Fishing Log

[Montanaro]

How many of you all keep one of these?

 

Thinking about starting one for myself to help build patterns and to make myself more aware of little factors.

[Bluebasser86]

Last year I kept track of the number of bass I caught out of curiosity. Even that was a chore though, my hat really goes off to the guys with the patience to note all the factors about the fish they catch.

[BassinLou]

I agree with Bluebasser, to write down the details of each outing, requires discipline. The only thing that I have been doing recently, is with each of my catches that are pic worthy, I take advantage of the pic gallery provided here on BR.  On each pic I just add quick note of location, and bait used. Since the pic already as a time and date stamp, I can go back and see what baits worked in any given part of the year.

[AK-Jax86]

I don't keep a log but last season I took a picture of every fish I caught regardless of size. This season I only take pictures of the bigger fish I catch. I am going to start what Lou did and post them in the gallery with a little info about each catch. But I don't have the patience nor time to write down in a log what time of day, weather and water temp, conditions, water clarity, etc.

I'd imagine tournament and boat fishermen would keep logs but I doubt the average fishermen does to use its about the fun of the catch not researching.

[00 mod]

I only keep up with dates fished and number of bass caught. Only specifics I write down are if the bass is over 5lbs and then what I caught it on.

Jeff

[PABASS]

While I would love to fish more often, if I am lucky I get time to go about once a month and because of this I keep detailed records.  I record details about the lake, the weather, water temps and depths, lures used, lures lost, fish caught on what lures and lots of information on the big fish caught and what stage the fish are in.  This helps me contain the bait monkey and buy lures that work and of course has helped me catch more fish.  I have an idea of what lures/pattern works in different seasons on different lakes its nice thing to have.  I simply created a doc in google drive and update my logs as soon as fishing is done, I can update it via my phone, tablet and or PC/Laptop from just about anywhere.

[Montanaro]

thats great. im not looking to update as i fish. just a simple log of basic details on keeper bass. Have you noticed more consisten y since starting your log?

[roadwarrior]

http://www.bassresource.com/fish/fishing_log.html

[Goose52]

I jot down some basic details while fishing, and enter the data in an Excel spreadsheet at the end of the day.  The spreadsheet has columns for:

 

Date

Place

Catch - species, quantity, length, weight (for LMB - 14" or over)

Rod

Reel

Line

Bait Type / Bait Specifics

Surface Water Temp

Notes

 

I use it mostly to "keep score" but do refer to it for year to year patterns of where I was catching fish the previous year (I fish mostly 13 lakes/ponds). Since I don't record environmental factors other than water temp, it is less useful for identifying patterns based on weather.

[Dwight Hottle]

I only keep up with dates fished and number of bass caught. Only specifics I write down are if the bass is over 5lbs and then what I caught it on.

Jeff

 

 

Well at least your not suffering from writers cramp this year. 

[00 mod]

Well at least your not suffering from writers cramp this year.

Very true

[A-Jay]

Well at least your not suffering from writers cramp this year. 

 

It only take one little slip of paper with the weight on it to make my day. 

 

But it has to be the right weight. . . . .

 

 

A-Jay

[kanasbassfisher08]

only keep logs on tourny lakes but its super simple like wht they ate and where the pattern was and the weather and time of year. dumb it down so i dont get board and doesnt destract me from fishing!

[Hyrule Bass]

i can see logs being more useful to the most serious of fishermen, but i have no use for them myself

[Catt]

I have one that is 35 years old

[Team9nine]

I only keep up with dates fished and number of bass caught. Only specifics I write down are if the bass is over 5lbs and then what I caught it on.

Jeff

 

x2 - Kept logs for years and years back in "the day" in a 3x5 card file organizer ala Rick Clunn lake sectioning, etc.. Now I just do the above, but even then, not every year.

 

-T9

[SirSnookalot]

No logs, I have a pretty good memory on the memorable fish I catch.  We have 2 seasons in South Florida, saltwater and freshwater.  In saltwater the conditions are different everyday, tides are different day to day and hour to hour, beach structure is constantly changing, you fish it enough you just know.  Freshwater season my places I fish are the same just about every day and I use a small handful of lures, not a lot I have to remember.  Whether it's fresh or salt the more time my lure is in the water the better chance I have of catching a nice fish, jotting notes or taking photos of unmemorable fish just reduces the amount of time my lure is in the water.  I don't intend on taking photos anymore unless it's good fish for species and someone can snap it for me. 

[Bankbeater]

I have been keeping them since 2002.  I like going back and being able to see what the conditions were like on a certain day, and how they compare to the lake conditions now.

[Montanaro]

it would be nice.to have a spreadsheet where you could search. riteria. like how many bass caught on lure x or caught in rainstorm.

[Fishes in trees]

Every so often I feel like I should keep a log, that it would make me a better fisherman.  That resolve often lasts for a few hours, then I forget.  I tried keeping a log in my truck, the idea being that it would be the last thing that I would do prior to leaving the ramp, i.e. fill out the log.  That lasted a couple of trips.

 

The bottom line is that so far I have found it to be more trouble than it is worth.

 

When I first got my boat, I tried using a voice recorder, I kept it in my shirt pocket and anything of note, I would talk into the recorder.  Worked OK for a few trips, never did get around to transcribing the verbal notes into a log.  Eventually the battery on the device wore out and couldn't find another one.  It is  still in the shop somewhere I think.

[Jigfishn10]

I jot down some basic details while fishing, and enter the data in an Excel spreadsheet at the end of the day.  The spreadsheet has columns for:

 

Date

Place

Catch - species, quantity, length, weight (for LMB - 14" or over)

Rod

Reel

Line

Bait Type / Bait Specifics

Surface Water Temp

Notes

 

I use it mostly to "keep score" but do refer to it for year to year patterns of where I was catching fish the previous year (I fish mostly 13 lakes/ponds). Since I don't record environmental factors other than water temp, it is less useful for identifying patterns based on weather.

So Goose52, how many fish are you up to these days?

[Nice_Bass]

How many of you all keep one of these?

 

Thinking about starting one for myself to help build patterns and to make myself more aware of little factors.

Never...I don't have room in the boat to keep any of the logs I hook into- usually just break off and retie so as not to make a mess...

 

also, seems like "fishes in trees" should know a thing or two about "fishing logs".

[jignfule]

I kept one for many years, well worth the time and effort.

[Goose52]

So Goose52, how many fish are you up to these days?

 

It's been a "numbers" kind of year so far.  According to my trusty "catching" log (I don't keep a "fishing" log ), as of today I'm at 1537 fish of all species; of those, 1511 were largemouth bass...

[Jigfishn10]

It's been a "numbers" kind of year so far.  According to my trusty "catching" log (I don't keep a "fishing" log ), as of today I'm at 1537 fish of all species; of those, 1511 were largemouth bass...

 

Good to hear Goose52, I'm glad you're having a good or a Goose52 year! BTW, I'm not surprised that you have a catching log...