Do you log condition details of fish you've caught? 2025
Fun4Me reply :
If so, how detailed do you get, and what method do you use to log them?
An example would be,
Caught a 4 pounder from the wind blown shaded side cove, at 10:15, on ** pond, on ** date, 3 days before a full moon, in stained water swimming a creature bait green pumpkin pit boss weightless T/rigged, ** water temp, Ect.
Is this a good way to find patterns? I've never logged my catches and I'm thinking about starting.
trick worms reply :
Yes. I say catches, techniques used, location, time, date, and weather
OCdockskipper reply :
Yes, not to specifically detail the account of each fish caught, but to give a summary of the days fishing. If there was a pattern that developed, that is what I want to keep written down for the future.
the reel ess reply :
Yes
Jon P. reply :
i try to remember to write in my log but i often forget.
i usually write down water temp. water clarity, weather, date, depth, structure, location, and number of fish caught with weights.
Catt reply :
I use micro soft word to catalog everything and excel for doing searches.
1) Area
2) Cover
3) Structure
4) Weather
5) Moon Phase
6) Time
7) Lure
8) Total fish caught
9) Total keepers
10) Largest
11) With who
Save as: body of water & date
soflabasser reply :
Yes I write down my catches ,especially ones where I catch large numbers of fish or exceptionally large fish.I can look back at my fishing logs and see patterns that show during certain weather conditions in specific spots.
S. Sass reply :
Do you log condition details of fish you've caught?
No, I'm to busy fishing to be bothered with paperwork. Besides with the experts all on YouTube they can just tell me when, where, and how to fish every condition in 5 min or less usually. 
Bluebasser86 reply :
I don't have to, since I got my Garmin Virb Elite. It logs it all for me, even the GPS coordinates.
I've never taken the time to learn how to look at this information, but it's there if I wanted it 
Bankbeater reply :
After every trip I play back my voice recordings and put it down in the log.
Jaderose reply :
No. 99% of the time, I'm fishing a lake I know like the back of my hand
Fun4Me reply :
On 7/18/2016 at 10:33 PM, Jaderose said:No. 99% of the time, I'm fishing a lake I know like the back of my hand
Understood. Did you do anything back when you didn't know the lake like the back of your hand?
Mike L reply :
As primarily a tournament co -angler I do it all. Sometimes I think it isn't necessary because the boater has the ultimate decision about where and how long we stay at a certain spot. But I do it anyway. When I stop and decide to enter as a boater, I'll have something to start with
Some will ask my opionion but if they have been fishing any of the 3 circuit's I fish in, most won't because they already have thier favorite way points which is fine with me, its thier boat. The only time I get asked which is all the time, is on Okeechobee because that lake changes so much.
Mike
blckshirt98 reply :
I'll only note conditions if they're out of the ordinary for the lakes I fish. As a shore guy I only have a handful of spots and here in Cali the vegetation, water clarify, water levels, wind, cloud cover, etc are fairly consistent. I'll note conditions if I had a particularly good/bad day, or if something was really out of the ordinary.
Jaderose reply :
On 7/18/2016 at 10:37 PM, Fun4Me said:Understood. Did you do anything back when you didn't know the lake like the back of your hand?
Lol....no. That makes it seem like work.
frogflogger reply :
I use to do this religiously - helped me immeasurably - don't do it any longer and it shows in my lower catch rate - hmmm maybe should start again.
RMcDuffee726 reply :
I have a fantastic log template if you would like it. I can be reached at McDuffeer13@gmail.com. Send me a PM on here first though.
doyle8218 reply :
Nope.
soflabasser reply :
I got a spot where there are huge bass,and these huge bass bite best in specific conditions.Took me a good while to figure this place out,and logging the specific data has helped me immensely in that spot.Time on the water will always be more valuable than watching some video or reading something online.
Paul Roberts reply :
Yes. I use basic sky and water conditions, as well as specific circumstances that might influence/have influenced how the day goes/went. That's standard. When I'm fishing a lot, and have my finger on the current trends, I can add more details.
Hot Rod Johnson reply :
Quick answer is "NO"....You don't want to become a spot fisherman.. Try using Seasonal Patterns to Locate Bass. By Jim Ratley http://www.bassresource.com/fish_biology/seasonal_patterns.html
roadwarrior reply :
On 7/18/2016 at 11:26 AM, Catt said:I use micro soft word to catalog everything and excel for doing searches.
1) Area
2) Cover
3) Structure
4) Weather
5) Moon Phase
6) Time
7) Lure
8) Total fish caught
9) Total keepers
10) Largest
11) With who
Save as: body of water & date
Since 1973?
