bait & Tackle... the human brain? Fishing diaries

[Jack. 10]

Deliberately posted here, to fire some thoughts re thinking outside the square with bait and tackle.I've heard people refer to their boats as their most expensive piece of fishing tackle ;)But how about the most important? Perhaps the ole noggin :laugh:Well, since we re out there wetting a line, it ought not be too hard to jot down the date and time of captures. As I've found out fairly recently, even this info can really help!even if all you have is a digital photo, you can do the rest at home.Heres an example; I caught a 101cm schoolie on 5 November 2011 @ 10:05 am. (I know this from the info captured by the camera).By hopping on BOM website, I can then see all manner of info relating to that time of day, just prior ti the full moon, dodge tide, 18degree low and 35 degree high temp... Etc, etc.Now I've been keeping a diary for some years anyway, but if I had not say kept the wind direction, and reckon that might be important, I can go back and add this. You get my point yeah? Even if ALL you have is photos, nothin is stopping you making a detailed diary ;)Here's where it gets good, because I have (with my wife's help) just loaded a shite load of data into an excel spreadsheet :silly:Excel then can plot all sorts of graphs to easily visualise patterns that granted you thought may be there, but WOW, it's something like awesome to confirm.. Whats more its easy... Piss easy.WHAT THIS MEANS:This means I can't share what I've concluded its so deliciously tasty that im goin to have to encrypt it :P But seriously man, how many times have we heard from other people that fishin the slack, or fishin this moon or this low pressure change or after a blow, or on a high tide... With yer own information, there is ZERO dispute! Fishing is ALL about confidence, and there's no confidence better than good hard first hand proof... Seeing it with yer own eyes Hope this is of interest to anyone keeping a diary or thinking about it. :)Cheers all (P.s watch me hit a DONUT this weekend

[afishyfish 4]

Thanks fro a great Topic Jack.As you said, it might even inspire those thinking of maybe doing it, or thinking it's too hard to finally get into it

[protactic 0]

My old mate who I attribute my Snapper captures to talks about the Moon being like a big bowl and there are certain times of the Moon phase when the "Bowl" is tipping its contents out :dry: ?He then went on to tell me that there were Snapper in that "Bowl" and they would fall into my boat .I have to admit there was a strong odour coming from the back of the vessel during this lesson but due to the amount of fish "falling" into my boat at the time via my fishing rod I failed to investigate said odour.

[boondocksaints 0]

yup, spot on. i keep everything in my head, but if i did excel spread sheets, i think you would find the patterns fairly easy

[Des 824]

The one thing that is guaranteed to improve your fishing is a log.I took up fishing in 2004 (for stress relief!) and have maintained a log ever since. diligently entering the details of every session.They are now broken up into several logs for different areas.An excel spreadsheet is the easiest way of managing all the data. Always put in a SCORE for your results. Use the ascending/descending sort function to discern for the best fishing conditions. Very soon you will be able to identify the conditions to fish & get close to virtually nailing them on every session where the conditions line up! I still going fishing when the conditions are not all quite right as I like to explore alternative conditions, in the hope of discovering something new. Cheers, DesPS. i will try and load up a very modified excel spreadsheet here to give you an idea of the layout.PPS. It seems I cant load up a live excel file so a screen grab of the layout will have to do PPS. Not sure that can show you all the detail. any suggestions?

[afishyfish 4]

Thanks DesHope the monster Flattys are included on that 1 Maybe Bjorn will be kind enough to see if he can expand that file/pic somehow

[Kingsley 19]

Jack, TrueCrypt encrypt a whole drive if you want, easy peasy.Des, create a Google Drive or DropBox account, upload spreadsheet there and share the link.I don't think I go fishing enough for a log to be of any use but I've always been interested in the idea.

