You folks that keeo track of your catches, what method do you use?

If I catch one over 5, I weigh it and write it down on a note pad but never have recorded the total number of fish in a day.

Yesterday I caught a wad of 'em, no bigs, but a great day!  @Swamp Girl Katie, how do you keep track?  I don't have the brain power to remember numbers but it would be nice to know how many instead of just a guesstimate.

I use an Excel spreadsheet to log my catches.

No need imo how accurate you need to be counting bass, just use your memory is a good enough estimate. 
Some anglers get real anal about numbers of bass caught.

Tom

1 minute ago, WRB-2.0 said:

Bro need imo how accurate you need to be counting bass, just use your memory is a good enough estimate. 
Some anglers get real anal about numbers of bass caught.

Tom

I reflect on the day in the evening and think I caught 50, but sometimes I wonder if my brain thinks 50 but in reality I only caught 38 or maybe 62....?  I'm happy with 5 or 50, every day on the water is good, but it would be nice to have a check on my memory, I think.

1 minute ago, Lottabass said:

I reflect on the day in the evening and think I caught 50, but sometimes I wonder if my brain thinks 50 but in reality I only caught 38 or maybe 62....?  I'm happy with 5 or 50, every day on the water is good, but it would be nice to have a check on my memory, I think.

OCD!

Tom

I take a picture of every fish so it's easy to go back and count. 

My wife enjoys when I cast my pics to the TV and show her my day.

2 minutes ago, WRB-2.0 said:

OCD!

Tom

If I'm anal or have OCD it comes from my Mother.  When I was a young boy she used to iron my underwear!

49 minutes ago, Lottabass said:

If I'm anal or have OCD it comes from my Mother.  When I was a young boy she used to iron my underwear!

That must have been one heck of a strong ironing board

that could support your weight like that.

A-Jay

 

I don't keep track and don't always have a camera but do enjoy seeing other's catches.

Oh and I do remember a skunk 🦨 

I keep count in my head on the water and use my Bass Resource trip reports to tally a year's count. I know there are Bass Resource members who aren't excited by 15" bass, but I am. I love them all.

 

Al, I wouldn't trust myself to estimate a trip's total catch if I weren't counting.

OCD signing in. I take a pic of every catch then edit the pic info with the details of the catch. When I get home I put all the info down on an excel spreadsheet. Then I’ll delete most of the pics. 

56 minutes ago, Swamp Girl said:

I keep count in my head on the water and use my Bass Resource trip reports to tally a year's count. I know there are Bass Resource members who aren't excited by 15" bass, but I am. I love them all.

 

Al, I wouldn't trust myself to estimate a trip's total catch if I weren't counting.

Im With ya here. I’ll take catching 12-15 inch fish and nice time any day. Can’t catch monsters everytime. 

I use a clicker, I don't trust my memory once I get past 3.

I also have to make a list when going food shopping these days, even if it's just more than 2 items 

 

There was a time when we’d be catching a lot of bass in a day and I’m terrible at keeping track in my head. So just like @herder above, I started using a clicker. It was never about bragging rights, but for my personal information that I’d keep in a fishing journal. Years later, I can compare “how it used to be” with today and knowing the info was accurate and not just inflated due to a faulty memory. 

I don't keep track of the bass I catch, keep track of the lures I lose.  If I catch more bass than lures lost it is a great day.

2 hours ago, Swamp Girl said:

I keep count in my head on the water and use my Bass Resource trip reports to tally a year's count. I know there are Bass Resource members who aren't excited by 15" bass, but I am. I love them all.

 

Al, I wouldn't trust myself to estimate a trip's total catch if I weren't counting.

I'm with you, they are ALL good!

42 minutes ago, herder said:

I use a clicker, I don't trust my memory once I get past 3.

I also have to make a list when going food shopping these days, even if it's just more than 2 items 

 

I make a list too and then forget the list!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'll get a clicker.

I keep a mental note.  Then if I catch one that is picture worthy (a big one, a pretty one, the first one on a tough day, etc) I’m usually sending my dad that picture with a note of how many I’ve caught so far.  I’ll usually send him a recap text at the end too.  The exact number isn’t critical.  Then again, I’m not usually catching so many so fast that I lose track.  

I just add in my head as I go along. I might not get it exactly  right but pretty close. A few years ago I kept track for a whole year.  I dont remember what my total was. Its on bass resource some where.

Much easier to keep track if you don't catch that many!  I keep mental track of lengths over the last 4 or 5 I've caught, then enter them into a note-taking app in my phone. If a fish is more than about 18 inches, I'll weigh it too and include the wt. The hardest part is forcing myself to stop fishing for 30 seconds and pull the phone out to enter the next few. 

 

The reason I keep track at all is because I fish a whole bunch of places that all fish a little differently at different times of the season, and I like to have an objective record of sizes and catch rates for each of them. Helps me make decisions about where to go, and when.

I usually know when I get to 5 over a pound.  (Tournament brain on auto.)

After that, I don't even try.

I use a clicker also. No need to strain the brain trying to remember. I’m on the water to relax. YMMV

I'd use a clicker, but I'd break it from clicking too much!

 

2 hours ago, king fisher said:

I don't keep track of the bass I catch, keep track of the lures I lose.  If I catch more bass than lures lost it is a great day.

You must do most of your fishing in a river. I know the pain.

4 hours ago, Swamp Girl said:

I keep count in my head on the water and use my Bass Resource trip reports to tally a year's count. I know there are Bass Resource members who aren't excited by 15" bass, but I am. I love them all.

 

Al, I wouldn't trust myself to estimate a trip's total catch if I weren't counting.

I have no trouble keeping count unless it gets over 20. Then I run out of fingers and toes...

I use a clicker;  don't pull it out unless I surpass about 6 fish.  I find them in a golf department.

I keep track mentally.  Occasionally, I may slip and I'll wonder was that number 11 or 12 (etc) but I will only be off by one or two.  I rarely lost track when I was younger but it happens a little more now that I am older.