Fun4Me reply :
On 8/10/2016 at 5:11 AM, Hot Rod Johnson said:
Quick answer is "NO"....You don't want to become a spot fisherman.. Try using Seasonal Patterns to Locate Bass. By Jim Ratley http://www.bassresource.com/fish_biology/seasonal_patterns.html
I was thinking more about patterns than spots.
Catt reply :
On 8/10/2016 at 5:33 AM, roadwarrior said:Since 1973?
It's only anecdotal evidence! 
Ratherbfishing reply :
I do, sometimes, journal about my day of fishing but I don't keep a log. Who's got time for that when there are fish to be caught? But in any event, I doubt that what I have done has improved my fishing any. I store my knowledge in my pea brain more than on paper.
StinkyBass reply :
I absolutely log my trips! You've got the right idea. I mostly write down the basics that will help me look back the previous seasons and see what worked, what didn't work and what's changed. I don't get so detailed that I lose track of the information liking back. Like many others have mentioned, I like to record weather conditions, water temps, productive underwater structure locations, baits used, colors used and speed of retrieve. I may not record moon phase, but that's totally up to you. Only you can decide what works best for you. Tight lines!
thirtysixit reply :
I don't. I'm a generalist when it comes to fishing. If it looks good I fish it.
Hot Rod Johnson reply :
If my memory serves me correctly Down Imaging and Side Imaging came out around 2009. This technologies eliminates the need for logs and keeping track of your fishing conditions. http://www.in-fisherman.com/gear-accessories/side-imaging-and-down-imaging/ Just saying...
S. Sass reply :
On 8/25/2016 at 9:24 AM, Hot Rod Johnson said:technologies eliminates the need for logs and keeping track of your fishing conditions
I see where that may be interpreted that way. But to me if someone was going to log info this technology just made a lot more stuff to possibly include in a log. Again depending on how in depth the person doing the logging wants to get. Since you can see a ton more as the fellas describe in the link you provided.
The entire setup(s) used rod, reels, line, lures, retrieve speed, lucky hat, and water clarity to name a few could be included into a log. A fishing log can include as much or as little detail as you choose, but the more information you track, the more useful it ultimately becomes. I don't have one of the thousands of dollar units and they may have software to enter these parameters but someone still has to put the info in there. Or can the new fish finders detect a 1/2oz spinnerbait, its brand, its skirt color, the head color, number of blades, size of blades, style of each blade, what brand of trailer, style of trailer, was there a trailer. See my point. Fishing logs are to give you greater insight into why a fish was caught as well as where to find the fish.
All that being said I hunt pretty much with no electronics as mine are really old and basically show depth and occasionally some fish and some structure along with the water temp. I never had that stuff my whole life fishing from the bank and did good enough for me. And no I don't log anything I fish to relax not go back to school writing pages and pages of info. 
Hot Rod Johnson reply :
I to have fished like you are saying for a very long time. I made the change about 20 years ago when I got my "Hinny" kicked all the time. I was forced into making changes how and where I fished if I wanted to improve. Some times now I will go with another fisherman and fish out of the rear of their boat. Now for all practical purposes I am fishing like you are fishing, and I don't have a problem with that type of fishing. I just ask him how deep of water are we in... I don't log all of the information because bass fishing isn't static... The conditions are constantly changing by the minute, I would spend more time longing information than fishing. That's just me, for other fisherman they may/will log their information, nothing wrong with that. I realize the the cost of electronics have sky rocked to the point that they are now out of the price range for allot of fisherman. That is really ashamed that this has happened, but there are allot of units on the market that wont break the bank and can be a great fish aid. Different strokes for different folks I guess.
Fishing Rhino reply :
No, I don't keep any type of log other than what is stored in the space between my ears.
When I was a commercial lobsterman I kept detailed logs with the Loran bearings of where every trawl was set, when it was set, and when it was hauled. It also included the count of legal lobsters caught by that trawl.
When I'd start setting gear in the late winter/early spring, I'd go through those books to select where I would set my gear. When it was time to move offshore from the Bay and Rhode Island Sound, I'd again consult my books from prior years.
I would also include how the traps were baited, whether the bait was in a bag or on the bait string in the trap. If I used a different bait, I'd also make a note of that.
But, I was doing that commercially, to make a living.
I fish for fun, and will admit that I do not put a lot of effort into it other than getting the gear rigged and maintenance on the boat. I respect those who are meticulous in their record keeping. But for me, it would be more like work, something which is a dirty word nowadays.
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