April Photo Contest: Win a Kayak with our Catchbook Fishing App!

Think of it as essential fishing tackle‚ something that will help you catch more fish right away, and help you become a better fisherman in the future. It's our Catchbook fishing app for iPhone, and there's no easier way to start tracking your catches than with this photo-based collaborative fishing journal. Here's why: 

All you need to do is take a snapshot of each fish you catch. The app automatically records the date, time, and weather conditions, and plots your location so you can pattern your spots all season. Take a moment to add in the size and color of the lure you were using, and you have a rich journal entry. You and your friends can share data, too. Other users across the country have already banked 13,000 catches, and you can view photos of those fish in the app's public feed. Or filter your friends' catches to look for patterns in which fish are caught, or which baits work best, under different weather conditions and at various times of year. The more friends you have, the more catches you see, and the sooner you'll know how to effectively find fish in your waters.

We're analyzing all this data, too. The more people who use the app, the more info we can give you in the form of tips, tactics, and trend reports. The charts above are two patterns we found interesting. 

Need more convincing? The editors regularly round up the best Catchbook photos, feature them online or in the magazine, and award cool prizes, like the Ocean Kayak Trident 11 fishing kayak below, which we're giving away to whoever posts our favorite shot to the app in April.

Click here for the official contest rules.

You can download Catchbook for free from the iTunes store, or visit fieldandstream.com/catchbook for more details.

Here are a few of the photos Catchbook users posted over the winter months:

Caz Lake

Submitted by Mattwall 
Date/Time:  Saturday, March 2, 2013 - 17:34 
Temperature:  24.00 
Wind Speed:  16.00 
Description:  Jigging with custom jigs n spins nuclear ant glow 
Fish Caught:  1 
Cloud Cover:  100 
Pressure/Trend:  29.83

"Warsaw"

Submitted by joeymaciasz
Date/Time:  Monday, March 4, 2013 - 18:18
Temperature:  61.00
Wind Speed:  19.00
Description:  80 pound Warsaw caught off an oil rig out of fourchon louisiana
Fish Caught:  1
Cloud Cover:  100
Pressure/Trend:  30.06

Lake Sturgeon

Submitted by Geckel
Date/Time:  Friday, February 22, 2013 - 11:59
Description:  Kayak fishing for trout and was shocked to pull this up. Sturgeon are endangered in Tennessee. Released the fish without incident.
Fish Caught:  1
Water Temperature:  49.00

Cayuga Lake

Submitted by Mattwall
Date/Time:  Sunday, February 10, 2013 - 15:41
Temperature:  33.00
Wind Speed:  12.00
Description:  PerchFish Caught:  1
Cloud Cover:  0
Pressure/Trend:  30.27

Big Kzoo River Steelie

Submitted by Cyaz28
Date/Time:  Thursday, February 7, 2013 - 19:02
Temperature:  28.00
Wind Speed:  6.00
Description:  31 inch 13 lb midwinter chromie, but not real chrome lol dirty ole fish
Fish Caught:  1
Cloud Cover:  100
Pressure/Trend:  29.97

Nice

Submitted by Daddy
Date/Time:  Sunday, February 3, 2013 - 21:26
Temperature:  26.00
Wind Speed:  9.00
Fish Caught:  1
Cloud Cover:  5
Pressure/Trend:  30.24

8 Pounds

Submitted by Daddy
Date/Time:  Saturday, February 2, 2013 - 10:18
Temperature:  26.00
Wind Speed:  8.00
Description:  Nice
Cloud Cover:  4
Pressure/Trend:  30.74

My First Muskie

Submitted by Nicholas Anderson
Date/Time:  Wednesday, May 30, 2012 - 09:45
Temperature:  64.00
Wind Speed:  13.00
Description:  A hell of a fight but the best fishing experience of my life.
Fish Caught:  1
Cloud Cover:  0
Water Temperature:  61.00

Pressure/Trend:  30.00

 

God is Good

Submitted by Daddy 
Date/Time:  Monday, March 4, 2013 - 15:04 
Temperature:  25.00 
Wind Speed:  9.00 
Description:  Nice day 
Fish Caught:  1 
Cloud Cover:  9 
Pressure/Trend:  30.15 
State:  Michigan 
County:  Houghton County

 

Huge

Submitted by Deric
Date/Time: Friday, January 11, 2013 - 17:56
Temperature: 52.00
Wind Speed: 15.00
Description: Good
Fish Caught: 1
Cloud Cover: 94
Pressure/Trend: 29.85