Guys, I have been doing some reading this winter and almost every book I've read states the importance of keeping a journal.

My question is: Am I missing any categories to track? (doin' this off the top of my head)

Date
Time
Place
Tide (time of tide and time fished)
Wind
Moon
Bait Seen
Lure/Bait Used
Fish Caught
Duration Fished

I'd add conditions, which I use as two things, one - weather (cloudy, moonlight) and also any specifc way the water may be acting - lots of white water, weedy, dirty etc.

For me, I need to keep it simple or I will not keep up. Goal 2008 is to log every trip EVEN if i don't catct fish. I am bery guilty of loging the good days and forget about the not so good. Both are very valuable.

DAD good thread. I am also interested in the necessary info to keep a succesful journal. Im looking foward to some good suggestions here.

i use to add a small caption that more or less described what happened and why. if fish, why i caught them. if fish, why i didn't do as well as i should have. i do believe that i learned more from my failures than successes. a small map never hurt either.

Do it in an Excel spreadsheet and you can sort by column and look at similar trips based on what you search for. You'd think I'd take my own advice, but still have yet to keep a journal:), God help me when my memory starts to go.

Water temp is the only add I would make to what has been said.