Tuna Fishermen: I will tell you what spot, lure, color, technique, time-of-day, etc. was most effective this season...

[28Conquest]

In the part of my life that's not obsessed with fishing, I'm an engineer / computer scientist by training, and I've been frustrated by the lack of actual DATA on what really works. Do some colors consistently catch more than others? Should you change techniques based on the time of year, time of day, sea conditions, etc? What percentage of fish are caught at slack tide? Are bananas really bad luck?

So here's what I have in mind: If everyone who also is interested in seeing this data sends me their individual hookup info (see below), I will collate and analyze it and share the results back to the group who contributed. All data will be kept strictly confidential and anonymous, and will be used for no other purpose than sharing the collected information ONLY back to the exact group who provided the data in the first place. No brand names will be discussed.

If you would like to contribute information, please PM me with the following information. I will PM you back to acknowledge receipt and will send another round of PM's in a couple of weeks when all the data is in and collated. Feel free to post any questions or concerns in this thread.

Date & Time of Hookup:
Location (e.g. Stellwagen SWC):
Technique (e.g. trolling, jigging, kite):
Type of Lure or Bait:
Color/Pattern (if applicable):
Spread Position (if applicable):

[28Conquest]

I realize that most rec guys are not keeping detailed logs so estimating date & time, etc is fine, but please indicate if something is an estimate by adding an (E) so I can tell the difference. If this seems useful I am happy to do every year and can even set up a simple web form for submitting data.

[amarshall]

This is my first year keeping a detailed log.

Here are my entries:
too rough
too rough
too rough
too rough
nearly died
too rough
3 hr ride home @ 6 knots

[28Conquest]

Yeah - what a crazy Fall it's been. You should have been out there yesterday though!

[stew]

Ah... fishing..... if it was only that easy. Not to rain on your parade but fishing is not something that can be patterned. The minute you think you got it figured out... the fish or the seas or the bait or the bite will change. If colors of bars really matter then how can I get a bite on a black bar and then 5 mins. later get a bite on a rainbow bar? Capt. Eric

[28Conquest]

he he - I never said I could tell you what is going to happen next season or even tomorrow!

I just said I would compile (as a service to the curious) what everyone did collectively this past season, but as the finance guys love to say, past performance does not imply future success"

Gives us all something to think about and shop for all winter.

[SteveH2112]

Fish will be where the bait is. Unless bait shows up that wasn't available the same things will work. The better bites will be at dawn, dusk and slack tides. Times and places where factors overlap (slack tide at sunrise and lots of bait) will normally be better times for success. I would spend more time going to seminars and working on the craft of fishing than compiling computer info. The better fishermen know when to stick out a techniqe or area and when to change what they are doing. They adapt better to changing conditions and read the signs. I would buy a whole can of that any day of the week!

[hotreels jr]

mackeral, pogies, black bars. PH, sw and se corners

[CaptainCJ35]

I don't think keeping a "master log" is a bad idea... for example, the few days I was able to fish this fall "black in the back" seemed to be the hot ticket. If nothing else, it may help you select what you put initially in your spread... until it's time for a change.

[28Conquest]

I would spend more time going to seminars and working on the craft of fishing than compiling computer info.

Come to think of it, it was actually AT a seminar where I heard Capt. Eric (above) advise us to keep a catch log, which I've been doing! I just thought it would be interesting to collect up more data since, like a lot of rec guys, we can only manage a limited number of trips each season.

I am in no way suggesting that doing this will make anyone a better fisherman -- but since I don't hunt, I have to come up with something to do until next June!