One Year and One Thousand Bass - My Thanks to All !

[Bryce C]

That is awesome Goose!!!  I had never kept track of my number of landed fish in a season until this year......I set a goal of 1000 as well, but didn't quite make it.

Your record keeping is awesome....do you carry a notepad with you while you fish or just jot stuff down after each trip?  Are you using a specific log form?  I would love to keep better records in the future....it's been a lot of fun just counting the total number this year let alone lengths weights baits etc....

Good job man!!

[Goose52]

I have good records but my data collection system is not that sophisticated ;D

For lengths, when fishing from the bank, I wear a lanyard that has nailclippers (for line cutting) and a little 3ft tape measure. Everything that comes out of the water gets measured. This was something I started just to get an idea of the average size of the fish in these lakes and I just kept doing. If I'm in my canoe, I have a "bump board" that I put the fish on the get the length.

For weights, at the beginning of the season, I was only weighing fish 18" or longer. Then, as the season when on and I was noticing how many skinny fish I was catching, I decided to start weighing all fish 14" or longer so I could start running averages. So, I have an electronic scale with me all the time - either on the bank or in the boat.

For capturing data - this sounds kinda cheap but works really good. I cut up cardboard boxes (like cereal boxes) into 3"x5" cards. They are of course blank on the inside surface and are stiff enough to write on with no backing. From the bank, I just carry a blank card and write down info as I catch fish. From the canoe, I make the card up before I leave and create sections for the rods I know I will have with me (see example below). These cards will show water temp, catch, baits, etc.

The data captured is recorded in an Excel spreadsheet. I have a number of worksheets (page/tabs) in the file. One for data on my rods/reels, local lake data, catch by year, and a page that automatically calculates average weights. The catch by year worksheet has columns for:

Date, Place, QTY, Catch, Rod / Reel, Bait, Line, Water Temp, & Notes

Below is an example of one of my "tote cards." Not very tidy is it! It was originally set up with 6 sections for the 6 rods that I took in the canoe that day. As I started fishing, you can see that I had to make some quick adjustments - especially for the rod that I was using for cranks (lower right corner. You can see that I caught 8 fish on a wiggle wart and two fish on a Norman Deep Little N. Overall, the card shows that I caught 10 fish on cranks, 3 fish on a 7.5" Yum ribbontail worm, and 5 fish on a Zoom Fat Albert 5" grub.  It was the first time I fished that lake in the canoe so I recorded the maximum depth that I observed (11 feet - the smallest/shallowest of the 11 lakes that I fish). BTW - this card was for the outing when I went over 1000 fish - in the top left corner you can see that my 999th fish was a respectable 1 1/2pounder, but my 1,000th fish was an 11" dink !

Phew - that's the short explanation of my data system !

[Goose52]

I have good records but my data collection system is not that sophisticated ;D

For lengths, when fishing from the bank, I wear a lanyard that has nailclippers (for line cutting) and a little 3ft tape measure. Everything that comes out of the water gets measured. This was something I started just to get an idea of the average size of the fish in these lakes and I just kept doing. If I'm in my canoe, I have a "bump board" that I put the fish on the get the length.

For weights, at the beginning of the season, I was only weighing fish 18" or longer. Then, as the season when on and I was noticing how many skinny fish I was catching, I decided to start weighing all fish 14" or longer so I could start running averages. So, I have an electronic scale with me all the time - either on the bank or in the boat.

For capturing data - this sounds kinda cheap but works really good. I cut up cardboard boxes (like cereal boxes) into 3"x5" cards. They are of course blank on the inside surface and are stiff enough to write on with no backing. From the bank, I just carry a blank card and write down info as I catch fish. From the canoe, I make the card up before I leave and create sections for the rods I know I will have with me (see example below). These cards will show water temp, catch, baits, etc.

