Fishing Diaries

[CarlRak]

Raiders,

The marketing works. Sort of. I think I’ve been subconsciously affected by the catch-cries, by-lines and sales pitches of the manufacturers and distributors in the industry. I’m sure I’m not alone.

“Catch More Fish” says Pure Fishing to me. I gently nod and find myself muttering the phrase under my breath. Then sometimes I wonder what it would take to “Fish Like a Champion”, I’m still only partially convinced that using Starlo & Bushy’s creations is the answer. Maybe I just need a thick moustache. But the one that really got me thinking was Z-Man when he implies that it is “The Science & Art of Fishing” that brings results.

The “Art” can wait. I think it’s like most things, it takes time and skill and an innate comfort and efficiency in specific movement. I don’t think it’s taught or learnt?

The “Science” I’m ready for. One day I’ll “Catch More Fish”, like a “Champion”.

So I need a diary. And I need a bit of help. I’ve started collecting all the variables when I go out fishing but I’m not sure how it’s best organised? How do you more experienced fishos/anglers/artists lay it down. It’d be easy if I always fished the same spot for the same species, but I don’t, and I doubt you do either.

Any recommendations on layout? Most important variables to consider? Other? In order to start seeing patterns and one day catch as many fish as a champion might.

Cheers

Carl

[musty]

Raiders,

The marketing works. Sort of. I think I’ve been subconsciously affected by the catch-cries, by-lines and sales pitches of the manufacturers and distributors in the industry. I’m sure I’m not alone.

“Catch More Fish” says Pure Fishing to me. I gently nod and find myself muttering the phrase under my breath. Then sometimes I wonder what it would take to “Fish Like a Champion”, I’m still only partially convinced that using Starlo & Bushy’s creations is the answer. Maybe I just need a thick moustache. But the one that really got me thinking was Z-Man when he implies that it is “The Science & Art of Fishing” that brings results.

The “Art” can wait. I think it’s like most things, it takes time and skill and an innate comfort and efficiency in specific movement. I don’t think it’s taught or learnt?

The “Science” I’m ready for. One day I’ll “Catch More Fish”, like a “Champion”.

So I need a diary. And I need a bit of help. I’ve started collecting all the variables when I go out fishing but I’m not sure how it’s best organised? How do you more experienced fishos/anglers/artists lay it down. It’d be easy if I always fished the same spot for the same species, but I don’t, and I doubt you do either.

Any recommendations on layout? Most important variables to consider? Other? In order to start seeing patterns and one day catch as many fish as a champion might.

Cheers

Carl

The way you lay it out is this..

You go fishing, and u go fishing, and u go fishing and u go fishing and after years of going fishing u will be experienced enough in a particular species, a variety of species or a particular area or type of water way or any combination of them.

Its that simple.

Along the way you will notice times, tides, techniques, etc, usually not all at once, but in time u will (without even trying) piece it all together and be fishing like a "champion" whatever that is.

So forget the books, forget the arm chair angling, get out and have a go! Its not if but WHEN u improve.

Go get 'em digger!

Musty

[tumra]

mate in my diary i put in the following items:

* Date (Obviously)

* Time i fished

* Bait used

* Berley used

* Tides for the day (high and low)

* Sunrise / Sunset times

* What moon phase we are in

* Water temperature

* what the barometic pressure was for the day and how it changed throughout the day

*what the general weather was for the day and how the weather was for the past few days (i.e. was there any rain in the previous few days etc.)

Then i detail each fishing locations i fished, including any specific structure i was fishing, water depth etc, along with what time i fished these spot I detail what i caught at these spots (including undersized fish.

I try to fish the same river system so that i can keep that variable constant and so that i can learn what variables affect what location.

Although it is hard to get your head aroud all the stats you collect, but in the 3 years of taking data of my fishing i have found that fishing in early morning with low light is the better fishing time. Fishing during the middle of the day is generally poor unless there is heavy cloud cover or a breeze that breaks the water surface. Also i fish the hacking, which is generally very clear, i find that a bit of rain murking up the water fishes better than clear water.

Im slowy getting to see some trends though it takes a lot of effort to learn what variables are most imporant to your area. Keep collecting the data mate and you should start seeing results.

[kurtisjohnthomas]

I did an article on this exact thing on my blog.

[mrsswordfisherman]

Bah blogs are old hat

Why not just post your "article" in here. Fishraider is a massive social network and blog area

Anyone else care to share good apps?

Tumra please do not share that data analysis with us regarding best times to fish - I keep asking why we need to leave to go fishing at 4am if we don't catch the first fish till 9am!!!!!

Seriously it would be interesting to look at the results.

Are there any guys who have been collecting info in a paper diary?

[austral]

just buy a 2011 day to a page calender and fill it in every time you go out......

