Guess it's weight???

[Lard Almighty]

I bought a Cabela's digital scale last year, I have only used it a few times. The weights it has given me seem pretty reasonable. I'm not too concerned with hundredths of a pound though.

To counter Eskimo's point, while weighing a fish in this manner does add some stress, I still maintain that most fish are tougher than we think. I've seen fish with multiple hook scars, broken-off lures hanging out of their mouths, and hooks that have become imbedded in their digestive systems (as evidenced by monofilament hanging out their poop-holes), and they were as strong and healthy-looking as any other fish I have caught. It's all a matter of preference, but I won't be hesitant to get a weight on what I think is an exceptional fish.

[acabtp]

Originally Posted by Eskimo

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I use online length-to-weight conversion charts like this one:

http://www.in-fisherman.com/2011/10/...version-chart/

I'm not a tournament fisherman, so the exact weight of the fish just isn't that important to me. I'll sometimes measure the length of an exceptional fish if I can do it quickly and without mishandling the fish.

Besides, I think hanging a fish from a scale hook is adding to the stress of capture and increases the mortality rate of released bass. I just can't see how hanging a fish by his gill plate or poking a big hole in a fish can do it any good. My goal when bass fishing is to get the fish back in the water in the best condition possible so that someone else can enjoy this bass, too.

anything smaller than like a 6-8# bass will be fine to be weighed by the mouth or gill plate, but that said, you don't have to do that to get their weight.

one way is weigh the fish in the net and then subtract the weight of the net.

scale slings also work, same idea

[Jigman13]

That's a faaaaat snook

[NJTransplant]

When I used to fish paper tourneys during the closed season in Jersey we would calculate every scales fudge factor for every pound up to 5 for every scale used in the tourney . You take a lb of lead weights and put it on your scale ( INA PLASTIC BAG ... ADUH ) and see what it weighs ...2 lb ...3 lb ...4 lb n 5 lb ...and you now how many oz per pound your scale is off . You would be surprised how many scales may be on for lower weights but when you start to get up to 3 ,4 n 5 lbs they would be off .And for the record ....you suck for catching a bigger smallie than me !

[GetANet]

Yea she was a fat pig, I'm estimating Length and Girth and that smallie was six and change all day long! I could not get over the width from back to belly and thickness of those fish we were catching and I said to my Buddy Jeremy several times how I couldn't believe that those fish didn't weigh more especially that 21.5 er!
Your still the Smallie Man in my book Bro!!!!
I Love my the Hybrids but will catch those size smallies any time!!!

[Jigman13]

Originally Posted by GetANet

I Love my the Hybrids but will catch those size smallies any time!!!

Them smallies are the perfect segue leading into the hybrid bite, that's for sure!