How To Predict Where Fish Will Be Using Your OWN Catch Data
- By: Joseph Simonds
- on
Most anglers spend years bouncing between spots…
Trying to figure out why fish showed up one day… and completely vanished the next.
But what if the answer has been sitting in your camera roll this entire time?
In this conversation, Salt Strong member Bill Olson breaks down how he’s using over 1,700 logged catches inside Smart Fishing Spots to filter fish patterns by tide, wind, moon phase, season, and more… helping him stop guessing and start narrowing down where fish should be before he even leaves the ramp.
And honestly…
This might be one of the smartest uses of Smart Fishing Spots we’ve seen yet.
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How To Use Smart Fishing Spots To Predict Fish Patterns?
Instead of simply marking spots where he caught fish…
Bill is using Smart Fishing Spots like a fishing intelligence database.
By uploading catch photos, the platform automatically pulls:
- GPS coordinates
- Tide direction
- Wind direction
- Moon phase
- Weather conditions
- Time of catch
Then he filters those catches based on the conditions he plans to fish the NEXT day.
For example:
- Incoming tide
- North or northeast wind
- Month of the year
- Specific regions or ramps
That instantly narrows down where he’s historically had success under similar conditions.
Why Is Logging Your Catch Data So Powerful?
Most experienced guides have some version of a fishing log.
Years ago, it was handwritten notebooks.
Now, anglers can use technology to organize those same patterns automatically.
Bill explained that the real value isn’t simply remembering where fish were…
It’s understanding WHY they were there.
That includes:
- Tide movement
- Wind direction
- Water flow
- Seasonal bait movement
- Moon phase
- Feeding windows
Over time, those patterns become easier to recognize.
Can You Upload OLD Fish Photos Into Smart Fishing Spots?
Yes.
One of the coolest parts of this system is that anglers can upload older catch photos directly into Smart Fishing Spots.
If the image contains GPS metadata, Smart Fishing Spots can automatically:
- Plot the catch on the map
- Pull historical weather data
- Match tide conditions
- Identify patterns retroactively
That means years of old catches can suddenly become searchable fishing intel.
What Filters Can You Use Inside Smart Fishing Spots?
The current filtering system allows anglers to sort catches by:
- Tide direction
- Wind direction
- Month
- Region
- Weather conditions
And according to Luke and Joe, more filters are already coming soon, including:
- Species filters
- Tide height filters
- Enhanced AI fish recognition
The goal is to make it easier to isolate highly repeatable patterns.
What Are Community Reports And Spot Dissections?
Beyond personal catch logs, Smart Fishing Spots also includes:
- Coach-generated spot dissections
- Insider fishing reports
- Community-submitted catches
- On-the-water breakdowns
These reports allow anglers to:
- Learn new areas faster
- Understand seasonal trends
- See how coaches break down structure
- Compare patterns across regions
Luke demonstrated how anglers can filter these reports by month and location to study seasonal trends throughout the coast.
Why This Matters More Than “Secret Spots”
One of the biggest themes throughout this conversation was simple:
The goal isn’t just collecting spots.
It’s learning how to recognize patterns.
Because fish move.
Conditions change.
And the anglers who consistently catch fish are usually the ones who understand:
- WHY fish positioned there
- HOW conditions influenced them
- WHEN those patterns repeat
That’s the difference between randomly fishing…
…and consistently finding fish.
Final Thoughts
This was an awesome breakdown of how powerful catch logs can become when paired with the right filters and mapping tools.
And it’s also a reminder that many anglers already have valuable fishing data sitting in their phones right now.
The difference is whether you actually organize it and use it.
If you want to see how Bill filters his catches, studies patterns, and plans trips before launching the boat…
Watch the full video above.
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STOP WASTING TIME ON THE WATER!
Do what the “SMART ANGLERS” are doing and join the Insider Club.
Here’s what you’ll receive today when you join:
- Weekly fishing reports and TRENDS revealing exactly where you should fish ever trip
- Weekly “spot dissection” videos that walk you through all the best spots in your area
- Exclusive fishing tips from the PROS you can’t find anywhere else
- Everything you need to start catching fish more consistently (regardless if you fish out of a boat, kayak, or land).
STOP WASTING TIME ON THE WATER!
Do what the “SMART ANGLERS” are doing and join the Insider Club.
Here’s what you’ll receive today when you join:
- Weekly fishing reports and TRENDS revealing exactly where you should fish every trip
- Weekly “spot dissection” videos that walk you through all the best spots in your area
- Exclusive fishing tips from the PROS you can’t find anywhere else
- Everything you need to start catching fish more consistently (regardless if you fish out of a boat, kayak, or land).
Great info that’s got me thinking. Where do Smart Spots come from? Are they an aggregate of all reports submitted by members? Do Smart Spots get updated/modified with new information?
The Smart Spots come from professional fishermen we hire to create the spots and list the seasons/conditions for which the spots are best.
More spots are getting added over time. And we also are adjusting prior spots as needed based on user feedback.
Thank You to Bill for sharing this! Those tips are invaluable.
Thanks for one of the best videos! I’ve been using Smart Spots since joining! In the past, I like so many others used the handwritten logs. I have so many books that are just for this, it’s not funny! My wife wishes that I get rid of them but do not have the heart and the information is very helpful. But the logs are from Virginia, New Jersey and Hawaii.
I feel that Smart Spots is under used and under understood. The potential is so vast and I’m struggling to fully understand all of the ways it could be used.
This video answered some of my questions on how to use it as great starting point when planning the next fishing trip. I’m so happy that you all put this together and I’ looking forward to applying what I have just learned!
Thanks
You are welcome. Thanks for watching
Is Dr Juice Slam still being made?
Nope, the gentleman passed and they do not want to continue the business. 😢
I love seeing the “community spots” filter. I know folks are suspect of giving away their spots, but really appreciate all of you who do share. My question is, I don’t see many of the reports I’ve made. Is there a setting i need to change to make them public?
you would need to edit each post and select “make public”
That’s awesome Bill congratulations I don’t live near the ocean but I’ve learned so much from these guys and their lures work well for fresh water also just started fishing a lot the past few years my self and I am better at fishing now then I was because of this program also thanks to Joe and Luke till next time tight lines
Thanks.
Great info Bill!! Thanks so much!!
Your welcome
I have over 1500 flags on my Lowrance gps. Every target fish I have ever caught. Can this be uploaded?
Hmm, they can be uploaded as waypoints for sure. But as a “catch log” I am not sure there will be enough meta data to bring the weather along.
I would suggest to test one upload and see what data the app can extract and build off of.
Thanks
You can export from Lowrance as a .gpx file and then there is an import tool in Smart Spots to import the waypoints/flags.
Thanks
Great info !!….Thanks so much for sharing.
Your welcome
This was a really helpful and enjoyable video. Thanks to Bill for sharing…
thanks