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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Police: Woman used her kids' IDs to steal cars ... Carjacker killed in shootout with California police identified ... Public ticket sales for Craterian shows begin today ... Police: Woman used her kids' IDs to steal cars ... Carjacker killed in shootout with California police identified ... Public ticket sales for Craterian shows begin today ... SINCE YOU ASKED Since You Asked: Goin' fishing? Yes, if you have no bananas Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Dec. 11, 2014 at 12:01 AM Posted Dec. 11, 2014 at 12:01 AM » Social News OK, here's one you guys at Since You Asked Central need to figure out. It's about bananas and why they're not allowed on fishing trips on the Rogue River. A friend invited me fishing and told me to bring a lunch but not to bring any bananas. Supposedly they're bad luck. I think it's silly to ban bananas over a wives' tale. Is he batty or is there something to this banana thing? — Ken,  Medford Go back as far as 300 years and you'll find someone who insists it's great odds, even insurmountable odds, that peril awaits for those with bananas on board. And like all good hoaxes and bad omens, this one has a bit of truth in it. The stigma of bananas as being bad luck is traced to the early 1700s when Spanish galleons traveled to the Caribbean, usually stopping last in Cuba to finish filling their hulls with bananas. The fleets would then pick up the Gulf Stream in the Florida Straits and zip home. After a few fleets perished in Gulf Stream hurricanes, the fruit became suspect. Boats that didn't sink suffered from disease, insects, snakes and other vermin that came in the banana crates. The banana became taboo. And bananas carry enzymes that cause other fruit around it to spoil faster. That's why many people generally keep bananas away from the rest of their fruit in a bowl. So it wasn't just bad luck, it was actually bad economics to have bananas on board. While a banana or two likely will have little to do with your fishing trip other than lunch, some anglers still take it very seriously. For instance, there are charter boat captains in Hawaii known for inspecting anglers' lunches for bananas before leaving port. Send questions to “Since You Asked,” Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by email to [email protected]. We’re sorry, but the volume of questions received prevents us from answering all of them. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Dec. 11, 2014 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501