Weighing fish

[Yellow Fever]

[QUOTE=That Minnesota guy;6616222]There are plenty of places you cn get a card showing estimated weight vs it's length. Leave the fish in the net, get the length measurement, snap a quick photo and let it go.

I have a card like this and had it plasticized and it is on the underside of my livewell lid. I am happy with an approximation of fish weight. Typically i only get the length and send them right back

[Yellowfin123]

i've seen some a liittle larger and some smaller versions of this type

https://youtu.be/bk3TAGBKNUE

[REW]

Here is a landing net, with a built in scale:

https://www.madriveroutfitters.com/p...et-medium.aspx

[KPKyllo]

The trouble is with that net REW, and most of the nets with built in scales on the market, the handles are too short to net walleyes from a boat. They look to me to be designed for anglers that are wading or in a canoe.

[Mojo-NC]

[QUOTE=Yellow Fever;6616318]

Originally Posted by That Minnesota guy

There are plenty of places you cn get a card showing estimated weight vs it's length. Leave the fish in the net, get the length measurement, snap a quick photo and let it go.

I have a card like this and had it plasticized and it is on the underside of my livewell lid. I am happy with an approximation of fish weight. Typically i only get the length and send them right back

Unfortunately, the length/weight correlations published on some of the cards can be inaccurate and the longer fish can vary by a pound or more. My measurements below are averages from fish caught in 2019 from several Canadian shield lakes, and represent many fish weighed from each length. I know the fish my brother catches on the Mississippi River are more chunky than the fish we catch in Canada, so there can be significant variability depending where you are located. Below are my weights as compared with the Northland Tackle card. NT does not have 1/2" incremental measurements.

Actual vs. NT Ruler
15.5" = 1.07# ---
16" = 1.21# 1.5#
17" = 1.64# 1.8#
18" = 1.74# 2.2#
18.5" = 1.88# ---
19" = 2.09# 2.5#
19.5" = 2.16# ---
20" = 2.22# 3.0#
21" = 2.73# 3.4#
22" = 2.96# 3.9#
23" = 3.23# 4.5#
24" = 3.59# 5.1#

[AllenW]

Originally Posted by Huntindave

Best thing for the fish would be to weigh it while it is supported by a net.

No need to wrap a rope around the fish's tail, when a good share of the time, any large fish is already in a net as it comes aboard the boat. Just weight the entire thing and subtract the weight of the empty net.

If you want a nice photo, support the fish horizontally during the photo.

That's what I do if I'm wondering about weight.
The charts are only about as good as just guessing, if your checking for a tourny or your/somebodies best fish they're not accurate enough.

Nothing like hanging a big northern/musky by it's jaws and then release it after the damage has been done, then brag about catch and release.
I've watched that to many times on TV by supposed pros.

Al

[Gary Korsgaden]

Originally Posted by Ozark Bob

Agree, Many pro tourneys measure and take a quick pic. They get back in the water faster as well. If you are gonna eat them do whatever you want to them. Bob

During a recent ice fishing video a angler had a fish out of the water for over three minutes expounding on he caught it and then boasted it was released. Moral of the story get it back in the water ASAP

[dan or]

Calculators and estimators are very limited in providing a correct weight.

Fish are like people.... compare a dozen six-foot men and you will get a wide range of girths and weights.

My process is to get the fish into the livewell as rapidly as possible after netting the fish. Let the fish revive after battling you for its life.

After the fish rights itself in the livewell, get the length and weight. Get girth measurements with the fish is in the livewell

Weigh the fish in the net. Put the fish back in the livewell again and give it time before pictures.

RELEASE the fish to be caught again!

Factors that make the same length fish will weigh much different ..... girth, time of year, age and gender. and body of water

dan or

[That Minnesota guy]

Good point Dan although I don't know that an exact weight makes any difference. 8#'s or 8 1/2#'s does it really matter?

[orchard frank]

Hold it horizontal, take a good guess, add a pound, pound and a half, and go with it.