Hand-held scales

[Mrrugs]

I've seen the light and have decided to stop lying about the weight of my catch. It's time to invest in a hand-held scale. The catalogs offer spring and digital models. Even though I'd like to admit to needing one that handles weights up to 50 lbs.,the truth is that 20 lbs. is more than sufficient. Any suggestions?

[MR.Pike]

The normark scales seem to work well. I'll never forget the time on Lake michigan, We were pulling in some fair sized salmon and trout. My buddy reels in a nice king and says " at least a 15 pounder"! His dad quietly went in the cabin and came out with his new scale. He says," not even 10" Well, we hung the fish up and the scale was at 9+ something!!! So my friend starts argument about how the scale doesn't work. again his dad goes and comes back with a 12 pound cannonball . I know it was 12lb. for 2 reasons, 1) it was printed on the ball 2) the scale read 12lb. Amazing. LOL really shut my friend up on that subject! Now that I look back on all of his 8lb. Walleye and 6lb Largemouth stories HHMMMMM??? Go for it ! If nothing else you can learn to judge weight better. Again I think it was the Normark 20lb. capacity scale. Good luck
<;{{{{{<<( Mr.Pike

[Phil T.]

Stop at your tackle shop on the way back from the grocery store. While in the food place, buy a 5lb bag of sugar and 10lbs of flour. You can now test whichever scale the tackle salesman is pushing at 5, 10, and 15 lbs. Remember the sugar and flour sacks are very slightly over-filled, and the sacks also weigh something. I ended up buying a Berkely digital scale. It's off by about 0.1lb for each 5lbs of weight.

[Ness]

I've been looking at digital scales and thinking to replace the old spring scale that I have with one... So are the digital ones more accurate???
I know on the spring one the darn fish never weigh what I wish they would ;-) But with a digital, it might be an even worse reality...

[Starfish]

I had good luck with a Berkley digital (up to 50 lb.). The digitals are more precise but not really any more accurate than a good spring scale. When the battery died on the Berkley and I found out they're not replaceable, I picked up a good precision brass scale and have been using it ever since.

[REW]

Why don't you save your self time and money and get a 10 cent measuring stick.

The measuring stick never lies -- no springs to calibrate -- and the majority of the DNR rules are applied in inches -- not lbs or ozs.

Take care

REW

[5_speed]

i use the digital and a spring scale that ways nobody can fight over which fish weight what

[5_speed]

i use the digital and a spring scale that ways nobody can fight over which fish weight what

[jeff reed]

I calibrate and certify scales, Rockwell hardness machines, tensile machines, Burnell, microhardness machines, etc for heavy industry. The electronic load cell scales such as Normark scales is accurate to plus or minus .2 to .1 lbs depending on the individual scale for the 50 lbs model. The spring scales are less accurate and hard to read the fractional pounds. I use the Normark because you can "tare" weight the net. Very good unit.

[Mrrugs]

The DNR might be interested in the length, but the loudmouths back at "Mahogany Ridge" are far more impressed with a "Ten-pounder" than a "Twenty-five incher" (as long as it's fish we're talkin' about!). And, since most of my catches get tossed back, I'd prefer to have all the pertinent data available.

[Barb]

We've had a Berkley 50 lb digital scale for the past 6 years and its "still ticking". We're on the water fishing from March through November so it has been put to a great test. When it does die I'm sure we'll purchase another Berkley.

[Roscoe]

I have the 50 LB. Normark scale and it works well. I had a stren but it was junk. Had to return two different ones because they didn't work. Finally went to the normark. Don't need over 20 lb. except for when I chase big pike in Canada, or at Sturgeon Bay.