| Pedro Cerrano's Ritual |
When I am on the way to fish, I listen to the same music until that music fails me (meaning I come home skunked). In college it was always Willie Nelson. Later it became Brad Paisley but for the last three months I have been blaring Mumford & Sons "Live at Red Rocks". The whole album. It builds my confidence and puts my mind at ease that I'm settling into a familiar pattern.
I recently sold all my GoPros. When I was fishing with the cameras on, I struggled. As soon as they ran out of batteries, I started catching fish. Beau Reed of Papa Chops Rod and Reel Repair saw this first hand in September on Lake Austin. We fished all morning and I couldn't boat a fish. Thirty minutes before we left, my batteries ran out and the cameras shut off. In the next five minutes I boated two fish. And this wasn't the first time it had happened.
In the past I have caught fish on camera without problems. So what changed? I started thinking about the camera. I kept trying to work angles, make sure certain things were just so. It became a giant distraction on the water. In order to increase my catches and reduce distractions, I sold them. Maybe it's superstitious, maybe it's realizing what is throwing you off but either way, I fixed it. At least for now.
Other things I like to do are line up and load up the night before. I walk through my list and lay everything out that I need and then, once it is all accounted for, I pack it in the car.
I do have a lucky hat. I have had a few over the years but this one has some cool smallmouth mojo. I've caught more smallies in the last couple of weeks wearing it than the previous eight months on the same body of water.
I also have lucky shoes. My black and white Astral Brewer water shoes. When I don't wear them I feel off all day.
Maybe it's just me but I doubt it. Much like a confidence bait, we all have our go to's and most of us feel out of sorts if we leave them at home.
What are some of your superstitions and rituals?