Keeping a fishing log

[Dan Thiem]

Does anybody keep a record of when they fished, where they fished, and what they used for bait,etc..

I would like to know if anyone knows where I can get a liitle book that has all the headings in it. Then all I have to do is fill in the blanks. Maybe one that pictures could be added to

It would be neat if I could give one to a younger person to start. Then when he gets older he can look back through the years and remember and also learn from past experiences

[setterguy]

I keep one for hunting and fishing, it has really helped me pattern fish and game. I got mine from Sportsmans Wharehouse, its not fancy, but has done the trick for me. I think it was like 6 bucks or close to it. They had them hanging on a rack back by the gun department.

[Seeker of Clayface]

I keep a fishing journal that my wife made for me several years ago (she worked at a printer/publication company at the time). But really a note book would do just fine. I did see a "book like" fishing log/journal for sale at one of the major big box booksellers a couple of years ago.

[Dan Thiem]

I also think a note book would work just fine, but I would like something a little nicer to give as a gift.

Something that has all the key elements already in it. Like weather,depth,tackle,who went with,what was caught. You know something detailed but simple.

[CRAPPIEBAIT]

I have also seen the books at stores but,I prefer a notebook.Just because it gives me more room to make notes about a certain location or whatever.It's all nice and neat (other that the coffee stain).

[Ed Carlson]

I set categories on my Microsoft Works Calender on my PC and keep a log that way. A quick yada-yada about who,what,when,where, and why and it's a done deal.

I can look back for trends that way from year to year and even remind myself about past trends that I may want to check out.

[Mark Christianson]

I just use Microsoft Word.

I used to have a couple 3 ring binders that were filled up, and I finally gave up on hand writing in them. I started using the computer this year, and its MUCH better.

If I forget something, I can go back and insert it easily. Before I had notes scratched all over the pages as I recalled specifics after I was done writing.

Ed

I like your idea......

Dan

If your looking for a gift idea, go to google, and type in sport log books. In the search results, you will find a few things. I found one that looks very nice for a gift type thing.

[Granny]

I use a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet for my log and it works great. I started keeping a log last year and its pretty cool. With Excel you can quickly add up how many hours fished or do sorts to find out what species you fished the most (in case you didn't already know).

Good luck,

Granny

[merc]

I have been keeping a log for 32 years now using note books. It's really neat to look back and see how the fishing has changed on lakes. Also I don't think there is one day in there that when I look at it I still remember it well. It doesn't help me for fishing that much but it is still fun to try and figure patterns out on lakes and just for the memories.

[Rick]

The LakeMaster and ProMap series maps also have a log feature in them. Not only can you store all the info you talk about above, but you can store that info right on the spot(s) you were fishing.

http://Minnesota-lake-maps.com

[Tofishem]

Have logged everyday fishing since 1997!

Bruce

[Fergus Mor McErc]

I've kept a hunting journal of every day I've hunted since 1967 (I was 8 when I took over writing in my dad's journal, some of the first entries are in crayon). I've tried numerous times to do the same for my fishing but for some reason I don't ever seem to be as serious about the fishing log as I am with my hunting log.

In my hunting journal, I just make copies of the original log sheet my father started in the 50's, when I need new ones. For fishing, I've tried to replicate it using a word processing program with a fair degree of success but as I mentioned before...I seem to have great difficulty being consistant with my fishing entries. Sporting logs are not only good for culling info, they can also help to bring back forgotten events and stunts pulled by hunting and fishing partners. If my father had started me on a fishing log as well as the hunting log perhaps I'd be good about keeping both. Maybe the lesson here is to start your kids early so it just becomes one of the many parts of their experience. The fishing log is something I started much later in life so it's not as ingrained in me as the hunting log.

[Cheers]

I use a computor program called sportsmans logbook works good. It loggs fishing and hunting and target as well as moon and weather info size weight and much moore. Use google and search for sportsman logbook

[M.T. Bucket]

Try searching for "fishing journal" at the Amazon site, I got 172 results (most are geared to fly fishing, but probably doesn't matter). Some of the ones available that looked pretty decent are:

Go Fish: Fishing Journal by James Prosek

Fishing Journal: Angling Legacy by Frank Amato (this one looks good)

Freshwater Fishing Journal

Fishing Journal by Mark Koenig and Paul Peterson

The prices are pretty good too.

[The Grebe]

I have a hard time keeping my checkbook up to date, dang cash card purchases! I would'nt be very accurate keeping a fishing log, to many things to take into acount.

But I did keep journals on my trapping for about 17 years, rough as they are. Never really helped me much to take fur, just kind of a log of events for future reading.

[federline]

Dan,

There's a company called Journals Unlimited that makes exactly what you want. www dot journalsunlimited dot com

Look under Full Size and Mini Size, they have blow ups of the fill-in-the-blank pages.

Great gift, and to use yourself. I personally use the mini size Fisherman's Journal for $5. I keep it in the pickup, it fits just about anywhere, and has hard covers to help preserve the pages inside.

I picked mine up in a shop on the ground floor in the St. James Hotel in Red Wing. Can't remember the name.

-Jim