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Cermele: Do You Keep A Fishing Log?
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September 17, 2009
Cermele: Do You Keep A Fishing Log?
By Joe Cermele
While rummaging through a box of old books not long ago, I found a marble notebook that served as my fishing log. It was from 2003, and the first 10 pages had 5 trips logged, all with meticulous info ranging from water temperature, to wind, tide, hatches, and air temperature. The rest of the notebook was blank.
You would think that since I'm a writer, I'd stick with a fishing log, but I guess on trip number 6 I came home dead tired and just said "eh, I'll skip it tonight." I never went back to it. But without question, I'd be a far better angler if I had kept it up.
I've interviewed lots of guides, and the best ones have volumes of logs holding, in some cases, decades worth of fishing trips. They'll all tell you something to this effect: "You'd be shocked how even three seasons of keeping a log will show you patterns you may have never picked up on otherwise." Friend and striper guide Lou Grazioso once told me he actually uses his log to mark bait locations more than fish. If he goes to find bait and it's not where it should be, he'll quickly scan old info that matches the day's conditions. Often, his notes point him to the right spot fast while other boats burn gas and run all over looking for the bunker schools.
I'm curious, do any of you keep fishing logs? Have they made you a better angler? Bottom line is we all should keep them, but it takes more dedication than you might think. -- JC
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Comments (15)
I kept a detailed log in the early 90's. I picked it up at the local Orvis shop. I had all the normal stuff plus plants blooming, cloud cover and so forth. I stopped keeping a log when I started coaching baseball and my fishing days dwindled to a mere fraction of the glory days. Now after 16 years I'm no longer coaching. Maybe I'll start that log back up.
I do go back to it time and time again. Just to refresh my memory of trips, fish caught and old fishing partners that are no longer with us.
Joe,
I'm in the same boat--so to speak. I actually start a log every year...and taper off after a few months. No doubt a log can help you catch more fish. And I kinda like reading the old entries on cold winter days -D
I keep a fishing journal, but I don't do temp., or anything. just location, maybe an offhand mention of the weather and good flies. mine definitely errs on the side of "journal" rather than "log."
yrs-
Evan!
I need to, probably will start this spring.
I agree that keeping a log is a great idea, but I'd never stick to it--I know my limitations.
Dave cold winter days come to colorado for a duck hunt ill show you cold
sorry my brother left his profile open but the same still goes
My 12 year old son keeps a fishing log. Wonder what it'll look like when he's 57, as I am.
I think it is a great idea, but like seadog said I'd never stick to it.
Yeah, you find old logs, see one VERY detailed entry with like wind direction, speed, air/water temperature for two days, then 100 empty pages.
I think you have a banner day, and you get caught up and forget to write anything down. You get skunked and the last thing you want to do is sit down and detail it in a log.
in 1993 when i was 8 years old i gave my old man a wicked fishing journal that he kept records in for serveral years of our daily fishing on the beaver river untill he started working over sea's. Since then ive been the one keeping records each year, including the time i spent guiding on lake temagami and each season on my home rivers floating and flying for bows and salmon. Its great memories reading through the pages..
mike flewelling
ontario
yes, i use a computer program i got for free from the creator's website
I've honestly never thought of keeping a fishing log. But by what it sounds, its a good time investment to do. Thanks for posting this article, i think i'm gonna start one.
Good luck fishing!
I log every trip...and now with digital photography I can catalog every fish, what time, date, and what fly they were caught on. I certainly help to know when to head up to your favorite hole...and when to stay home.
I keep a little flip note pad in the boat and then download the fish finder to my computer and keep it that way.
Post a Comment
Joe,
I'm in the same boat--so to speak. I actually start a log every year...and taper off after a few months. No doubt a log can help you catch more fish. And I kinda like reading the old entries on cold winter days -D
I need to, probably will start this spring.
I kept a detailed log in the early 90's. I picked it up at the local Orvis shop. I had all the normal stuff plus plants blooming, cloud cover and so forth. I stopped keeping a log when I started coaching baseball and my fishing days dwindled to a mere fraction of the glory days. Now after 16 years I'm no longer coaching. Maybe I'll start that log back up.
I do go back to it time and time again. Just to refresh my memory of trips, fish caught and old fishing partners that are no longer with us.
I keep a fishing journal, but I don't do temp., or anything. just location, maybe an offhand mention of the weather and good flies. mine definitely errs on the side of "journal" rather than "log."
yrs-
Evan!
I agree that keeping a log is a great idea, but I'd never stick to it--I know my limitations.
Dave cold winter days come to colorado for a duck hunt ill show you cold
sorry my brother left his profile open but the same still goes
My 12 year old son keeps a fishing log. Wonder what it'll look like when he's 57, as I am.
I think it is a great idea, but like seadog said I'd never stick to it.
Yeah, you find old logs, see one VERY detailed entry with like wind direction, speed, air/water temperature for two days, then 100 empty pages.
I think you have a banner day, and you get caught up and forget to write anything down. You get skunked and the last thing you want to do is sit down and detail it in a log.
in 1993 when i was 8 years old i gave my old man a wicked fishing journal that he kept records in for serveral years of our daily fishing on the beaver river untill he started working over sea's. Since then ive been the one keeping records each year, including the time i spent guiding on lake temagami and each season on my home rivers floating and flying for bows and salmon. Its great memories reading through the pages..
mike flewelling
ontario
I log every trip...and now with digital photography I can catalog every fish, what time, date, and what fly they were caught on. I certainly help to know when to head up to your favorite hole...and when to stay home.
yes, i use a computer program i got for free from the creator's website
I've honestly never thought of keeping a fishing log. But by what it sounds, its a good time investment to do. Thanks for posting this article, i think i'm gonna start one.
Good luck fishing!
I keep a little flip note pad in the boat and then download the fish finder to my computer and keep it that way.
Post a Comment