[yorke_angler 0]

your a funny yet cruel man Jack lol :lol:I dont fish for mullys or snapper regularly, but me and my mate have certainly started noticing a pattern with snapper at wallaroo jetty.. they do not like full moons or anything near..we've found less moonlight the more they are inclined to bite, tide heights dont seem to matter that much either.. Although im embarrassed to admit we haven't landed one yet (apart from some undersized), had some awesome runs and break offs though! one nearly pulled my mate over the rails lol, and it wasnt a ray..kingie maybe? who knows, but we're determined to land "whatever" this summer

[Jack. 10]

your a funny yet cruel man Jack lol :lol:I dont fish for mullys or snapper regularly' date=' but me and my mate have certainly started noticing a pattern with snapper at wallaroo jetty.. they do not like full moons or anything near..we've found less moonlight the more they are inclined to bite, tide heights dont seem to matter that much either.. Although im embarrassed to admit we haven't landed one yet (apart from some undersized), had some awesome runs and break offs though! one nearly pulled my mate over the rails lol, and it wasnt a ray..kingie maybe? who knows, but we're determined to land "whatever" this summer [/quote']I really like how protatics mate put it how the moon is like a cup, ;)Like when it's full there's no fish until it slowly pours em out into yer boat/ onto your jetty :)Very cool.... shame it's not exactly that easy lol, but true I think non the less.

[urhookedfish 12]

I love this topic Jack as for the past two years I've been keeping a very detailed spreadsheet of Snapper captures that includes not only my own captures but any reliable capture data that can help show a pattern to their movements and feeding habits. The moon phases are most interesting but also the Snappers ability to be at the same time or within a week or so is Impressive all driven by spawning or following food sources in the gulf. Unfortunately I dont gut to many big fish any more so I'm unable to know with any certainty what they've been eating, but over time I will be able to determine best bait choices.Bottom line is it will make catching big fish that bit easier and consistent.

[Jack. 10]

I love this topic Jack as for the past two years I've been keeping a very detailed spreadsheet of Snapper captures that includes not only my own captures but any reliable capture data that can help show a pattern to their movements and feeding habits. The moon phases are most interesting but also the Snappers ability to be at the same time or within a week or so is Impressive all driven by spawning or following food sources in the gulf. Unfortunately I dont gut to many big fish any more so I'm unable to know with any certainty what they've been eating' date=' but over time I will be able to determine best bait choices.Bottom line is it will make catching big fish that bit easier and consistent. [/quote']Im always confident right, but last Saturday I said to stu "this is opening day for our mully season )Not being a smart arse or anything, after 5months of no mulloway, stu hooked up to a huge run 30mins later than we expected!!!! 10mins later one was landed! Incredible, the tide stage, moon, water temp, date and weather had us certain.... And we were not wrong.... Well er he wasn't anyway, all I got was a big salmon and a dogshark :laugh:To prove that this diary shit works, I will guarantee you guys I will post a predawn mully capture by Saturday arvo :ohmy: (and give me heaps if I can't back it up )

[yorke_angler 0]

this time of year Brett I'd bet my left :c they are full of malting blueys

[Moggy23 625]

I record all my outings religiously and have done for the last 12 yrs, lost the last couple of years records due to a computer update, but never mind.At the end day if the weather is nice & a tide turn I go fishing providing other hobbies don't get in the way.So this is the results of my outings, the water temp ones wouldn't print but came up that 17 - 18 deg were the most productive

[Kingsley 19]

Would be interesting to see graphs of just the number of trips in each condition as well as fish caught to see some correlations between number of trips and fish caught . Like the high pressure I bet there are more trips In these conditions as generally a high brings little wind therefore more outings.

[Moggy23 625]

Would be interesting to see graphs of just the number of trips in each condition as well as fish caught to see some correlations between number of trips and fish caught . Like the high pressure I bet there are more trips In these conditions as generally a high brings little wind therefore more outings.

Thats exactly my thoughts on the high pressure results, more outings when conditions are favourable, I mainly work the tides verses the time of the day which would be around early morning or late in the day

[Cleaver 65]

I agree, keeping a diary is very beneficial but i now no longer bother. Reason? As moggy23 and kingsley stated more outings in favourable conditions (Suprise, suprise) so when all the other factors are not in alignment i still get the boat out and fish, even for donuts, just for the love of being out on the water and company of friends and family. Basically i no longer take it so seriously.