Just curious...

[Sugarpie]

So I've been wondering how everyone "logs" their fishing trips? What's your system for keeping track of all the details? I thought it would be cool to hear the different ways people keep track. We've tried a lot of "systems" but we can never manage to keep track of each fish no matter what we try! And it sounds like a lot of you are dialed in on how to log it all. So how do you do it?

[Reelax]

Just started using a log book that is a leather bound 2012 calendar. After seeing Recordbreaker and Fishdawg using a log, I wanted to try it. Temps, depths, spoons that work as well as results and weather conditions are all great data to keep track of....

Very interested in what others are doing...

[Fish Tales]

http://onlinefishinglog.com/
try this site Fish Swami it looks like it would be a great site we are just seting up on it ourselfs.

[Reel Delight (Walt)]

I made my own log sheets with plenty of sections for different data in a Microsoft Excel spread sheet. I can record water depths, speed,lure depth, lure color, lure type & size, flashers, downrigger or dipsy and other info. The question is really do we have a secretary aboard that wants to keep recording the data and the answer is usually no. If the fishing is slow, we think we can remember what we did record it later. If fishing is good and we are too busy to remember what and how, then we are usually too busy to take notes.

Plus recording it all starts becoming like work and who wants to mix work with play?

Yes I have the logs but I am not very good about using them!

[Fishdawg]

I've used a log book for many years. My wife has created the pages for listing information and over the years it has morphed into a fairly simple form. One page lists the date, launch site, crew and weather at launch time and leaves most of the body of the page for noting anything special that might happen on the trip. The other page is set up into categories for listing fish. (time, approximate size, species, lure used and location caught). If I wish to list depths, i usually add it in on the location section. The fish page can handle 18 entries (It's a good day if you have to use a 2nd page). Because I've used one for so long I always try to get it out on the dash when we launch and when we are trolling we usually always take the time to log each fish and the info for it. It makes it a lot easier to keep track of the fish caught and makes for interesting reading a year or two down the road. Mine is in a smaller leather looking 3 ring binder/organizer. I also keep my boat registration and insurance card, etc. in clear pastic pockets in it.

[Sugarpie]

That's exactly what I'm saying Walt. There are so many cool ways to keep track of everything, but after a while of saying how far down was that? or What lure was that on? How many feet back? etc it gets old. It does seem like work. My hope was that someone had a system that was so simple it was like magic... Probably not though... So now I look at my text messages and it usually gives me an idea of when a fish was caught if it's a good one because we all know if we get anything worth bragging about we're sending out pics as soon as that fish is back in the water So that's not to even mention all of the other information that we send with texts. Usually you can get a good chunk of the important info from them as well, lure, depth, temp, speed. Then I have my phone set up to geotag my photos onto a map (pretty standard really) so I can see exactly where we caught it (or at least where we snapped the picture). Now with the addition of our new iPad and Navionics we can see exactly where we trolled for that trip, and we can just tap the screen to set a "marker" if we want to mark a bait pod, or where we caught a fish, etc. You can put a note with the marker and sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. Just depends on what's going on. I've only recently started "putting it all together" and really it's only ever in the form of a post on here. So although it SOUNDS like a lot of work, really it's not because we use those "tools" all the time. It's pretty funny though when you're writing your post and you are looking between the phone, the ipad, to iPhoto, back to the post... I think what it boils down to is we are a funny species... Maybe the fish are keeping logs a well... "Well today we were swimming south into Westport and this convoy of boats were going over us all day. We managed to spit three lures, get tossed back in twice, Sammy is gone... RIP But boy oh boy if you could have seen the look on their faces when Silvia jumped up out of the water and shook her tail and dove back into the water after spitting that hook you'd know.. It was priceless!"
Ya just never know! lol

[Black Ghost (Ken)]

The ultimate log would be GPS tracking with way points for fish with species, wt, length, etc.

I don't think it exists - yet.

[Sugarpie]

Ken there is actually an app for that on the iPhone called after the catch. I'm sure there are others too. I have the app and it's pretty easy to use but... I still have trouble getting it all logged. But I guess some is better then none...

[Reel Delight (Walt)]

The fishing log is something like my Swann Freestyle HD Camera (similar to Go Pro) because we never think about them until its to late.

Last week I was out fishing with my lovely wife and after 2 hours of washing lures I changed locations and made some depth changes. I did something right because I was just set up again for a few minutes and the action was on. After a fast hectic double and boating two beautiful silvers, it was some hi-5s and talk of how much fun we just had. Then my wife said where is your camera? The Freestyle was still in my boat bag in the cabin. I never took the time to set the camera up in position. It would have been a great video if I remembered to have it set up and ready to go... then I just push the remote record button and hopefully a fun video. I also didn't do the log book neither.

It just seems sometimes that we have too many charts, records, electronics and special tools to catch a fish." A bad day of fishing is still better than a good day at work" but prefer to keep my fishing fun and not like a job.

[Heijac]

I have a logbook, somewhere....................

[WildFisherWoman]

I work in research. the last thing I want to do on my weekends is log more data! So I don't. LOL

Anyone want to share their log book data?

[Crazy Ivan]

I don't use a log book anymore. Everything changes so much from day to day and year to year.that I just go with the basics then figure it out from that point.
Todd

[Sugarpie]

Ok so how does everyone keep track of how many fish you catch? I can't even remeber to put a check mark after a fish! Lol

[fishhuntadventure]

I LIKE the idea of a log book as I remember a situation or a particular catch on a particular weather day and never remember the lure, water temp, speed, depth, downrigger or diver; whatever.

There was a thread last year or maybe 2010 where I got some ideas and then never implemented them. Never got to it. And then I haven't fished much last year or this.

What I have concluded (and I still have not done it!) is that I need a waterproof greased pencil on a string and a piece of scrap white shower/bath panel that I have. Draw the columns and basic data from my spreadsheet on it and that might take the inconvenience enough away so that I actually write on it. Just copy off the data later when back in the garage or whatever. Life is way too busy for me to remember spoon colors and everything and sometimes I wish I could.

Let everyone know what you guys come up with. I am quite interested in this pursuit.

[fishhuntadventure]

...oh, and I usually don't catch enough fish that keeping track of how many really matters