Hey guys I’m looking to start keeping a journal of my fishing trips. Prefer it be a app on my phone but doesn’t have to be. I will take a book also. I don’t mind paying if it’s a app. Most of the apps I’ve seen log every individual fish and I don’t want that. What do you guys use?
I started to do this many years ago. It was fun at the start but did not last for long. I was doing mine manually using a paper form I created. It may work a little better with a phone app. Although my main fishing partner will throw my cell phone into the lake if I pull it out while fishing 
Here is a list of the most common phone app’s for tracking fishing Info.
Best thing you will ever do. I write mine I’m old school you need to stick with it for best results. I log every trip summer/winter water temp, outside temp lake name depth, cold front etc. not necessary but I write down every bass or pike caught and lure. I have 12 years worth of logs you will find patterns, Certain lakes when they turn on. One lake in particular after many in the area are hot and winding down this lake like clockwork 4 weeks after is on fire. I have also noticed most of my bass lakes are always the same. I do not target walleye but after staring Ned rigs started catching many more than usual. Another thing for me is you learn what lures tend to work the best and you will see patterns. It takes me 3 years on a new lake to really get to know it research here goes along way don’t go to a lake with few bass and expect to hammer them just common sense.
I go through 450 wacky worms a season. Never caught one fish on a Scatter Rap yet. Anyway don’t give up even after a year you will learn a lot.
Every day or trip usually a couple paragraphs is all that is needed.
Hope this helps.
I just log the essentials into an Excel spreadsheet, wind, pressure, water temp, colors and fish count, etc. Its helped me pinpoint a few good bobber bites that happen like clockwork at 68 deg.
I keep one but it’s more for memories rather than drawing data from it. Old school leather bound book works for me.
Yup simple excel spreadsheet can do it right in your phone and customize how you want.
Everything is logged in my terrible memory storage. I would never be able to do this, nor would I probably ever look at it if I did. Good luck and good idea if your a spreadsheet kind of guy.
Everything is logged in my terrible memory storage. I would never be able to do this, nor would I probably ever look at it if I did. Good luck and good idea if your a spreadsheet kind of guy.
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Anybody willing to show pics for examples of their excel fishing log? I’m not very good with excel. Their is actually a computer software program that does this. It’s 19.99 for a lifetime subscription and you get a 7 day free trial. I may download it and see what it’s all about.
We are developing the exact app you’re asking for as we speak. It will be available for pre-download in the next couple months! There are a variety of professional tournament fishermen and guides involved in its development to ensure it is done correctly. For fishermen, by fishermen is the idea. Catch Journal will do all you’re asking for and so much more. When you make a journal entry it pulls all of the environmental data for you based off of the metadata in whatever picture you log to remember the day. You can make custom notes however you’d like. You can log each fish or no fish, totally up to you. It will develop trends for you, you can filter back through your journals by individual inputs such as water temp, wind direction, any and all you can think of. This has been a two year process thus far and we are excited to release it soon.
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We are developing the exact app you’re asking for as we speak. It will be available for pre-download in the next couple months! There are a variety of professional tournament fishermen and guides involved in its development to ensure it is done correctly. For fishermen, by fishermen is the idea. Catch Journal will do all you’re asking for and so much more. When you make a journal entry it pulls all of the environmental data for you based off of the metadata in whatever picture you log to remember the day. You can make custom notes however you’d like. You can log each fish or no fish, totally up to you. It will develop trends for you, you can filter back through your journals by individual inputs such as water temp, wind direction, any and all you can think of. This has been a two year process thus far and we are excited to release it soon.
That sounds perfect!
As seasons come and go, I tend to forget all the info gathered in my head, and have to start all over next season. That app would save my info and allow me to continually make it more precise as time goes by. Instead of the opposite.
I’m with Ganderpike – an Excel with all the details each time I go out – including big motor and trolling motor time usage. They make apps. I do it for fun and to look for patterns and to see what I did last time on that or a similar lake in similar situations.
Just part of the enjoyment of fishing for me.
Excel is stupid simple. Will share mine if you want. All the time and hour formulas are all in there ready to go.
That sounds perfect!
As seasons come and go, I tend to forget all the info gathered in my head, and have to start all over next season. That app would save my info and allow me to continually make it more precise as time goes by. Instead of the opposite.
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Thats 100% why this app is being created. We wanted the same thing and nothing is available that does it the way we want! If you’re on Instagram follow @catch_journal. (We will create a Facebook page too, shortly) News and directions to sign up for pre-downloads will be posted there soon! If you have any questions about the app we will respond to direct messages on Instagram and Facebook (once the page is created).
I have used Fish Swami Online Fishing Log to record my catches since 2011. I used to carry a notebook with me and record the catches and other info when I got back. I finally started using their app with my phone last summer. The app automatically keeps track of weather info. I also blog most of my trips with pictures with Google Blogger at Bass Pundit’s Fishing Log Blog. I can’t say that all of that work I have done recording my trips has made me that much better of a fisherman. I primarily do my fishing on a handful of lakes and don’t really study the details to up my game. I am fascinated by specific statistics and have created a treasure trove of memories. I fish so much, everything would run together, and so much would be forgotten otherwise.
I did the old school method for many years in spiral notebooks. Kept in my truck, and tracked by river, inland lakes, and geographical areas. Was awesome to look back and see the patterns that develop. Unfortunately they were stolen out of my truck decades of info gone.
I used to do it, then I realized I never looked at it anyways. Now I just try to use my mind, which is the most probable reason I don’t catch many fish 
For those of us who don’t care to visit Facebook or Instagram can you pout a message here perhaps? This is as close to social media as I like to get
I will be watching Facebook and Instagram for that app to go live. When it does, I will be sure to post here.
I tried doing a paper log a few years ago, but it didn’t last long. Probably because I overdid it, trying to put everything from moon phase, air pressure, wind speed/direction, general weather, water temp lures, depths, etc, etc in it.
Now instead, I always just take pictures of my trips.
If it’s an awesome bite, I’ll take pics of the fish, hot lures, and a pic of some waypoints from that day. All of my trolling rods are labeled, so I’ll even take a pick up the hot rod of the day (5 color leadcore, 300′ copper, etc).
If it’s something out of the ordinary, I’ll chicken scratch something down and take a picture of that as well.
A year later, I can look at the pics, see what I caught, what was the best bait on the best rods and see a picture of waypoints 1,252 and 1,253 for example. From there I can go onto my graph and look up those waypoints and see obviously where it was, but also other things like water temp, time of day, mapped depth, actual depth, etc.
I do my absolute best not to “fish memories,” but year to year there are definitely patterns to follow. It’s pretty rare for me to ever feel like I’m throwing darts blindfolded (unless I’m fishing for fish I don’t normally target, especially on a new body of water)
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