The data captured is recorded in an Excel spreadsheet. I have a number of worksheets (page/tabs) in the file. One for data on my rods/reels, local lake data, catch by year, and a page that automatically calculates average weights. The catch by year worksheet has columns for:

Date, Place, QTY, Catch, Rod / Reel, Bait, Line, Water Temp, & Notes

Below is an example of one of my "tote cards." Not very tidy is it! It was originally set up with 6 sections for the 6 rods that I took in the canoe that day. As I started fishing, you can see that I had to make some quick adjustments - especially for the rod that I was using for cranks (lower right corner. You can see that I caught 8 fish on a wiggle wart and two fish on a Norman Deep Little N. Overall, the card shows that I caught 10 fish on cranks, 3 fish on a 7.5" Yum ribbontail worm, and 5 fish on a Zoom Fat Albert 5" grub.  It was the first time I fished that lake in the canoe so I recorded the maximum depth that I observed (11 feet - the smallest/shallowest of the 11 lakes that I fish). BTW - this card was for the outing when I went over 1000 fish - in the top left corner you can see that my 999th fish was a respectable 1 1/2pounder, but my 1,000th fish was an 11" dink !

Phew - that's the short explanation of my data system !

[Goose52]

I have good records but my data collection system is not that sophisticated ;D

For lengths, when fishing from the bank, I wear a lanyard that has nailclippers (for line cutting) and a little 3ft tape measure. Everything that comes out of the water gets measured. This was something I started just to get an idea of the average size of the fish in these lakes and I just kept doing. If I'm in my canoe, I have a "bump board" that I put the fish on the get the length.

For weights, at the beginning of the season, I was only weighing fish 18" or longer. Then, as the season when on and I was noticing how many skinny fish I was catching, I decided to start weighing all fish 14" or longer so I could start running averages. So, I have an electronic scale with me all the time - either on the bank or in the boat.

For capturing data - this sounds kinda cheap but works really good. I cut up cardboard boxes (like cereal boxes) into 3"x5" cards. They are of course blank on the inside surface and are stiff enough to write on with no backing. From the bank, I just carry a blank card and write down info as I catch fish. From the canoe, I make the card up before I leave and create sections for the rods I know I will have with me (see example below). These cards will show water temp, catch, baits, etc.

The data captured is recorded in an Excel spreadsheet. I have a number of worksheets (page/tabs) in the file. One for data on my rods/reels, local lake data, catch by year, and a page that automatically calculates average weights. The catch by year worksheet has columns for:

Date, Place, QTY, Catch, Rod / Reel, Bait, Line, Water Temp, & Notes

Below is an example of one of my "tote cards." Not very tidy is it! It was originally set up with 6 sections for the 6 rods that I took in the canoe that day. As I started fishing, you can see that I had to make some quick adjustments - especially for the rod that I was using for cranks (lower right corner. You can see that I caught 8 fish on a wiggle wart and two fish on a Norman Deep Little N. Overall, the card shows that I caught 10 fish on cranks, 3 fish on a 7.5" Yum ribbontail worm, and 5 fish on a Zoom Fat Albert 5" grub.  It was the first time I fished that lake in the canoe so I recorded the maximum depth that I observed (11 feet - the smallest/shallowest of the 11 lakes that I fish). BTW - this card was for the outing when I went over 1000 fish - in the top left corner you can see that my 999th fish was a respectable 1 1/2pounder, but my 1,000th fish was an 11" dink !

Phew - that's the short explanation of my data system !

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Congrats on a goal reached and a great year. Your fishing records are more meticulous and organized than some people's income tax records! lol 

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Congrats on a goal reached and a great year. Your fishing records are more meticulous and organized than some people's income tax records! lol 

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Congrats on a goal reached and a great year. Your fishing records are more meticulous and organized than some people's income tax records! lol 

[Goose52]

Thanks DVT - I've always been big on keeping good records both with fishing and with my shooting stuff.

They weren't all big fish, but I still made my 1,000 goal. To compensate for the small size, I nearly always use ML or M power rods...I only caught a handful of fish on MH rods and none on H.

[Goose52]

Thanks DVT - I've always been big on keeping good records both with fishing and with my shooting stuff.

