"I'd Rather Be Lucky Than Good"

A lot of people say that, including those who have spent a lot of time fishing.

One angler I read about online claims he has found some tricks that really can improve your fishing luck. Here are three of his favorite--albeit unusual--tricks:

The real money trick. When you set a line, let out a few extra feet, then fold a dollar bill and lay it on the spool. Hold it in place while you take a few turns on the reel, so your fishing line pins it down. Then set the drag loosely and wait for a bite. Since the fish can sense that eating your bait will now cost you extra money, they'll be far more likely to strike. Savvy anglers up the ante by using a $20 bill.

Toss your change over the side. It doesn't matter if your reason for doing so is to please the fish gods, or if the flash of sinking coins actually may attract a fish or two. The fact of the matter is that sinking your shrapnel makes things happen.

Converse before you cast. Talking to your bait or lure works wonders. The referenced angler here claims he has a fishing buddy whom he once watched spend a solid five minutes telling his jig how much he loved it, how pretty it was, and how sure he was that it could attract a bluefin tuna if it tried just a little bit harder. On the next drop, he caught the only tuna of the day. Remember, the idea here is to encourage your bait, not berate it for failing to produce. Be nice to it, and it will be nice to you.

Elsewhere, in New England, for example, many professional fishermen follow a customary routine before leaving port in the morning. They insert a coin into a cork and set it afloat as an offering, hoping that it will help them secure a good catch at sea.

In other parts of America, fishermen make it a point to return the first fish they catch back to the sea in order for their luck to continue. Every fish counts in the South, though, so fishermen there hang the first fish from a tree.

Likewise, some fishermen spit on their bait in the hope they will get lucky.

Most consider it unlucky to reveal the number of fish they have caught if someone asks them.

And last, many also believe that, if you change poles during a day of fishing, bad luck will follow.

As it turns out, though, luck is not something that can be proven or scientifically measured, which means there literally is no "wrong or right" answer. Bottom line: Go with what works for you.