Found an old fishing log from 1990 with about 6 entrys in it. The whole thing is mainly blank. I can tell by my old entrys that I have learned a thing or two since then. For 2002 I resolve to start keeping a better fishing log. I do jot a few notes in the boat log but thats not quite good enough. My question is who keeps a log and how detailed do you get? Has anyone seen any fishing log software available? Has anyone gone as far as a personal fishing database using MS Access? ...(are the rivers blown or what?) I am interested in getting more organized. It would seem handy to have your search function by species, date, river etc. The main idea is to get a system down that is useful, easy to implement and make filling it out a habit.

[ 12-17-2001: Message edited by: Fish Hunter ]

I photo copied a bunch of detailed log sheets, 3-hole punched them, and put them in a cool little pocked organizer. I only record the unusual fish in it, the ones that mental notes will not justify.

Well since you asked my friend and I have built a sort of E-logbook/Archive that is made up of web pages for personal use and for family and friends to drool over LOL. Everything is by fish species, and date. We made the site just so we could start to see patterns in fish behavior and exactally what they were hitting on and when and pictures of the fish we caught to go along with it. It's not really a public site although some links to it do exsist. It's a little over a year old and has come in handy especially when trying to figure out where and what the Mackinaw or Steelhead are biting on. It's nice to look back and pick a lure or setup combo that you know worked at a paticular time. And to just look at the pictures and remember the day. An idea for ya if your thinkin of ideas for a log book. Check it out if you would like [url=Http://hometown.aol.com/flyfishnfreak][url=Http://hometown.aol.com/flyfishnfreak][url=Http://hometown.aol.com/flyfishnfreak]Http://hometown.aol.com/flyfishnfreak[/url][/url][/url]

I keep a fishing logbook. I include info on water levels, temp, date, fish I saw, ect. It helps me remember when the fish (usually steelies) were present in a certain stretch of river and when they weren't. This year, I'm going back to my 98-99 log to see what high water holes fished well. One of the most important and valuable things in my logs are the milage markers for different steelhead lies along river access roads. I can find lots of good spots before first light on rivers I haven't fished in years. My current logbook is a hardback with lined paper about 6" x 9" I found at Fred Meyer. It has a nice watercolor of three trout on the front.

I've been informally keeping notes for years, but this past year started logging things in an excel spreadsheet. I record the obvious...river level, clarity, weather, terminal tackle, hole, etc. Since I have a lot to learn, I keep notes on things I learn from other anglers and observations from the day. Excel works well for me as I can sort, filter and search by almost any variable I want.

i personally don't keep one but if i did i would log every fish caught and on what or what you had the hits on, what others were catching them on, the date and the exact location, also the river conditions.
ex.
1.09-18-01
2.10lb silver
3.6" float 6' leader pink 1/4 once jig tipped with shrimp. had 2 hits fishing a #4 black vibrax. some guy caught a jack on a small pink corkie and eggs drift fishing.
4.under the bridge below the hatchery on the whatever river at the bend casting tword the rocks
5.clear water about 10' down on the sand bar from the bushes
tyler

I started a log last year in the beginning of winter run season. I write what hole I fish, what dirft I do, water conditions, CFS, how many fish i saw. ect... I find that it will be very helpful to remember when the run starts and ends and what luck I had. Esspecially to remember all the steelies I have caught.

I keep one in my head.......there are a few blanks though. What happened? :p :p

I created a fill in the blanks form in word. I take a few mintutes on the computer after I get back from a trip. I always record date, temp, weather conditions, visability, river height, river flow, river temp, what I did and didn't catch fish on, where I caught fish, where I saw others catch fish and how they were fishing, and to top it off I always print a copy of the USGS river gauge readings with a graph. I 3 hole punch the these pages and keep them in a binder.

It sounds like a lot of work, but it really only takes a few minutes. Since I started this log I have definately noticed some trends. I try to review my log in the morning before I go out to the river. After reviewing the info and looking at the USGS gauge I usually have a good idea of where and how I want to fish before I even get to the river.

Hope this helps...

