to Bearcat’s old tradition of blowing the “fish whistle?”
No bananas
I usually fish a lake clockwise, north being noon.
Not fishing related, but when ever I’m heading in to the woods deer hunting I play Ted nugent “Fred bear” and yesterday we were almost to the land and my son said dad you didn’t play Fred bear yet. So over the last 4 or 5 years of taking my son with me hunting he has picked up on my hunting ritual and now it’s become our hunting ritual
This is cool BC. 
Not fishing related, but when ever I’m heading in to the woods deer hunting I play Ted nugent “Fred bear” and yesterday we were almost to the land and my son said dad you didn’t play Fred bear yet. So over the last 4 or 5 years of taking my son with me hunting he has picked up on my hunting ritual and now it’s become our hunting ritual
Haha we do the same, my kid and nephews don’t really get it yet. But soon enough…
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