Keeping a fishing log

Hey everyone. I'm new to the site and fairly new to bass fishing, eventhough I have been an serious offshore fisherman for awhile. I wanted to ask if any of you keep a fishing log. I was reading the blog at www.free-fishing-games.com and it says that log books are the key to unlocking some secrets. Have you all found that you can really figure out a lot of stuff with log books? I've been thinking about purchasing one of the software programs on their site. Any ideas? Thanks.

[KH.]

even if i did have the money to buy those things,i wouldnt.yeah maybe i would be better but i like to figure out the fish on my own.see if bas fishing was a easy routine,i guarantee you would not like it as much as you do now.
that is why more people are picking up a pole and catching bass.

[KenDammit]

keeping a log IS figuring the fish out on your own. You don't need any programs or whirlie-gigs to do it. The best advantages to keeping a fishing log is that you can start to understand WHY things work, and WHEN they work the best in YOUR water. No longer will you have to ask questions about things if you keep a detailed log. You'll know when to use a spinnerbait/crankbait/jig/worm ON YOUR LAKE. You document the places you catch fish instead of trying to remember "it was right around here somewhere". You know when this color works, or that one. You know about water conditions, weather patterns in relation to fish, and get a pretty good general idea of the way fish run in your body of water.

Another major benefit to logs is for personal pond owners to keep track of how their fish are growing and where they are staying. I have Fishing Log PRO and its a very easy to use and handy log to have.

[Fishie]

I can see the benefits of it and the disadvantages of getting caught up in them. Benefits are stated above only you might not fish the moment as good as you should for the conditions or how conditions change throughout the day. Quote Mike Ike " Fish the Moment''

Gerald Swindle while he does research said he often fishes the moment and by the seat of his pants.

[bassnman30]

With a log you can look back a few years and find alot of the same type patterns that currently apply. Bassmaster has a good one that can be ordered.

[Rebbasser]

I do. It is beneficial in several ways. You can see how you have done over time, and see what worked and what didn't certain times of the year so you can figure out what to use when faced with similar conditions. I use a computer program, but you don't need one. A spiral notebook will do the job. I like to have it on the computer because then I am more likely to keep it up to date.

Here is a free program called Angler's assistant that will do the job:

http://home.flash.net/~tvandy/frame.htm

It says for Windows 95 & 98 but it works on XP too.

[senkosam]

You can see how you have done over time, and see what worked and what didn't certain times of the year so you can figure out what to use when faced with similar conditions.

Exactly!!

A diary is history, nothing more and tells you whether you have improved or regressed over the time period logged. (Mine covers 15 years.)

It is an anecdotal bunch of comments that may or may not reoccur in the future because much of what occurs in fishing is a freak happening.

One thing it does do is open one's eyes to the possiblities that can exist on any particular day and that a lure that caught that trophy, may never work again.

A log confirms the basics you've learned and proved to yourself, but only in general. (seasonal retrieves, presentations, lure, etc.) There are few generalities in fishing that cannot be disproved and a log reveals that.

A log requires a discipline to stop fishing and enter the pertinent info immediately! Memory plays tricks and inaccurate info is of no use in future years.

You can go nuts with too much info and may want to streamline the data to what you're after and are trying to keep track of.
Are you keeping a log to show varioua lure successes over the years?
Keeping track of patterns on local lakes and rivers for repeated tournament or recreational fishing?

Just remember that a log is a collection of variables and that other variables not included in the log will change things in the future. (fish locations, fish activity levels, weed growth and water temps, water depth (high or low) etc.

The info obtained from one's log can be useful, but usually not a shortcut to actually figuring out location and patterns on any given day, on any water.

[Fish2win]

I have kept a log for about 21 years.It is often a help in reminding me of certain seasonal patterns or conditional patterns that are circumstance oriented.I beleive it takes several years before the log starts to really come into it own as a tool. Each time I fish I note water temps conditions depth location, type lure and even draw a small diagram of the area, if you dont keep one you should,Mine is now on computor with a search option. Fish2win

[WTL]

I keep a record of each day on the computer. It basically allows me to go back and pull up some notable specifics for every day I've caught a fish in the past 3 years. Its not a huge help, but I guess I do use it some to anticipate some patterns that recur each year. Mostly though its just fun to read sometimes.... you know, I can look at the log and see that on Oct. 6th, 2002 that I caught 6 stripes below Holt dam, ranging from 2 to 6 pounds and it makes the memory fresher.

[Mac1]

Just wanted to share this thought. I was reading a thread on another message board and one fellow, very well known for catching fish, mentioned something that should be included when keeping a log. He included notes on what nature was doing at the time. For example, in that vein, my log would have to currently state that the puffballs have appeared this week, the sumac is beginning to change color, the cows in the field this morning are spread widely up on the hill, the little snowball weeds are dying off.

The fellow who included this type of information, simply calls the category "nature". He doesn't include baits, ( I think I would by all means) as he prettywell knows what will catch largemouth, smallmouth, crappie....but does take notes on how many caught and generally the size, location, temp, etc.....etc....

[senkosam]

I use the log to help me to keep an open mind on any particular day and to disregard the fallicies that have been written or spouted by many pros. Sometimes too little information is limiting.

For instants, fishing is best in early morning in summer.
My log shows that quite a few large bass have been caught a 3pm in Aug. and that fewer fish were caught near sunrise (5am). Therefore your log includes time of day, time of year.

Dark lure, dark day; light lure, bright day.
My log shows that florescent colors (especially in topwaters and jerkbaits) work very well on overcast days. My best jig skirt colors are black or pumpkin, regardless of water clarity or sky conditions. So, my log always includes lure colors used.
If I catch fish on a new color, I note when it does it again.

Topwater is better on cloudy days.
I've logged many days where topwater baits worked from 10am to 1pm or late afternoon-early evening.
Time of day that a lure type worked is something I note.

I always include water level. The bite may be better or worse when water levels changes from the norm. I make note because water level patterns do exist. High, normal and low for that time of year.

Water temp, color and clarity gives me an idea of what lures worked in all temperatures and water clarities. Included is line type/brand to dispel the theory that line must be invisible to catch fish. (I've caught panfish on 30lb test braid.)

Wind speed and direction tell me where the bass have been located or absent when the wind is from certain direction. It reminds me that I've sometimes done very well when wind speed was 20 mph and which lure weights I used to cope with it. It also tells me that calm, glassy water was the least productive. Included in wind speed are notations of weather fronts (pre-, post- and stable.)

Numbers of fish, caught on which lures, is a reminder that sometimes a lure type will catch far more fish on a particular day than others or that more lure types may work on some days.

Tides and currents for rivers, which includes which part of the tide worked best.

There are other data one can include, but computers make keeping records a cinch. An easy form of fishing log is to make a folder, naming it by date and location. Include pictures of lures that exceled and fish. Make a text file or spread sheet and include info from the notes you took that day. Store the day folders in a year folder and now you have an archive that's easy to access and review.

[454ss]

Hey man welcome to the site why not join?