Fly Fishing log?

[wildtrout2]

I'm curious how many others keep a fly fishing log of some sort? I only started doing this about 20 years ago, I've been trout fishing for 40. It's always been nice to go back and compare results, to see certain commonalities with weather/stream conditions. I just use this pretty basic information sheet that I fill out when I get back from each outing.
It's nice because it refreshes my memory about certain trips that I might have forgotten the details of, or forgotten about entirely. When I'm too old to continue fishing, I'll have my records to be able to reminisce.

 

[rrt]

Since 1968. It is nice to reminisce by reading thru some entries, but I find some trout I remember as being big ones shrink by a couple of inches in the journal.

Mine shows an improvement in trout populations since many streams were designated wild trout streams and because a majority of season-long anglers now practice catch-and-release fishing. But, it also shows that overcrowding of streams has increased, making the fishing experience less enjoyable on these overcrowded waters.

 

[Nymph-wristed]

I have been keeping a blog since 2015. It is both nice and sometimes depressing to check a given month and see how things were at that time. It is also a great way to perfect better stream selection and learn timing of hatches on a given stream. Since it is public, however, there are a lot of unnamed streams, so I may get too old to recognize them some day!

 

[JeffP]

I should! It really bugs me that I haven't! Still plenty of memories upstairs but definitely getting foggier!

 

[krayfish2]

Kept one for about 10 years when I started... it's still around somewhere.

I've changed to keeping photos of bugs, fish and fishing buddies on the computer. Master folder for fishing, sub folders for the specific waters, folder inside that with photos named by the date. Occasionally, a crappy weather stretch in the winter will find me poking around in there every now and then.

 

[JimNovo]

Having only started fly fishing 3 years ago, I began my journal at the beginning of 2021. I even print and tape in worthwhile fish pics. Maybe in a few years I’ll have enough data for some type of analysis of patterns or trends….or just a bunch of good memories and fish photos.

 

[tomgamber]

I did that when I was in Idaho. Mostly for the high altitude stuff. Didn't mind fishing rivers from flawed memory but if I was gonna hike my @$$ up to 7, 8, 9000 feet I wanted to remember what worked last time. I found it during the pandemic when we created a library of sorts in the basement for the bazillion books we had in the house. I think I used a small book-like calendar I got with a fishing magazin subscription. If you're younger its a great habit.

 

[poopdeck]

I use to keep notes and take pictures about 35? Years ago. After a few years I realized that I never looked at the notes or the pictures so I stopped and I haven’t since. my Fishing prowesses are better undocumented.

 

[FarmerDave]

The closest thing to a flyfishing log that I keep is an old Shakespeare 9 foot 8 weight bamboo bass rod.;-)

 

[stecal]

I find a log useful. I can refer to notes about what flies worked, stream access, etc. I also leave myself notes about what fly line a certain rod likes & reminders to patch my leaking waders, etc.

 

[Prospector]

I have a very basic trout fishing log that I’ve been recording for 15 years. It’s just date, stream, trout type, number of each type caught. As a kid I kept logs for 4-5 years. Pretty neat to look back to those “good old days” and see that the fishing in many ways is much better now.

I spent far more time on hunting logs. I have 38 years of turkey hunting logs. A note card on every day with time, conditions a full description of the events of the day and times when birds were heard or seen. Similar Grouse hunting log for 20+ seasons. Deer hunting notes started out the same way with full day description but in last 6-7 years have evolved to location and what I saw that day. What is amusing is I’ll occasionally look back at some year in my turkey notes and I’ll have this description of this totally awesome day (a day where I didn’t harvest a bird) and I’ll have no recollection any of it happened. If you get a bird you remember all of those days. It was a lot of work but worth it.

 

[Bamboozle]

I used to, first in a notebook and later with software, but found it a chore and more work than it was worth. Just like photos, I barely ever looked back on it.

BTW - I don't take photos when fishing anymore either...

I will pass along this warning; NEVER, EVER, EVER use proprietary fishing log software/apps because no matter what you want to believe, eventually the genius writing the code in his basement will give up on it and you'll be stuck with software with no support or updates and a database you can't do diddly with.

 

[brain]

this year will be the 24th doing so.
started as way to keep track of trends ,but now do it mainly to have a record of a life time spent fishing, to be enjoyed when i can no longer do so.

 

[Classicriver]

I keep once since I retired and did so off and on over thirty some years of angling. Season to season things change so it is nice to have a reference. The more you put into it, the more you will get out of it as the years go by.

 

[Rainier42]

I keep one so I know where I went on what date and what I caught. Helps me decide if I want to return to a spot

 

[Chaz]

I'm curious how many others keep a fly fishing log of some sort? I only started doing this about 20 years ago, I've been trout fishing for 40. It's always been nice to go back and compare results, to see certain commonalities with weather/stream conditions. I just use this pretty basic information sheet that I fill out when I get back from each outing.
It's nice because it refreshes my memory about certain trips that I might have forgotten the details of, or forgotten about entirely. When I'm too old to continue fishing, I'll have my records to be able to reminisce.

I kept a log for about 3 years but stopped. I wish I kept it up, maybe this year I‘LL start again.

 

[greywolf]

I'm curious how many others keep a fly fishing log of some sort? I only started doing this about 20 years ago, I've been trout fishing for 40. It's always been nice to go back and compare results, to see certain commonalities with weather/stream conditions. I just use this pretty basic information sheet that I fill out when I get back from each outing.
It's nice because it refreshes my memory about certain trips that I might have forgotten the details of, or forgotten about entirely. When I'm too old to continue fishing, I'll have my records to be able to reminisce.

I started doing this around 10 years ago. Helps in remembering the best and worst areas on streams I seldom fish. Also what has worked, and what did not, on previous trips to streams. I have been doing a lot longer for hunting. Amazing what you forget over the years if you do not write it down.

 

[FiveWeight]

Did for decades. Where, when, fish count, flies used, water temp, flow, height, weather, who all I was with, etc. Now I just fish.

 

[trout624]

I write a brief journal for every time I catch a trout. My goal is to catch a trout every month and I find that the journal has helped me stick to that goal for the past 2.5 years. It’s kept me engaged all year on trout fishing. It’s pretty funny, but in slow fishing months I’ll literally be down to the last 30 minutes of daylight to catch my monthly fish.

 

[Troy]

I write a brief journal for every time I catch a trout. My goal is to catch a trout every month and I find that the journal has helped me stick to that goal for the past 2.5 years. It’s kept me engaged all year on trout fishing. It’s pretty funny, but in slow fishing months I’ll literally be down to the last 30 minutes of daylight to catch my monthly fish.

Good to hear someone else got suckered into trying to catch a trout every month. I've been stuck in the trap for 194 months (16 years, 2 months). It was a great idea at the time. Now it's a curse.

Kidding. Kind of. It gets you out fishing. That is the positive aspect of "the streak". The negative impact is sometimes I feel like I'm fishing just for the streak. It takes away from the true enjoyment fishing gives me. I try to catch my monthly trout early in the month so all trips after that are for the fishing. Not the streak.

I just can't stop trying for it though. Too far into it. I think it would bum me out if it would end. It truly is a curse