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[ The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: 12/29/2002 ]

Keeping angling journals big aid to catch successes
By SCOTT BERNARDE

Tommy McCue has a little black book --- little blue and green ones, too --- and lots of people want to get their hands on them, or at least find out what's inside.

"I have people call me because they know I have the book," the 60-year-old from Oakwood said of the fishing logbooks in which he keeps track of almost 30 years of striper fishing at Lake Lanier.

His books, all pocket calendars, date to the mid-70s. They recount pertinent information like number of fish caught, location, weather conditions and water temperature. "It's pretty simple. I keep it on the boat and before I get out of the boat, I write everything down," he said.

"We use that diary like it's gospel," said Lanier fishing guide Henry Cowen, one of McCue's fly-fishing friends on the lake.

As Americans prepare to make New Year's resolutions, outdoors enthusiasts can take a similar approach. There may not be a better suggestion for anglers, even hunters, than to start keeping a journal.

Done correctly, a journal can improve your skills, give you a history of when and where, and help you choose a successful pattern the next time you hit the lake or woods. Bass fishing next January on Lake Allatoona, for example, might be better if you had kept track of your fishing this January. Or if a certain lure or fly works best when the water reaches, say, 50 degrees, writing it down can show it's worth a try when you face a similar situation later.

"You think you can remember a year ago, but you can't leave it to memory," said McCue, who catches 200-250 stripers a year on the fly rod. "I fish a lot, but there's no way I can remember it all."

McCue's logbooks provide him a history how fishing has changed over the years on Lanier. Old logbooks from the 1980s have entries written in red ink for days when he caught fish and in blue when he got skunked. One item had the comment, "Had a good day. All small fish 12 to 20 pounds." Of course, now stripers that size are seen as quality fish, and the chance of catching one like McCue's personal-record 44-pounder is reduced.

There are several products on the market designed to help outdoorsmen keep a journal, including some good software packages like Sportsman's Logbook ($29.95), which helps anglers, hunters and shooters track their progress, attach photos and access moon-phase information.

McCue prefers keeping his information in his hip pocket, tracking almost every move he makes on the water, save one.

"One thing I don't keep, but something I should probably keep, is how many fish I catch per gallon. Maybe I don't want to know that."

Here are some more suggestions if you're looking to make an outdoors resolution:

• Check your line: Anglers are notorious for ignoring their line and knots, and that can result in missed fish.

Decide you'll do a better job of checking for nicks and re-tying knots you know weren't tied well.

• Take a child: If you're concerned about the future of your sport, pass it on. But don't take your rod or gun.

That way, "it's their day to shoot or fish without competition," Scott Swartz of the Atlanta Fly Fishing School said.

• Sharpen hooks: Another overlooked practice can prevent a hook-up. Kevin Dallmier, avid angler and fisheries biologist, says you should sharpen the hook after every fish you catch. A quick pass with a file should do it.

• Increase the challenge: Hunters could give up a gadget like scents or calls, says wildlife biologist John Bowers, or perhaps hunt from the ground, not a stand. "Progress up levels that increase the challenge of the hunt," he said.

• Help clear a trail: Several hiking clubs have regular maintenance hikes that keep North Georgia hiking trails in good shape. Call the U.S. Forest Service, or contact a club like the Georgia Appalachian Trail Club, which regularly works the AT.

• Attend a meeting: Don't complain about proposed regulation changes. When the DNR schedules a meeting, attend it and speak your mind. Some meetings have woeful attendance. You might also learn something.