Report Writing 101

Even though it is summer, and school has let out, the need to continue learning is still there.  Maybe you yourself have been out of school for years, but as people and anglers it is important for us to keep on top of the learning curve.  My grandfather always told me if you pay attention, you’ll learn something new everyday.

I thought it important to give a little introduction to fishing reports, since this is a fishing web site.  Reports are important not only for members, but for guests who are browsing through the site.  Seeing the reports may prompt a guest to become a member, and his/her report may help you one day.  Anything is possible. 

I know anglers as a lot are a secretive bunch.  They gather information and treasure it like a pot of gold.  Though I agree protecting your info before a tournament is important, after said tournament the information could be useful to someone else.  However, I think the way someone posts information is often too specific.

Many anglers ask other anglers how they caught their fish.  But I do not see it necessary to tell them exactly what crankbait I was catching my fish on; just that it was a crankbait.  That is enough answer for the question.  When an angler asks me where I caught my fish, I may answer him simply by saying wood cover in 4 foot of water.  I am not looking for your honey hole or your community hole.  I don’t fish those areas.  The simple answer of points, ledges, or coves should be sufficient for location. 

However, there are some easy answers that should always be included in any fishing report.  I believe that water temperature, water clarity, and weather conditions are key elements of any fishing report. Other important information includes lake conditions, the condition of ramps and other facilities at a given lake, and any safety issues currently occurring at the lake.  This information can be vital to a good day on the water, and it might save someone’s life or protect their property.  I think we all can agree that watching out for each other is important to anglers everywhere.

In closing, I would like to thank each and every person who’s ever offered me information.  I think I can be a little too loose with my information, but I’d rather see you catch fish than to keep all that info to myself.  See you on the water, and ask me any question you want.

Eric Huber
warpath@ultimatebass.com

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