2009 Fishing By The Numbers

I really meant to post this before the first fishing report of 2010, but time never seems to stand still for this writer! For the first time in years, I kept a log of all of my fishing in 2009. 25 years working in the oil industry taught me how to observe statistical samples and develop a “feel” for important probabilities and I had relied on that “feel” for way too long. It was time to put some numbers on paper.

I always try to explain expectations for what the fishing at AP is like by citing what I catch, primarily because I have yet to really identify what the “average” angler looks like. My fishing time is a mixture of time spent with family, friends, clients, and scouting/checking on customers. While I am always thinking “big fish” when I’m on the water, much of my time is spent making sure I am getting bit, not just searching for big bass. Most AP fishermen automatically ask if I have caught anything before they inquire about size. It rings hollow if I have to answer, “No, I have not caught anything, but I have been throwing this rediculous size plug.” I do experiment looking for better ways to target big bass; those hours are counted in the following statistical analysis. I don’t get to fish just during the best weather/times of year. Muddy water, clear water, rising water, falling water, hot and cold; it’s all there in the journal!

Hrs spent fishing 166.75

360 bass caught

22 bass greater than 4 lbs

2.2 bass/hr16.4 bass caught/4lb or greater

7.6 hr/bass > 4lb

My goal for ’09 was to be the first angler to go double-digits twice in the same year at AP. I fell short as I caught a 10 lb and a 9.25 lb bass last year. The AP record for fish better than 9 lbs in a year is 3.Hope these numbers make sense and give you a sense for what to expect on your next trip to Angler’s Paradise!