REPORTS FROM THE RIP: Marlin fishing and superstitions

And there he is in the center of the rocket launcher The pirate rubber duckie.

There is a lot of Karma and superstition involved in marlin fishing. A good buddy of mine says it best… " Its only stupid if it doesn't work". Just as a major league pitcher will go weeks without shaving or a Nascar driver will wear the same unwashed underwear for every race as long as he continues to do well. Crews on marlin fishing boats are the same in many ways. ( I draw the line at once on my boxers ). One such superstition is that there can be no bananas on the boat. That superstition is recognized far and wide around the world. Crews will talk to their lures, treat their baits better than pet dogs, or even wear their hat backwards and inside out to get the fish to bite. Ive even seen owners throw money in the water to appease the fish gods, ( I throw Pesos) One that always seems to work, is have a guest drink their first beer of the day. If the fish still don't bite at that point, at least the angle is sedated a bit.
One of the boats that arrived here in Casa De Campo about a week or so ago has an owner that is brand new to boating. He had never even caught his first blue marlin. He has a great and very experienced crew. They fished their first few days here and never got a bite. Meanwhile all the other boats were catching 1- 4 marlin a day. The crew was getting very frustrated. They were fishing right next to other boats that were catching and using the same baits and equipment. Two mornings ago before they left the dock, I walked over to their boat and handed the deck hand a small " rubber duckie" dressed as a pirate. It was one of the many that had been thrown at our boat along with beads and other trinkets during the Gasparila pirate boat parade we were in back in January. I handed the little pirate rubber duck to the deckhand and told him that it was our good luck charm. He thanked me and they went fishing. That day they caught the owners first blue marlin. Chance? ? ? ? I think not. The owner of the boat the captain and the mate all returned to the dock with their blue marlin release flag flying and the rubber duck sitting proudly on the fighting chair. They have said that the rubber duck will never leave their boat. One should never underestimate the Kama and powers that a rubber duckie can have.
The fishing here is steadily picking up. Boats are still seeing 2-5 fish a day. But there is more and more bait showing up on the fads. As well, there are dorado and small wahoo beginning to show up. The bigger numbers of blues will soon follow as the month goes by.
My daughter flew to the DR yesterday to visit me for her spring break. It is so nice to have her here. She's been in Tallahassee for the last few months at school at FSU and is looking forward to some beach and sun time. Its always nice to show someone around CDC that has never been here. She marveled as we visited the beach and drove around the complex and up to Altos Chavon in the golf cart. Its going to be a great week having her here.