The Scientific Angler

[reelcharacter]

Back in the mid 70's as a kid, I kept track of all the fish I caught each day, the size and where they were caught. Every now and then I stumble across these two little pocket spiral notebooks. It amazes me today the size and numbers of fish I caught back then, each page a short trip back down memory lane.

The time taken to jot down some daily scribbles, cost nothing. Turning back time with each turn of the page, the memories of the sun on your back and the thrill of the catch, priceless.

I hereby resolve to keep a fishing diary this year.

-Reelcharacter

[Fish Stick]

I started keeping a log when ice fishing this year. It only takes a few minutes to update it after every trip. I wonder if my kids will read it someday and smile?

[rgfixit]

My diary is as intact as my memory....guess I better start writing things down before the indescretions of youth have their way with my remaining brain cells. 
RG

[devil-man]

Just this past winter I got a digital camera and a GPS- a Magellan SporTrak Topo, it's incredible, once you figure it out. I also bought an inexpensive water thermometer that actually tells you the temp at different depths. I'm thinkin' this is the year to start being scientific!
All this talk of fishing logs got me thinking. It would be so easy to do an Excel spreadsheet for this purpose and I'm going to make one tonight after work. It should make the task of entering data quite painless.

RG- I hear ya, man. I can't remember what I had for dinner last night...

[eyedoktr]

Devil-man, you're a step ahead of me........I don't remember if I even ate dinner last night   

[can_of_worms]

Keeping data from past years can be very educational to the youth in your lives. Kids love to hear about the old days, better yet to uncover some of gramps's old notes as to how he used to fish is priceless to children. I am not a youth , by age anyways, non the less I still enjoy reading anything that someone else took the time to record. When we moved into our home, we found a folder in the attic that was all records of fish that were stocked and caught from the pond on our property. It also included deer and turkey harvest info. It all was very interresting, very well documented also. The property  used to be an old game preserve for a few guys that are now passed on or very old. How times have changed, I am willing to bet that there are many people my age that don't understand how lucky we are to have such beauty all around us all the time. Very few will take the time to record their enjoyment of their time here, so I think you all that are doing just that, are truly a form of education for the future sportsman youth.

[reelcharacter]

Have really enjoyed all of the comments guys. While reading, the following random thoughts occurred to me, so on random access . . .

While you may not remember the last meal you ate, bet you remember more fish, the days, times and what you caught them on than you are willing to admit.

The memories relived, both when filling out the log and later on while reading it, are far more valuable than the time taken with pen and pad.

Each time your fish story is told, the fish will grow a little in length, however the log book does not lie.   

-Reelcharacter

[devil-man]

Ah, that's where my idea comes in!
You can always change a spreadsheet to match the growing story.