Fishing reports: What do you look for?

[DarkSkies]

Cliff notes or detailed - what do you like better?

I've been surf and salt water fishing since I was 12, freshwater fishing since I was 10. I never really got into the salt seriously until I started using artificials. At first it was tough for me. Although I did catch bass and bluefish, it took over 1 year for me to catch my first keeper bass the artificial way.

A select handful of old timers helped me when they saw I really wanted to learn AND was willing to put my time in. I'll always be grateful to those mentors who showed me some of the subtle things you need to think about to catch more consistently. :thumbsup: :HappyWave:

I post my fishing reports with the new guys and girls in mind. I think it's easier now that we have these resources, it's almost too easy sometimes. :huh:

I try to make them as detailed as possible so those just starting can get a better handle and don't have to face the hard learning curve I did. I try to give back some of the good teachings that were passed on to me.

Maybe I make it too easy for people?:don't know why:
If so, maybe I shouldn't be making it that easy?




I'm looking for feedback and comments here...

[DarkSkies]

Thats the quick version, Im guessing a 4 paragraph post with Bold letters and quotes and emoticons will follow :d Anyone else ever feel tired after reading a DS report?? I feel like a need a glass of Tang after them.


Some of you may have a point here. :embarassed: My point is I'm getting busier, have more admin to do since I took over the site, am fishing more, and have less time for posting. So maybe I should abbreviate my reports a bit, what does it really matter anyway?

Let's look at 2 versions of the same report side-by-side (Finchaser gets credit for the comedic brilliance, the guy could be a writer if he wasn't so damn impatient. :thumbsup:)




I Finchaser report:
"Went fishing this morning, caught 3 bluefish, 1 bass."








II Darkskies report: (as only Finchaser could describe)
"Hi my name is Darkskies. I am a recovering alcoholic and get psychic relief from the fishing I do. For me it's all about the experience. :laugh:
I woke up, and left the van down by the river I have been living in. I drank some coffee.
hcR7hr4LLQg
The beautiful skies spoke to me, they said: Dark, you're going to have a great day..
As I got to the spot, there was a light mist on the water. The ocean had a decent chop, and the wind was from the SW.
I fished hard, and had to work for every fish.
I started with a green and white swimmer, but the sunlight reflecting off of it was a bad choice. I changed colors and immediately starting hooking up with big bluefish. They had a purple sheen to them, indicating ocean fish.
The bluefish went away, or so I thought. I switched to rubber and caught a short bass. The bass was brownish in color, maybe because of all the weeds we have seen in the water lately.
I continued to fish with the rubber, but only got bite-offs from bluefish. $7 in rubber was used and torn up, but the experience :laugh: was well worth it! ;)
In all, it was a good day on the water.
When I was done I did some scouting and found some swans. They were cool looking and I took pics which I'll post later.
I could not find any more fish, though, so I went home."





Now I ask ya's honestly, which report would ya's rather read? Inquiring minds wanna know...:lookhappy:

[finchaser]

I do also put what I caught them on in my reports and time of day:HappyWave:

[DarkSkies]

Yep ya do Fin, sorry I neglected that part. :HappyWave: But as you said, I was trying to contrast the 2 styles. And thanks for those funny examples as you described your interpretation of my reports to me. :d Hope I was able to lay them down accurately from the talk we had. :cool:

[storminsteve]

II Darkskies report: (as only Finchaser could describe)
"Hi my name is Darkskies. I am a recovering alcoholic and get psychic relief from the fishing I do. For me it's all about the experience. :laugh:
I woke up, and left the van down by the river I have been living in. I drank some coffee.
hcR7hr4LLQg
The beautiful skies spoke to me, they said: Dark, you're going to have a great day..
As I got to the spot, there was a light mist on the water. The ocean had a decent chop, and the wind was from the SW.
I fished hard, and had to work for every fish.
I started with a green and white swimmer, but the sunlight reflecting off of it was a bad choice. I changed colors and immediately starting hooking up with big bluefish. They had a purple sheen to them, indicating ocean fish.
The bluefish went away, or so I thought. I switched to rubber and caught a short bass. The bass was brownish in color, maybe because of all the weeds we have seen in the water lately.
I continued to fish with the rubber, but only got bite-offs from bluefish. $7 in rubber was used and torn up, but the experience :laugh: was well worth it! ;)
In all, it was a good day on the water.
When I was done I did some scouting and found some swans. They were cool looking and I took pics which I'll post later.
I could not find any more fish, though, so I went home."


:clapping::clapping::clapping: ROFL dark! If he described those words it seems like he must know you well!:laugh:
I like your reports as I have learned some things from them. I do like finchaser's reports because he seems to catch more, I do like to hear about catches. Nice sunrises are ok but they can only get you so far.:d

[bababooey]

In all, it was a good day on the water.
When I was done I did some scouting and found some swans. They were cool looking and I took pics which I'll post later.
I could not find any more fish, though, so I went home."



Always look forward to your swan reports Dark. This place wouldn't be the same without them. I hope you someday take a picture of a world record swan. It would give the rest of us some breathing room as we continue to pursue less worthy quary like the elusive striped bass.:laugh:

[SharkHart]

The reporting game has really changed in recent years, it used to always be first hand reporting, now on the internet so many guys are reporting reports. If B&Ns puts up a report guys who happen to be the honary mayors of whichever fishwebsite tend to post that info almost as if they sniffed out the bite and all the second hand info get so jumbled up anyway, I like the old school tell what you, yourself got, what tide and tactics.

[finchaser]

The reporting game has really changed in recent years, it used to always be first hand reporting, now on the internet so many guys are reporting reports. If B&Ns puts up a report guys who happen to be the honary mayors of whichever fishwebsite tend to post that info almost as if they sniffed out the bite and all the second hand info get so jumbled up anyway, I like the old school tell what you, yourself got, what tide and tactics.

What he said^^^^^ short and concise

[cowherder]

[Maybe I make it too easy for people?:don't know why:
If so, maybe I shouldn't be making it that easy?



definitely appreciated, you guys really give a lot of help to the new guy. When I first started I was catching bluefish, dogfish, monster skates as big as manhole covers, and the occasional baby bass. The posts and threads I found here helped me to concentrate more on time and tide. I think that would be the best info to pass along to any new guys who are just starting out, pay attention to time and tide, if you are there on the wrong tide you will catch bubkus! (or bluefish, skates, dogfish, and the occasional freakishly large eel.:eek:)

[plugcrazy]

I think that would be the best info to pass along to any new guys who are just starting out, pay attention to time and tide, if you are there on the wrong tide you will catch bubkus! (or bluefish, skates, dogfish, and the occasional freakishly large eel.:eek:)

When I read a report if a guy mentions the time period he fished and caught, I go to the tide charts and see what stage of tide that was. Anyone else do that?