They weren't all big fish, but I still made my 1,000 goal. To compensate for the small size, I nearly always use ML or M power rods...I only caught a handful of fish on MH rods and none on H.

[Goose52]

Thanks DVT - I've always been big on keeping good records both with fishing and with my shooting stuff.

They weren't all big fish, but I still made my 1,000 goal. To compensate for the small size, I nearly always use ML or M power rods...I only caught a handful of fish on MH rods and none on H.

[Big-O]

Quite a feat Goose and congratulations for a terrific year... It's folks like youself and comments like those that are most appreciated by all of us here at BR.Terrific Post Friend!!!

Big O

www.ragetail.com

[Big-O]

Quite a feat Goose and congratulations for a terrific year... It's folks like youself and comments like those that are most appreciated by all of us here at BR.Terrific Post Friend!!!

Big O

www.ragetail.com

[Big-O]

Quite a feat Goose and congratulations for a terrific year... It's folks like youself and comments like those that are most appreciated by all of us here at BR.Terrific Post Friend!!!

Big O

www.ragetail.com

[Goose52]

Thanks Big O !  Yep, there's a lot of smart folks on the board, it only makes sense to pay attention...

I should do better next year. Maybe not in numbers, but in quality of the fish 

[Goose52]

Thanks Big O !  Yep, there's a lot of smart folks on the board, it only makes sense to pay attention...

I should do better next year. Maybe not in numbers, but in quality of the fish 

[Goose52]

Thanks Big O !  Yep, there's a lot of smart folks on the board, it only makes sense to pay attention...

I should do better next year. Maybe not in numbers, but in quality of the fish 

[lazeebum]

My record keeping consist of hoping I don't forget.  Hmmm, new year coming up. :-/

[lazeebum]

My record keeping consist of hoping I don't forget.  Hmmm, new year coming up. :-/

[lazeebum]

My record keeping consist of hoping I don't forget.  Hmmm, new year coming up. :-/

[lazeebum]

You could always fish Tims Ford.  If I ain't mistaken thats not too far from the Cumberland Plateau.

[lazeebum]

You could always fish Tims Ford.  If I ain't mistaken thats not too far from the Cumberland Plateau.

[lazeebum]

You could always fish Tims Ford.  If I ain't mistaken thats not too far from the Cumberland Plateau.

[Goose52]

You could always fish Tims Ford. If I ain't mistaken thats not too far from the Cumberland Plateau.

Yep - Tims Ford is southwest of me. I have a lot of "big water" around me - Tennessee river & Watts Bar, Dale Hollow, etc. But since moving to TN, I've mostly fished my 11 local lakes (4 acres to 201 acres) since they are all within a few minutes drive of my house. I haven't taken any "fishing trips" at all, I just hop in the car and within 5 minutes I'm at one of my lakes. I may be able to get out to some of the "big water" next year !

[Goose52]

You could always fish Tims Ford. If I ain't mistaken thats not too far from the Cumberland Plateau.

Yep - Tims Ford is southwest of me. I have a lot of "big water" around me - Tennessee river & Watts Bar, Dale Hollow, etc. But since moving to TN, I've mostly fished my 11 local lakes (4 acres to 201 acres) since they are all within a few minutes drive of my house. I haven't taken any "fishing trips" at all, I just hop in the car and within 5 minutes I'm at one of my lakes. I may be able to get out to some of the "big water" next year !

[Goose52]

You could always fish Tims Ford. If I ain't mistaken thats not too far from the Cumberland Plateau.

Yep - Tims Ford is southwest of me. I have a lot of "big water" around me - Tennessee river & Watts Bar, Dale Hollow, etc. But since moving to TN, I've mostly fished my 11 local lakes (4 acres to 201 acres) since they are all within a few minutes drive of my house. I haven't taken any "fishing trips" at all, I just hop in the car and within 5 minutes I'm at one of my lakes. I may be able to get out to some of the "big water" next year !