Fishing Log

[Catt]

The question was do you keep a log, my response was no and said why. If some desire to keep a log, that's fine for them. No more to it than that.

Exactly

For me it is ongoing scientific research because of the details I keep.

[RoLo]

Exactly

For me it is ongoing scientific research because of the details I keep.

 

Me too.

 

Every month I read the data I've garnered over the years, and readjust my strategies & tactics to suit the season.

It never ceases to amaze me all the data I've gathered over the years,

sometimes it feels like I'm reading someone elses' stuff. Jot it down once, and you've got it forever.

But if I were too lazy to keep log, I'd have to relearn and rehash the same stuff over-&-over-&-over again.

 

Roger

[MFBAB]

RoLo, that is so true.  I look back at some of my best trips sometimes, and it is pretty crazy how many details I have revised in my feeble brain from what I wrote down that day...and these are the really good days, the ones you think you would remember perfectly :)

 

To me, this is the whole point of keeping the log, it doesn't lie, and it doesn't forget details either  

[Shanes7614]

The question was do you keep a log, my response was no and said why. If some desire to keep a log, that's fine for them. No more to it than that.

If that was it then why go into detail as to why you don't think it's a good idea?

[MIbassyaker]

I started keeping a spreadsheet log a few years ago when I moved to MI. I do it to help keep track of basic location, seasonal, weather, and pattern information on the dozens of (mostly small, natural) lake and river systems near me that I've fished....which differ in clarity, vegetation and other cover, forage, competitor species, and fishing pressure, but otherwise are often superficially similar.

 

Now, you might ask, how often do I actually get useful information out of the log? Do I actually consult it in some way that helps? Kind of, but rather, It is the  act of making the log that helps the most -- it is an excuse to organize my thoughts, photos and notes in a systematic way, which improves my memory and my general knowledge of what tends to work, when, and under which circumstances, in my area. Among other things, this helps me make informed guesses when fishing a new lake or river section I haven't been to before, which I try to do a few times every season.

 

I'm also the kind of person who likes making lists and keeping records of things, so there is that, too.

[BASSPATROL247]

I agree, keeping my log has me always thinking wich in turn keeps me focused. Do i need it to catch fish because my memory is bad? No but when its tough it is priceless to me to be able to look back and find similar conditions wether its the time period im fishing or not that way i have somewhere to start.. and like said above i would have forgot way more details etc..than i could have ever remembered..

[FrankW]

A log can be a great help especially if you fish multiple lakes. I don't find logging particular fish does much. That is what your fish finder is for. What does help is to log the Date, Time, Temp of water, Temp of air, Water level, Spawning, Schooling, water depth/cover and general weather for the preceding week. No need to write a log on the water or in the car. Do it at the computer back home and just describe your trip and success. If I make a trip to Toho or other long distance trip the log helps me figure out when to go. If you fish five or six different lakes only a few times a year, a log can be very helpful for Bass fishing.

Frank