I have kept a log book off and on for a few years now, I use to do it religously for hunting, but haven't kept that one up to well in recent years.
If I would not have written all the stuff down I would have lost alot of because of various snow storms, electrical outages and dog attacks through the years. I find it very useful in trying to figure out were to fish when things are questionable.
Peace Superfly

STS make a fishing journal that I've been using for several years now. I record all sorts of information that I find helpful from time to time. Over time I can see patterns develop such as the timing of runs and how far up river fish will be after a freshet. I also put in details of friends that fish local rivers and the results they have. If nothing else, it make good reading when the rivers are blown like they are now.

Mark

I've kept a log since I started fishing. It's simple, just jot down the date where you were, your tactic, the fish you caught, river levels, clarity, etc.
Keith

Fishing Log

Found this program, I haven't bought it yet. I did just as Keith did. I kept mine on the computer, didn't back it up and I don't have anything now.

Fishhead5

As a professional software developer and avid fisherman I can add some comments here. I started my logging years ago in a little pocket notebook that still resides in my tackle box. I also wrote my own software and added the ability to link photos and do searches, stuff you were asking about. It’s fun to do, but there are some pretty good commercially available packages for less than 50 bucks that do that and a lot more.

Fishing Log software comes in different flavors, depending on where the author of the software resides and the kind of fishing they do. Some logs are oriented to lakes, others to rivers & streams or offshore fishing. Many packages have a shareware version or a time limited demo you can download. You’ll want to try these packages out and see if they meet your needs.

Most of them offer some type of lunar phase calendar, a trip log, and tons of other features that vary by product. They all add up to more time spent on the ‘putor and less time on the water, but when we get weather like we’ve had for the last month, well, I can relate.

Here are some links for commercially available software that I have found in my travels around the net to give you an idea about what’s out there. If you do a net search on “fishing log software” you’ll find many more. These are not listed in any preference or order…

http://www.riverware.net/

http://www.terrafin.com/fbmain.htm

http://www.gbpro.com/

http://www.vendel.se/fg.html

http://www.vmtsoft.com//sportmz.htm

http://home.flash.net/~tvandy/frame.htm

http://www.taysys.com/thpsuite.htm

http://www.walleyecentral.com/fishnet/index.htm

http://showcase.netins.net/web/gproducts/fishtrak.html


Hope this helps.

I've tried on and off for a few years. I just can't stay motivated to do it. The closest I come is to print out the USGS flow chart from the day I fish and make a few notes on it. This has really helped me learn by water level when to fish a stream and when to stay home.

I kept a log in the past for rivers, salmon, etc. Now my web site is my log. I've got archives back 4 years. It was really helpful to refresh my memory (which seems to fail me more often ) for the sockeye and silver fishing on lake Washington.
I also briefly printed out the water flow charts - very useful info. I don't get out steelheading as much anymore so I don't keep as good records. One good reason to post fishing reports is it gives you an online journal of yourself and other anglers on particular bodies of water.

Fish Hunter,
I keep quite an extensive log on every fish caught during a trip. It goes back quite a ways and has been reviewed by some state officials to actually support a future "Test Fishery" rather than "Test Netting" to determin a run-size.
If you or anyone else is interested in a fishing log from a guides point of view, drop me an e-mail and I'll send you the fishing log form that I use along with a legend for abreviations to use.
All Ya need to do is run off copies of it and Yer good to go.
I've been working for a couple of years now compiling data and entering it all into the computer, and when Ya start doing the math and run statistics on some of the techniques and tackle you use, you may be very suprised on what you find.

Damn this board is great for this kind of thing. Now can everyone just send me a copy of their fishing logs? All kidding aside thanks for all the replys. Lots of useful info.
If you have an example you would like to share with me email me at rnjdaly@crpud.net I would love to check it out.

Palm Pilots,
(And you dont use these with knee pads or Emus!)
Log em on the water and sync em to your home pc.
Word, Excel or outlook. That way theres 2 data bases that are both up to date within a couple days.

Bob D

Palm Pilots are the ticket. Got one issued to me last year. I keep track of what type fish, how much it weighed, where caught, what gear I was using and weather conditions. I also keep a boat log which is great for oil changes and othe maint. As said in some of the other replies you can download all the information from the Palm to your PC and have copies kept two places...Works well for me...Hopefully I'll make an entry tomorrow on the banks of the Elochomen with that nice fat stealy.
Fish-On