Angler Diaries

[justtracytrolling]

Well I just put the finishing touches on my angler diary for 2013, and it's in the mailbox.  I found out just how important good records are, as I missed a few trips out.  I went thru and read all of my posts from the year and Tracy and I had quite few laughs.  I wanted to thank all of you that post and comment.  It was a fun getting to know you guys on the internet and even better meeting a few of you.  I encourage everyone out there to do their part and participate in the Angler Diaries Program.  We as sportsman have a responsibility to report our catches so that stocking efforts are continued and dollars are allocated.  When anglers share it helps us all! 

justin

[Sk8man]

Likewise on the "thanks" Justin on behalf of us trolling guys. You've made a noticeable impact on the interest level in Walleye fishing and trolling in general. Your comments regarding the Angler Diary program are well taken. I did it for trout and salmon for well over 20 years and you do gain a lot of information from looking at the data and comparing with the annual report results. I kinda drifted away from it  a whie back when I overheard some guys saying that they just filled in the data at the end of the year (i.e. made it up) because it was "too much trouble" recording the data (which is pretty absurd). I was pretty disgusted at the time and stopped doing it but I'll be contacting them again and do it because as you say it is very worth while doing it. Interestingly, back in about 1979 or so I learned from the report that I was the first person to catch a landlock (3 lbs. on Seth Green rig out near Dresden) on Seneca....they weren't stocking them.... and some of the guys didn't believe it so I sent the photo into DEC and they confirmed it and said it probably had escaped Keuka down the Keuka Outlet and into Seneca Lake. My point is that you sometimes learn some things that personally translate from the collected data too.

Edited January 13, 2014 by Sk8man

[justtracytrolling]

I kept notes, had my posts and used the journal they provided.  Problem was I had to combine it all today....Im gonna email Ian Blackburn and see if something can be done to keep track online.  Be nice if I could enter each trip from my smart phone.  Participation always goes up with convenience.

justin

[MeatHunter737]

It would seem with today's technology and the cost of paper that an online journal would be the best option.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I847 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[rnsurfnturf]

I've got to fill mine out yet. I've got to get to it this week .

I always thinking about doing at the most inconvenenient time and then forget !

 

When I get the new one it will be carried with me when I go .

[justtracytrolling]

Tell me about it! I filled 3 books! I sit around every evening all summer...that's the time to get it done for sure, post my trip then fill out the diary! Online would be even better tho.

justin

[Xxx]

JT what exactly are you talking about? Is there a form to fill out or is this just something you do on your own. I will have a lot of time on my hands this year and plan to fish lake O more this year than ever. I had a double decompression fusion on my back, major surgery, with 3 months till I can move,  which will put me in March, and then 6 months of light duty around the house activity, I asked the doc about going fishing and he said absolutely, as long as your not using a row boat, I laughed, and said it's not a row boat, as long as I have someone along to put my rigger weights on he doesn't see a problem (YES) so if this is a important thing I would like to keep diaries, I do manage to catch a few fish a year, so I should be able to come up with some info. Thanks PAP. 

[Sk8man]

Pap - I haven't seen them in a while but they used to be small yellow cover booklets where you record basic info such as where fished, date, species of fish, length,and weight etc. then at end of year you submitted the book to your regional DEC and they totalled up all the diaries for your region broken down by lake and you received a "summary" report later on.

Edited January 13, 2014 by Sk8man

[justtracytrolling]

The yellow booklets are for cold water species and the blue ones warm, but either can be used according to the directions.  Just contact the regional office for the region you fish the most and they will be happy to send you a 2014 packet.  This info is the only way the DEC can justify/adjust stockings or allocate funds to improve a fishery.  If nobody participates then they don't think we are fishing and stockings are cut...this is the reason there is holes in the stocking years at Otisco.  That wont happen again on my watch!

justin

[CaptainEyes]

I sent mine in a few weeks ago and Ian already sent them back along with 2014 books which I will begin filling out this week when I hit the ice. Looking forward to reading the summary results this spring.

Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[justtracytrolling]

In 2014 ill collect better data...i wasnt able to provide much data on anything but walleye as i didnt measure other species all the time, and didnt keep track of time on the water except when targetting eyes. I fish enough that i should have more data for them. We caught lots of tigers, browns, bass during the middle of the day and i have very little data for that fishing. I limited my walleye fishing to mornings and evenings, but we fished all day. Also i didnt keep track of number of rods in the water for each trip. Lots to improve on!<br />

Justin<br />

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Sent from my N9500 using Lake Ontario United mobile app<br />

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[Xxx]

Hey  thanks guys, I will definitely get that booklet and keep tabs on our outings, especially if it means more fish are allocated to the different areas that are kept track of.

