Who Counts?

[Raul]

Now, just to brag about, if it ain´t something over 10 lbs then it isn´t worth the trouble of counting it.

[J._Bricker]

everythingthatswims, 2013 was one heck of year and that log confirms it!  I try to keep a journal similar to what others have mentioned.  It has helped, especially with the difference in the weather year to year.

[Fishinthefish]

The only time on the water I have the number of fish I've caught burned into my mind is zero.

[flyingmonkie]

I keep a Google Sheet with date, location, air temp, water temp, wind speed/direction, barometric pressure, specific location on body of water, lure, species, size, and notes.

I don't get to fish NEAR as much as I'd like, or it would be quite cumbersome.  I have a hard time keeping up with it as it is.

[hawgenvy]

I don't want to be writing stuff down on a spreadsheet when I can instead be tossing my bait back in the water. I'm not saying you OCD anglers oughtn't do it, only that I wouldn't have the patience for it. Anyway, Rapala has this fish counter device you can clip on your belt and you press the button every time you catch a fish. They sell it on TW. I could maybe see using that. People, my wife even, are always asking, "How many fish today?"  With that thing I could tell 'em exactly. But I bet it's going to be less quantities than what I've been saying until now. When I think I've caught 20 or so, it's probably twelve. So maybe the Rapala Fish Counter ($4.99) is going to make me an honest man! (Hey, would you guys tell on me if I clicked twice for fish over 3 pounds?)

PS: You can use that thing to compete with your fishing buddy to see who catches the most fish! Then you can rub it in. It'll be fun: one of you can be the big jerk, and the other gets to be really ticked off at the jerk who literally documented catching more fish than he did!

PSS: But you can make whoever catches the most fish pay for the pizza after and that way even it out again.

[MI.Kayaker]

[Catt]

Let's make one thing perfectly clear I don't do this on the water, I do it at the camp or at home.

 

[Bluebasser86]

I did a few years ago. Super hot summer kept me off the lakes and I went on a 2 month hiatus chasing big ugly fish on the river. I still managed 2,776 bass that year though. Assuming I'd kept fishing those 2 months I estimate I'd have gotten close to 4,000 since I was to 1,000 by April. Fishing during the daylight hours when it's already triple digits by 9am isn't fun for me though. 

[Wayne P.]

I have been recording numbers for over 30 years. Just daily total numbers and some notes for larger bass.

Just started using a digital spread sheet about 8 years ago. Before it was in notebooks.

 

[Catch 22]

I keep numbers in my head for a short time, mainly to make a report. After that I only relate to whether it was a good trip or good season. For me it would be like a job.

ETTSwims,very impressive numbers and record keeping.

[BassnChris]

Not me.

I just want to relax, fish and enjoy.

But then again.....I don't recall what I ate for supper last night, either. ?

 

[Wayne P.]

1 hour ago, Catch 22 said:

I keep numbers in my head for a short time, mainly to make a report. After that I only relate to whether it was a good trip or good season. For me it would be like a job.

ETTSwims,very impressive numbers and record keeping.

A lot of times I cannot keep the number caught during the day in my head, just too many. So I use a mechanical counter to record each as I catch them.

April 18, 2013 I caught 184 bass. April 26, 2013 I caught 173 bass at the same lake. With those two days and two other days, the first four trips to that lake that year, I caught 604 bass.

[A-Jay]

15 minutes ago, Wayne P. said:

A lot of times I cannot keep the number caught during the day in my head, just too many. So I use a mechanical counter to record each as I catch them.

April 18, 2013 I caught 184 bass. April 26, 2013 I caught 173 bass at the same lake. With those two days and two other days, the first four trips to that lake that year, I caught 604 bass.

Now That's Impressive . . . if it was 184 bass in 8 hours, that's a bass every 2 minutes and 30 seconds . . . the whole day !

Never seen anything thing quite that good - my head might have exploded about 2 hours into it . . .

A-Jay

 

[S. Sass]

On 3/10/2016 at 9:42 AM, Jaderose said:

Nope.  I just fish.

Same here. I fish for fishing and relaxation etc. Counting,and keeping track would be more of a chore to me. Obviously others enjoy counting and logging as well as fishing and that is cool as long as they are having fun. 

[ww2farmer]

I keep track in my head,for that day............two days later I have already forgotten, unless it was "one of those days" that come around  a couple times of year.

[Buckeye Ron]

I never count fish because to me the numbers don't matter. If I catch one I call it a good time fishing. If I catch none I call it a good time fishing. I do have a tendency to remember the various types of wildlife I encounter as well how beautiful the area I'm fishing is. And I take stock of other fishermen to see if they're courteous or otherwise.

I know that for many it's all about the numbers and that's fine. Just not for me.

 

 

[Bankbeater]

I do keep a log, but it is more for a reference. I like to go back and see what bait worked on what day, and under what conditions.

[senile1]

On 3/12/2016 at 2:00 PM, Buckeye Ron said:

I never count fish because to me the numbers don't matter. If I catch one I call it a good time fishing. If I catch none I call it a good time fishing. I do have a tendency to remember the various types of wildlife I encounter as well how beautiful the area I'm fishing is. And I take stock of other fishermen to see if they're courteous or otherwise.

I know that for many it's all about the numbers and that's fine. Just not for me.

 

 

In my earlier post, I stated that I don't keep detailed records like the OP presented in the initial post of this thread.  However, I do keep up with numbers to some extent but I don't see much difference in saying I caught 45 fish and forgetting two or three for my records.  My records are to help me in future fishing situations and those two or three I forgot about aren't going to matter.  

However, there is a big difference between forgetting two or three and not keeping track at all.  I think it is good to know I caught 45 - 50 fish using this technique, in this area, at a particular time, while on another day with another technique under similar conditions I only caught 5 or 6.  That is valuable information and the numbers are necessary to gauge what I should do in a similar situation in the future.  It's not "all about the numbers" but it is about what works and what doesn't and putting that information to good use in the future.  

The size of these groups of fish is good to know too.  If, in the situation above, the 5 or 6 fish caught were all lunkers while the 45 fish were all less than two pounds that is an important distinction if I am in pursuit of big fish.

[FrogFreak]

I use one of those number counter deals (see pic) to keep track. It's attached to my life vest. Anything more sophisticated and I lose interest. I use the number mostly to compete with my buddy who normally fishes the same weekends I do. 

[warrior1]

In a slump this year, might be to depressing LOL

[Fishworktaxes]

I second the slump. When I do make it out the water is muddy. Plus I can never figure out what to use

[Nitrofreak]

I used to count but it's not as important as it once was, it's been a long stent since I have taken it seriously, I had dedicated a lot of trips to learning these past few years, although they have been limited with the exception of each September when I usually revert to past successes on good structure areas, this year is a lot different and I will most likely start logging once more.