Fishing logs

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Harryp · #1 Post by **Harryp** » Sun Dec 31, 2006 9:30 pm

Hi people,

Does anyone keep a fishing log, What sort of thing do you put into it? Do you buy a log book or make one up yourself?

Regards

#2 Post by MC » Mon Jan 01, 2007 11:44 am

I just have a A4 hardback note book and follow a similar layout as on the shore angling reports. I know that you can get computer programs, but I like to read a book instead of a screen (not as sore on the eyes). It also gives an easy way to check on past weather, the best tides, best times and how to fish marks.

#3 Post by **pookie5488** » Mon Jan 01, 2007 12:28 pm

my book is set out easy as follows.

mark
time of day or night
tide
sea state
weather
bait
rigs
fish
distance fish taken at and on rise or fall of tide.
anything else.

Been keeping it over a year now so hope to see if any use doing it this year as i try re visit some of the marks more.

#4 Post by **contender** » Mon Jan 01, 2007 12:36 pm

Yeah, I have started 1 this past 2 months. Its just a small hardback notebook with 1 page used per trip. Set out like this.

Date and Mark.
Time fished. Tide height and high time
Weather, Water conditions.
Bait used.
Catch report and how.
Then just general thoughts and gossip of course.

#5 Post by **Seaniebo** » Mon Jan 01, 2007 12:43 pm

You probably have this covered with weather but its always worth taking note of atmospheric pressure

#6 Post by **alancooper** » Thu Jan 04, 2007 8:37 pm

I have used a log since starting to sea fish a year ago - initially I recorded information in the hope that it would help me to understand what influenced what I caught.

I found that the log was good for reminding me what I had learned about marks (you forget what happened last season) - but mostly it confirmed what you read in the "beginners" fishing books.

With time I am recording less material and the topics are changing because I know more and my interests are changing.

If you use a standard log with the same material recorded and have the interest and will power to keep it up, a log could be useful (with time) as an relatively unbiased information source. You could put it into a preadsheet and use "sorts" etc to assess trends and correlations - but you could easily turn into a nerd.

#7 Post by **lumpy** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 12:38 am

ive basically began writing my logs in an essay format, i log the usual things like tides,weather,baits,results etc.i also like to write about the session in general, any unuaual things that happened or any change in tactics that prooved succesful or unsuccesful for me. i then usually summerise the main topics i take as being useful or relivant at the end in 3 bullet points, makes it easier for quick referencing in the future

#8 Post by **corbyeire** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 2:14 pm

i hear you sandman - being the occasional angler - you need to clock up hours under various conditions at a particular mark and then make an appraisal

happy enough just to get out there fishing

obviously if you have a chuck often enough its a great idea to keep a log

#9 Post by **cortaz** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 2:50 pm

i,ve kept fishing logs for over 20 years, i now use A4 sized page a day diarys.

#10 Post by **Manxfisher** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 9:42 pm

Hello all. newbie to the site

I keep a fishing log in a spreadsheet.

Columns for: Date, Location, Fishing time, Tide state, Weather, Methods, Baits, Catch and finally a big column for general comments.

Each trip is entered on a new row in the spreadsheet.

The beauty for me of the spreadsheet is that you can manipulate the records for ease of viewing. For example, you can filter to show particular records such as a specific location or weather condition ofr tide state or time of year or any combination of these. Over the years the info built up is invaluable in deciding where and when to go fishing. It's sometimes hard to record blank trips, but these provide as much info as the best of trips (helps you making the same mistake twice) Some interesting trends also emerge and I now catch more fish per trip as a direct result. I print it out at the end of each year because it is nice to have a paper copy to read through from time to time.

#11 Post by **stevecrow74** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 10:36 pm

this is what i use... [url]http://fishing.idealog.net/[/url]...

i find it very handy... everything is graphed for you.. so you dont have to calculate anything..

not cheap 39 US dollars.. but well worth it in the end though...

#12 Post by **Tanglerat** » Sun Jan 07, 2007 5:33 pm

Don't do what I did a few years ago, it'd scare ya! :D

I kept an expenses diary for a year for anything connected to my angling: trips, bait, new tackle, petrol, phone calls, stamps, anything at all I spent money on that I wouldn't have spent if I didn't fish.

I swear, the end of year tally was an eye-opener! :shock:

#13 Post by **Adam S** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 2:50 pm

i use an a4 hardback book, onto my 3rd one now. i have every session for 8 years (hundreds of sessions) written in detail and notes from further back all the way back to the 80s i record

venue
date
time of day
water depth
water clarity
bait/method
tide
wind direction
water temp
pressure
weather
moon phase
tide
fish caught

very handy, really helps you to pick out patterns over time so you can change tactics accordingly

#14 Post by **pete** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 5:55 pm

Have kept one since 1989, they make great reading. Plan to start paying more attention to and recording atmos pressure, water temps and moon phases

#15 Post by **Seancelt** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 9:49 am

I never thought of keeping one but I will from now on.