Keeping a log of your home lakes and structure

[slabbacks]

With the types of waters we have here in TN, winter is a great time not only to get into some large schools of crappie and some of your bigger fish. But what if you get out on the water and the bite is slow or just not there. With most of our lakes down due to winter draw down, now is the time to start your records for future trips once the water gets back to summer pool.

A few tools I use out on the water is a camera, fish finder, GPS and Google Earth. You don't need a high dollar fish finder with maps and GPS. Finding the structure and being able to get back to it by what ever means you use is what counts with a record of what's there. I use Google Earth for keeping my log (if my computer dies on me I still have the log). With Google Earth you can keep tracks, GPS locations and photos with a log you can go into / add to. When I first obtain info I want to add I will transfer it to G.E. and add what I have for that structure. On later trips I can add info if I have a good day for that structure as far as time of year, weather ect.

Here is a trip I went on to Normandy Lake. Most of these locations are known by all but do you know how that structure is laid out and how far it comes out from the bank or center marker of a stake bed. This is a stake bed that gives up some nice slabs in spring...what I didn't know is just how large it spreads out from the center marker and now I know how far to use a slip bobber to stay just off the stakes without running over top of it on later trips. I also use this for brush I put out as far getting SI shots and attaching it to G.E.



This photo is of a fall down that has given up some good fish for me in the spring and fall. With this photo I know that I can stay much farther from the bank to fish this tree and I can use the hanging tree as a reference point.



Now take the photo's and other info you have and go into Google Earth. (this is a free service) Go to the lake you were on and work your way to the location of the structure or transfer your waypoint. You can then add a marker, photos and information to start your log. If you are running a GPS fish finder you can transfer all your waypoints from your unit to G.E. along with snap shots from your SD card. All this info is your private log and can be selected not to be shared to the public. You can also get with your fishing partner and choose to share pictures or the hole log with them.

These are some of the locations and photos I've added. As you zoom in photos will come into view, as you continue to zoom it will go out of the screen and you can see the waypoint. By tapping on the waypoint you will see the information you added. Other photos can be added at different levels. These waypoints can also be placed into a file by month or season. Come November 2014 I will go into the Nov. file and see locations that produced for that month. By doing this over the years you should have a great reference for your crappie season no matter what month.







I hope this information helps some in keeping a log of your lakes and put more fish in the boat. Good luck on the water.

[jimp]

good info, thanks for sharing your method of tracking your spots and researching new spots to fish.

[BAMA S]

Good info

[Kingfish1]

Thanks for the information.

[Rsw]

Great read. Thanks for posting!

[bdunn3]

Thanks! Sounds like a great idea!