Musky Chart Categories?

[trimbelle22]

I have been fishing muskies for three years and am hoping that the excel spreadsheet charts that I keep will start to pay some dividends. Currently I chart the obvious (lake, location, time, bait, weather, water temp) and I have recently added moon phase to the chart. What categories do you include on your musky log/chart?

[scsavre]

Sounds like you have everything. I make sure that i jot down the specifics of the weather. Wind speed and direction, and clouds, sunny etc. Besides weather and time, the others are just details for me. 3 years should definitely give you enough info and experience to use next year.

[Nick Kuhn]

On weather I would note the relative stability of the weather up to that date. There's a big difference between 75 and partly cloudy after it's been around 90 the past 5 days than when the past 5 days have also been 75 and partly cloudy.

You could also note water color/clarity as it can vary throughout a lake and throughout the year. Rice Lake comes to mind as the main basin can be pea soup and the southern part will be nice and clear.

[cjac]

Good points above, also look at weather in the HOUR/HOURS prior and after the catch, that can be just as indicative of what triggered the fish to go. Pre and post weather changes in the shape of fronts or wind or temp can be very telling...

[DHanson]

Pay attention to the depth of water you are seeing the fish. Also pay close attention to baitfish on your sonar and what they are doing at certain times of day. good luck

[propster]

follows, location, and general activity level of the follows

[MUSKY18]

Under the bait category......I will mark down how I was working the bait and what depth. Fast/burning or slow rolling a bait. WOrking a Suick really slow and dead or quick and eratic........