BassParade: Science

Science: Fishing Logs

When I first started fishing halfway seriously, even before I “became” a bass angler, I started keeping a fishing log or diary. I recorded the usual stuff like the weather that day, what I caught and on what, baits used and sizes of any notable catches, even moon phase.

When computers came along, companies started making electronic fishing log books. At first they were simple, but as the technology increased, they too developed into something a bit more sophisticated, becoming more like mini databases that were searchable for various criteria.

I’m still not completely certain of the value of these record-keeping exercises after all these years, although tools like Jay’s Bass Gold is certainly a neat deal with it’s graph-making abilities and such. I think you could ascertain patterns easier, sort through years and years of records faster, as well as documenting things like specific lineups on critical spots and such with enough detailed note taking, though GPS has eliminated a lot of that type thing. I stopped my main logging many, many years ago, but recently came across an article on H. Reid Jones, now 77 years old, that brought back memories of all that note taking. He’s been tracking his catches for the past 37 years, and has amassed a total of 110, 071 bass during that time.

I think what I found most interesting from the article is the simplicity of detail that goes into his records. The mere numbers and stats that can be gleaned from them are more intriguing to me than some overly detailed trip record. For instance, from his log book:

  • 110,071 largemouth bass
  • 6,694 days fishing
  • 1,979 over five pounds
  • 109 over eight pounds
  • 24 over nine pounds
  • 11 over 10 pounds
  • 2 over 11 pounds

Start tearing apart the numbers and you find that bass over 5 pounds account for less than 2% of all the bass he’s landed, showing you just how rare a true 5 pound bass can be in some areas of the country, despite when large numbers of bass are there to be caught.

He averaged one 8 pound bass about every 61 fishing trips, while a 10 pound bass came about only once every 608 trips, meaning it was about 20 times more difficult (or took 20 times the effort and time) to catch an 8 pound bass compared to a 5 pound bass, and 10x tougher still to catch a 10 pound bass versus an 8 pound specimen. That makes a 10 pounder about 200 times more difficult than a 5 pounder.

Anyway, it’s always fun to play with the numbers when I come across these type records. Who’s tracking, what format, and of what benefit do you feel you have gained from your own record keeping? Anybody feel it’s a waste of time?

7 Comments

7 Comments

  1. Chad Keogh

    May 7, 2012 at 8:02 am

    It’s not a waste of time, but I don’t keep a log since I can remember the relevant conditions and techniques that have worked or failed for me on the different waterbodies I fish on. I’m sure that not everyone has a photographic memory, so the majority of anglers could benefit from keeping a log.

  2. Jeff Hahn

    May 7, 2012 at 9:35 am

    I have kept a fishing log on every trip I have taken, beginning in 1982. I record all of the usual information in a desk planner. I have made copies of the maps of all the local lakes that I regularly fish. For each lake, I have a map for spring (March, April, May), summer (June, July, August), and fall (September, October, November). I color code each month in either red, blue, or green ink and have marked on each map every keeper I have caught or have seen caught. I also note any fish over 4 pounds (I live in Ohio, after all!) So, if I have a tournament on Lake X in June, I can go to my summer map for that lake and look for the keepers that are coded in blue ink. This system is not fool proof, due to changes in weather and water levels, but it gives me places to start looking on practice days.

  3. Jared Burgess

    May 7, 2012 at 10:50 am

    Anyone have a program that they use and would suggest using to keep fishing log records? I’ve been using IdealLog’s Fishing log program and it is not very user friendly and I believe they went out of business

  4. YankeeBasser

    May 7, 2012 at 1:00 pm

    I think that they are extremely useful. For years I kept extremely detailed records for each fish caught in notebooks. I had some experience in a couple of different computer programming languages, but when Microsoft released Access 97 I was able to start creating some pretty good fishing related databases That I have improved upon over the years. I currently have a fishing log, a personal tournament log, and a fishing equipment inventory application, and a fishing magazine article database. In the fishing log and tournament logs I can enter up to 12 criteria to search, and the results give me the top three patterns for a particular body of water under the conditions at hand. Saves me a lot of time.
    I am planning on creating one based on the tournament results printed in major publications and the internet, which should help give some ideas of where to start looking on a body of water that I have never fished before. That’s my two cents worth.

  5. Bass Pundit

    May 7, 2012 at 5:22 pm

    I started using Fish Swami Online Fishing Log last year. Since 2004 I have blogged many of my outings. Before that I kept logs off and on. To be honest I have not used them to gain much information. Just interesting to look back and see what I caught.

  6. paul zuest

    May 7, 2012 at 7:57 pm

    no. just want to stay old school and keep it fun.

  7. Jared Burgess

    May 9, 2012 at 10:43 am

    I am looking for a good fishing log program that I can download and keep all records on my media vs uploading my logs to an online source. I want to be responsible for my data.
    Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

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The best, worst and funniest in bassin'! Jay Kumar is the guy who created BassFan.com, co-hosted Loudmouth Bass with Zona, was a B.A.S.S. senior writer and a whole lot more in bassin™. Make sure you sign up for the BassBlaster email!

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