Started using the one here on the site, has all the stuff i want. I printed out a bunch of copies and put them into a binder. I just like the whole writing process / having a hard copy. But excel is awesome as well.

I tried keeping a log last year and gave up. It felt to much like work.

 

Same here. I never understood the point. Fishing conditions and situations change by the minute in many cases, so I'm not sure what the advantage of seeing how I caught them 3 months ago would do for me? Maybe the log-masters can help me here? I fish whatever's currently the conditions. 

Same here. I never understood the point. Fishing conditions and situations change by the minute in many cases, so I'm not sure what the advantage of seeing how I caught them 3 months ago would do for me? Maybe the log-masters can help me here? I fish whatever's currently the conditions.

 

 Conditions do change moment to moment for sure. A fishing log will in time show seasonal patterns and give you insight into the bigger picture. It wont seem worth it at first.  I can look back and see what is working at any specific time of year, under specific conditions, on specific bodies of water.  It isn't about what or how you caught them 3 months ago. It is about how you caught them year after year under the specific conditions you are encountering. I find keeping a fishing log to be incredibly helpful. Over time it will make you a better fisherman and enable you to catch bigger bass.

 Conditions do change moment to moment for sure. A fishing log will in time show seasonal patterns and give you insight into the bigger picture. It wont seem worth it at first.  I can look back and see what is working at any specific time of year, under specific conditions, on specific bodies of water.  It isn't about what or how you caught them 3 months ago. It is about how you caught them year after year under the specific conditions you are encountering. I find keeping a fishing log to be incredibly helpful. Over time it will make you a better fisherman and enable you to catch bigger bass.

 

Do you fill out the log after the outing, or as you're fishing? It seems it'd be tough for me to track WHILE I was fishing, especially since a lot of what I do is wading in the river. 

I keep a small pad of paper with me while I am fishing to jot down notes on. Then once I am back home I go more in depth. I am fishing from a boat.

I've kept a written hand-written journal since 1977. On the water I use a small pad of paper for sketches and a digital voice recorder for data and comments.

If a log works for some people by all means use one, I don't think it makes one a better fisherman.  A good fisherman is able to adapt on the spot.

So many factors involved that can affect the conditions day to day and certainly year to year.  Luckily where I fish for bass my main concern is water depth, vegetation and cold fronts, all I have to do is walk over to the canal or pond to visually see what's going on.  Not only does the weather control water depth it's also controlled by man, gates are opened and closed based on rain as well as getting ready for a big storm.  We have sea lettuce down here, today a canal can be totally clean and tomorrow that lettuce is thick making fishing very difficult.

 

Many people fish for multiple species, quite often those fish come into areas certain times of the year.  Those fish follow bait, bait is controlled by water temperature and weather, bad storms bring snapper in for example.  I've had years where I've caught bluefish left and right, the following year hardly any, the water and weather isn't the same. I've seen fish delayed as much as 2 months behind their anticipated schedule.  Huge difference between a wave and a groundswell, there is no consistency.  A good fisherman knows their species and the nuances of each, don't find too much difficulty in being able to keep that info in my personal computer, that being my head.  A log is just a guideline, which is not always accurate.  

Not everyone experiences this scenario which happens all the time here.  I've caught some really nice fish, just taking the time to take quick a photo can cost me a cast to catch another 15 or 20# fish.

^{I take a pic of every fish I catch over 2lb with the lure in the pic and down load them when I get home and set up files for each month of the year}

^{then can go thru the next year and get a idea of what was working where and its fun when you recognize fish from before}

I take a picture of every beer I drink over 12 ounces.....

I take a picture of every beer I drink over 12 ounces.....

 

You must have a lot of photo albums.

I use this site, and another Florida Fishing Site, as a form of log of my fishing success or lack of success. When doing a fishing report I always include the water body being fished, the ramps used that day, the date of the trip, water temp, air temp, wind conditions, water clarity, start and finish time, moon cycle, water levels, number of fish caught, size of fish caught, and lures used that day, and techniques being used. I DON"T include these facts for others, but rather for me to go back two or three years to see what was happening on this particular body of water, with these conditions, and these lures. It is an easy way to keep a log, call it back up when you need it, and its all on your favorite web sites. I try to pack these reports with as many facts as possible just so it refreshes my mind years later.

You must have a lot of photo albums.

 

I just can't remember where I put them!