Red Herring?

last night watching NCIS, and Dr Mallard (Ducky) was talking about something being a Red herring and his assistance (cannot remember his name) was saying that he did not understand where that expression came from and did not understand it.

Ducky then proceeded to explain the meaning behind the expression.

Believe it or not, "Red Herring" has as much to do with hunting dogs as with brightly colored fish. Here's how: A herring is a soft-finned bony fish. People who like to eat herring have long preserved them by salting and slow smoking them. That process makes a herring turn red or dark brown -- and gives them a very strong smell. Dogs love to sniff such smelly treats, a fact that makes the fish a perfect diversion for anyone trying to distract hunting dogs from the trail of their quarry. The practice of using preserved fish to confuse hunting dogs led to the use of the term 'red herring' for anything that diverts attention from the issue at hand.

So... When the Fox Hunters had their hunt there was times where they would take a Herring and drag it on the ground in an attempt to lure the dogs away from the scent of the fox, as a diversion from the real scent. So the term Red herring was invented as being a distraction. And the good hunting dogs were not distracted by the scent of the fish.

So, I thought it was very interresting that this expression has been used for a long time now, and I have even used it I am sure, but never really knew the meaning of it.

Now I am also wandering if there was any Red herrings that I have fallen for in the past. I am sure there are. I am sure I thought something else was appealing and pulled my attention away from the real reward.