[blueghost1]

My dad and I started doing this early '90's and we still do on Seneca and Canandaigua . Not only is it a great tool for the stocking programs but great for your own personal records. It is a personal challenge for us to keep that time per fish under one hr lol

[justtracytrolling]

My dad and I started doing this early '90's and we still do on Seneca and Canandaigua . Not only is it a great tool for the stocking programs but great for your own personal records. It is a personal challenge for us to keep that time per fish under one hr lol

Spot on!  My goal at the beginning of the season was to get my outings more efficient.  Nothing worse than taking someone out and having them get bored.  I still cant average 1 walleye per hour im away from the dock.  If we don't drop/miss walleye Im over 1 per hour...thankfully Otisco has big smallies and tigers to fill in trips, and even the browns, though small are fun.  Time really flies out there when you put a little pressure on yourself, and floating weeds really make it tough for us.  We start in the dark in the morn and if I wind isn't consistent overnight It can be challenging to find weed-free areas with fish.  Posting trips is also a great tool, as you can really see your progress as an angler when you go back and re-read your posts. 

justin

[Sk8man]

Hey Justin - I was thinking more about your suggestion about online recording of the info and it occurred to me that it could really get more  folks interested and at a deeper level say if everyone could view ongoing tallies but could only record their own....could bring out the competitive spirit and increase diary cooperator numbers. My only misgiving with that approach is that inflation of data might occur more readily

Edited January 14, 2014 by Sk8man

[rnsurfnturf]

Got my diary filled out tonight. Ready to go back to the DEC

As my 10 yr old daughter was making something she looked over and said "what are you doing Dad?" and I explained to her the diary and what it was for and the DEC and what they are responsible for, and explained stocking , and size and catch limits , and deer tagging etc. and she was really intrigued.

She asked a lot of questions like ," is it because the fish don't respawn is why they stock them?"

I explained to her the amount of management with wildlife that takes place so that people can go out and enjoy hunting and fishing and harvest what they can while limits can help ensure that there still are fish left to be caught for fun AND/OR food and the lakes are not empty. Same goes for deer harvest reporting.

It felt really good to see my 10 yr old interested the subject and to finish the conversation when she says " remember when I was little and we almost caught that tiger muskie that hit my perch? and remember when I got my picture taken at otisco lake campgrounds and put on the wall in the store because I caught a bigger perch than you Dad, remember that?"

Yes I remember!

Again, now that I realize really how beneficial good reports can be, I will really keep a better record of trips for 2014!

Tim

[justtracytrolling]

My most memorable fishing and hunting experiences all include my family and children. Its way better than wii! Tim, at 10 she'll be ready for eyes with dad this year! 6 fish nights for fall with her! She probably outfish your dad! Lol. I still can see the look on his face watching tracy haul walleye after walleye! <br />

Justin<br />

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Sent from my N9500 using Lake Ontario United mobile app<br />

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[Xxx]

Got my diary filled out tonight. Ready to go back to the DEC

As my 10 yr old daughter was making something she looked over and said "what are you doing Dad?" and I explained to her the diary and what it was for and the DEC and what they are responsible for, and explained stocking , and size and catch limits , and deer tagging etc. and she was really intrigued.

She asked a lot of questions like ," is it because the fish don't respawn is why they stock them?"

I explained to her the amount of management with wildlife that takes place so that people can go out and enjoy hunting and fishing and harvest what they can while limits can help ensure that there still are fish left to be caught for fun AND/OR food and the lakes are not empty. Same goes for deer harvest reporting.

It felt really good to see my 10 yr old interested the subject and to finish the conversation when she says " remember when I was little and we almost caught that tiger muskie that hit my perch? and remember when I got my picture taken at otisco lake campgrounds and put on the wall in the store because I caught a bigger perch than you Dad, remember that?"

Yes I remember!

Again, now that I realize really how beneficial good reports can be, I will really keep a better record of trips for 2014!

Tim

How true you are about the kids, they don't forget a thing!! Just last night my twin daughters Emily and Elizabeth asked, Dad when are we going up to the lake and catch the big ones, Emily is more of the outdoors type, she's all about Camo, that was on the top of her Christmas list, she knew the name of the Camo pattern she wanted, I asked her why do you want that pattern, her reply was because next year I can go mentor hunting with you. You are always on LOU reading about fluro line and red hooks, because red is the first color to disappear in the water column, "didn't you know that dad" so if we wear camo clothes the fish wont see us either, OK then Emily I said, I said to her well I guess we will need to paint the bottom of the boat then? Just joking, she said it's already brown dad all we need to do is spray paint some light green and dark green in a pattern from front to back, I'm small enough to that for you dad. I know with your back you won't be able to do it. I thought that was some impressive talk for a 9 year old. This year come summer, I already know that I will have 2 ready to go at any time partners, the only time she complained was this summer I used my uncles boat it's not a cuddy, and she wants privacy when she has to go to the bathroom, Dad I like your boat better, it's bigger and when I have to go pee, I can go when I want on your boat, I didn't drink any water on uncle Dave's boat cause I didn't want to have to go to the bathroom, and when we go fishing all day I get dry mouth. I said your to much. I can't wait to get them on the spring browns, This ought to be interesting to say the least!! I'm so happy that they have taken an interest in fishing, and at young age, they started out with their Barbie polls and last year I bought them closed faced middle of the road poles, and they are always practicing their casting, I taught them to cast using a hula hoop and when they could get 3 out of 5 casts in the ring I'll take you, well that didn't take long and they were ready!! so they fished the local streams for a couple years then they wanted to go on the boat. Suits me!!