Want to catch more fish?????

[PapermouthLegend]

It involves time, patience, and dedication. I have been writing a fishing log everytime I fish from a boat in the past 4 years. I use a 3-ring binder and add notebook paper when needed. I have my log book broken down into Months (Jan, Feb, etc..) to start with. Then I use the following categories in this order. Lake, Water Temp, Wind Direction, Wind Speed, Clarity of Sky, Time of 1st Catch, Bait/Lure (color), Depth, Structure, Type of Presentation and total # of fish caught. I write down when I have bad days as well. I am not a professional guide or fisherman. But I promise anyone that reads this you will spend a lot less time looking for fish once you establish a good log book for 1 season. I won't wet a line until I review my book and find the situation I ran into that matches the conditions. I find it easiest to use the months as my main category. If I am fishing in March, I flip to March and try to find matching situations to the conditions of that day. You might be surprised how well this works. Once I got used to writing in the book, it doesn't take about 5 minutes out of the day to complete a log. My friends used to laugh at me for being too scientific about fishing. Now they call me when they are on the lake, not catching anything and want me to look the conditions up for them. I noticed just today that my total # of fish caught has increased every year. I think you will find this to be true if you try it yourself. This might be one of the biggest secrets I know to catching more fish. Does anyone else keep log books? If so, how long have you been keeping it?

[lhumphre]

I have been keeping mine for about a year, i am hoping it helps out this year...my brother and i always say, man i wish grandpa and dad would have wrote down their catches...just beginning a new tradition..

[BULLFROG-1]

That sounds like it will make a good keep sake to hand down from one generation to the next!

[BULLFROG-1]

ps I want this for my last meal--- Make it fresh Crappie fillets, Fried tators,Fried pickles,onion rings,A bottle of Black Jack and coke,And i want to listen to some of that good George Jones music while i eat!:p

[GRIZZ]

If thats not your last meal, sounds like it'll help you get closer to it. :D

[PawPaw Gene]

I have a buddy that does just that. He's been writing down his trips for 5 or 6 years and he goes back to review his journal before each trip. Man does he catch fish. I started mine since the first of the year. I set it up on my computer on an Excel spreadsheet. Of course I have only one entry, I've been sick since the first but I hope to change that soon.
From the bayou,
PawPaw "gene"

[fingerlicken]

I started keeping one last year, it was a new lake I started crappie fishing, now I can see how much it will help me this year.

[joejv4]

I started keeping one last year too, hoping to see if it helps me out this year. I've gone the HI-tech route (a Cane Pole kinda thing to do) and found a free log program for the computer - records all the things mentioned and let's you attach photos of the actual fish to each record. For out on the boat, you can print out sheets to write all the info on as things happen, then you come home and enter it, along with your photos into the log program. It gives you charts and graphs and all sorts of neat ways to look at the info you've collected - all to help you use past experience to improve your future success.

If anyone's interested, it's freeware and I got it from http://elog.bluelaketackle.com - but now when I try to browse their site, I get a time-out. Their site might be having problems. The name of the program is Angler's eLog and it's a nice little program.

[lightweight]

thats a really great idea. i going to start doing it now. should also work for hunting. thanks.

[Sandwich Maker]

I started in 1987. Have gotten more detailed through the years. One thing that I do is go to the goverment site that gives current lake levels and record the level of the lake I'm fishing. With huge variations of levels in our West Texas lakes, it's very handy to have. This time of year, the water temp is very important, and it's nice to be able to go back and check the temps at certain times of the year and how they will vary from year to year.

You are right, PapermouthLegend, it's one of the most important things a serious fisherman needs!!!!