I have some serious confusion.

On another post, someone mentioned their catch % on a CB, based on his fishing log. Then multiple others began to crack jokes and insult the OP. . .

I'm not sure what everyone had such a big issue with?

Why is it so hard to believe that some of us track every fish? I was fishing with Marc Mitchell a few months ago and he told me he's been keeping a log for over 15 years. He also told me about the innumerous ways it has helped him boat more fish.

I've only been keeping a log for a little over 3 years. But the info from the last 2 years has paid off 10 fold this year.

Want an example?

Before March 17th, my biggest bass to date was 6lb 9oz. Now I have caught 3 over 8, including my PB, 8lb 12oz. 2 of those 3 over 8 were caught on days when I had already decided I wasn't going to fish. But, according to my log, about 65% of the fish I catch that are over 5.5lbs come on days when it is windy (20mph+) and cloudy to partially cloudy. So early on March 17th, with it drizzling and the wind blowing 30mph, I grabbed my stuff and headed to the fishing spot. I caught 1 fish, my PB, on my 3rd cast.

Had my fishing log not convinced me to go fishing that morning, I never catch that fish. Maybe I do somewhere down the line if I'm lucky, but you get the picture.

I guess what I'm trying to tell everyone is don't knock it just because you don't understand it. Keeping a log may be a foreign concept to some, but for those of us who do keep one, it's 2nd nature.

. . .and if you apply it correctly it makes you a better fisherman, plain and simple.

very interesting indeed and does help you and lets you know what days produce the best bite...
interesting to see mark post how many 7,8,9,lbers etc.... he's caught over the yrs, may take a while but would be worth the wait...

Keeping a log may seem like a little and unnecessary time consuming chore. But I tell you right now you are on target and it is those extra efforts that will put those big fish in the boat.

I fish for fun, keeping a "pitch counter" in my pocket so I can click it every time I boat a fish and put it into an excel spreadsheet just isn't for me. I see the benefits, but it seems time consuming. I fish when I have the days off, and work when I have to work.

Nobody is questioning the importance of it or mocking your methods. Whatever works for you and makes you feel productive, that's all up to you! The mocking and joke cracking entered the conversation when insanely exact percentages were then posted on the forum for all to see. It was just funny. Again, not mocking or belittling. Some of us just found it humorous, that's all. It still is funny, if I'm being honest.

Rick Clunn keeps a fishing log... I am too lazy to do one but think its very smart to do a log.

I say to each his own! ... i know i spend hours and days at work in front of my laptop and spreadsheets and emails in my office or out in the field and on the road... when i go to the lake i leave all that at home take a good breath of morning air and put a dip of snuff in and get after it... every fish i catch and every minute on the water i feel i get better at it and learn something every time i go out.. but i don't write it down i remember it and it turns into second nature ... i can miss a fish or catch a fish or see a certain spot and set down what I'm throwing and grab another rod with something else tied on and throw it in that spot...and catch that fish... for me thats not on paper its my own knowledge that is now natural from my own experience on the water... but if you need paper and a pen and spreadsheets more power to ya... what ever makes it fun and enjoyable to you...

I use Fish-N-Log Pro to track my trips. I don't track and upload every single fish, but more so the weather, lake conditions, how the bite was and where I fished. As a tournament fisherman, it's nice to reference back to previous trips from years past as a starting point before I begin pre-fishing.

I pretty well agree and I also can usually recall fairly decent the numbers and conditions. I also find I fish better by keeping an open mind on the water instead of fishing the past a lot.

I have been bass fishing since the 70s and never kept a log until January of this year. Getting old means that when you think you caught that big one up that creek when the water was 66 degrees in late January but really caught it late March and the location was a little off. I'm trying this year to keep one for each trip however I just read this and remembered I haven't logged the last 3 trips. Makes for good reading when you fish until dark, come in and have a few cold ones and then log it in. Maybe I can publish it later.

I need to get on board with this.

I keep a log not to keep track of every single fish. I dont even take a scale or rule with me to measure.I use it more for something I can look back on in and see what worked for what time of year, lake condition, weather condition, water depth etc. I like the idea of being able to look back the next year and see what I did and tweek my strategy to get better.

I keep a log on my iPhone on the notes from each lake for each year. I keep up with weather conditions, water temp., etc. What I caught them on, the depth, etc. I go back and look for similar conditions that are taking place on the lake to reference my catches for new strategies. I take into account what people have told me, especially if I didn't do very good.