[Guest twitchie]

Hi I am a new boy on the block been fishing for over 55years .As i have got older i have become wiser i have a theory about fishing the more you go the more you learn the moon i believe controls everything to do with fishing or just about every thing to do with fishing certain fish are better in warmer water for example flathead are more active in spring and autumn yet i find the best bream fishing is in winter .When planning a trip our yearly barra trips to the NT i always look at the moon and tide fazes before booking camp sites.As for believing all those on our TV there jobs are to sell tackle and some companies spend mega dollars to get you to part with yours .I am very lucky to be able to make most of the lures that i fish with .it is a big saving and rewarding I stopped bait fishing about twenty years ago the result is you spend more time fishing and less time actually sitting and waiting to use lures is a confidence thing you need to believe the result is far more fish .I some times go when things (the moon ) is against me to try new product and work hard sometimes the results are good and sometimes they are not .something to remember it pays to have a good memory if not use a diary .

[Richie]

I use Google Earth (the one you download). I make a marker where I went that day and record the details.

[CarlRak]

Musty: Thanks for the inspiration. I was more having a giggle to myself about the marketing lines.

Tumra: Heaps of useful information. Really appreciated. The need to keep a variable or two constant makes complete sense.

Kurt: Thanks for the link, looks like a pretty useful app.

Richie, Twitchie and Austral: Really good suggestions, will incorporate them.

Cheers

Carl

[royts]

I use a spreadsheet. In the past I put too many variables in and found myself not entering data. I still have a lot of variables but they're easier to enter. Each row of my spreadsheet is a fish I caught, or someone with me caught, rather than a day's fishing. I found this way its easier to see how you caught each fish. Some people may find this excessive but I will continue with these variable until I find there's no pattern (it doesn't help that I majored in statistics!!) date, time, target, species caught, waterway/location, method (bait/lure/fly), pattern, retrieve, moon, tide, cloud cover, swell (if applicable), rain, water temp. then a list of weather variables that I copy and paste from the BOMs observation centres. If this doesn't make sense I'll show you a screen shot. For moon I have days since last full moon (this is the way i found of entering it as a numerical data) and with tide its hours since high tide. Overboard, maybe, but I was once a statistics student!

[royts]

I forgot to add. Once I have enough data I'm going to add some kind of search/pivot table function. That way it could be used as a predictive tool too. After all isn't that why we use diaries in the first place?

[Dalucius]

There is a program called Fishing Buddy by Robert Benjamin. It is a fishing diary and looks pretty good.

You can download a demo here fishing buddy

You can record all the info necessary as well as pictures.

If I fished often enough I would definitely use it.

Hope you like it.

[CarlRak]

I forgot to add. Once I have enough data I'm going to add some kind of search/pivot table function. That way it could be used as a predictive tool too. After all isn't that why we use diaries in the first place?

Thats what I thought! When I saw your screenshot I laughed in amazement and admiration. Thanks for sharing.

[CarlRak]

There is a program called Fishing Buddy by Robert Benjamin. It is a fishing diary and looks pretty good.

You can download a demo here fishing buddy

You can record all the info necessary as well as pictures.

If I fished often enough I would definitely use it.

Hope you like it.

Thanks for that. Will check it out.

[Mr Squidy]

One thing that i'd suggest really will help is doing exactly what you say you dont. Choose a single spot and a single species that you know can be found there and fish it regularly for an extended period targeting that specific fish. This allows you to realise the affects of other changes (rigs, baits, methods, weather, etc, etc) much more clearly. I find fishing is a bit like learning languages, once you undestand a couple (languages or fishing techniques) the rest start to make a lot more sense in their structure and how they work and success will come alot quicker. At the moment it sounds like you're trying to learn french one day, german the next and chinese the day after then wondering why its taking so long to figure out.

As for diaries I've worked out a great system that tells me EXACTLY when the best time to fish is. All you do is fill in all the details of everything you've got planned for the week (work/sleep/family) then wherever there is a blank space is without a doubt the best time to fish Seriously though, the number of variables are virtually infinite and there relevance will vary with the species targeted and metods used. The best thing about a diary is just that it forces you into thinking about what you do, why you do it and does it work/make sense. I personnaly dont bother with a writen diary as such but i still spend more time than is healthy considering the factors that afect the success or failure of each and every trip. As long as you do this you will steadily continue to improve as a fisherman.

Rich

PS i am terrible at learning languages

Edited November 17, 2011 by Mr Squidy

[CarlRak]

Rich,

Couldn't agree more. The two or three places I visit on a regular basis (anytime I can exit those work/family/sleep commitments) I'm definately getting a feel for the effects of some variables. I just get excited and decide it's time to try somewhere else or a new species once in a while. Two steps forward, one step back....

Love the thinking aspect to it all, i'm running on a fairly regular cycle of finish work, going fishing for an hour or two pre/post dinner, spending the next day thinking about the last night. Repeat. Repeat. Think the need for a diary is to try and organise the thinking/observation.