I need some advice on scales, as usual I have several, but not happy with any of them. The fish wriggle so much it takes forever to get an accurate weight with the Bola (spelling) style, my other digital one works so, so, but is hard on the fish.
My goal of course is to get an accurate weight fast, but be easy on the fish so we can gety em back in the water fast. The bola works real good after they are dead, but that's not what we are after.
Be great if we could get some of those drops the Biologist use, drop them in the holding tank, filled with ice water, put a few drops in, weight and measure them while they are out like a light and when they come around, put em back in the Lake. I wonder ???
I also have a wierd photo of what the fish finders of mine and a bunch of other guys were showing Saturday, I'll have someone post it tomorrow.
Fishing at Squam is still slow, but like I say "good things come to those who wait" and that's all I have to say about that.
I have the Boga that goes to 15#. It has 1/4# increments. It is very accurate.
Salty
I'm pretty sure mine is very accurate, but when the fish shakes like crazy (all the time) it gives an false reading. Mine goes to 30#, maybe overkill, lol. I have never changed the battery since I bought it a couple of years ago, I supposes that would be a good start. I really like it becasue it is fish friendly.
My nephew and I was talking about this same problem on Friday and he told me to use a plastic bag from the store or some type of laundry bag that you would use for washing delicates in. He worked a summer at the broodstock hatchery in Sunderland and what he found out was that they go crazy if held up by the gills or jaw but quiet down when held by the tail and upside down. The bag works well and if they do thrash around some they don't get hurt. And it works with any scale too.
Bob
My nephew and I was talking about this same problem on Friday and he told me to use a plastic bag from the store or some type of laundry bag that you would use for washing delicates in. He worked a summer at the broodstock hatchery in Sunderland and what he found out was that they go crazy if held up by the gills or jaw but quiet down when held by the tail and upside down. The bag works well and if they do thrash around some they don't get hurt. And it works with any scale too.
Bob
Worth a try, I suppose as long as they are out of water, they are suffocating, so the bag can't do anymore harm. I'll pick up some clear plastic bags and give it a shot, can use it for trash at the end of the day too, lol.
From what I have read and been told .You should NOT weigh any fish you plan on releasing.
Just my .02
I have Cabelas spring scale that works well.
Hmmmm, never heard that myself, probably a good idea, maybe that's how so man huge fish are reported, lol.
Fish and Game weigh.measure and release 100's of fish every fall and that's after sitting in a cramped trap for a day or 2 maybe more ?????
We release at least 90% of what we catch, sometimes a quick measurement is taken and maybe a weight, but when we get a big boy, we like to measure and weight it. We send a report on every fish caught on every trip to Fish and Game Biologist, they rely on accurate data on these reports. I'll have to ask them for an opinion and post it here.
Went to West Marine to get a replacement radio, no static, replaced on the spot, last time I went there they wanted to send it out, it was a Uniden, so I threw it out and bought one of thiers (Uniden with West Marines name on it) they have more flexibility with thier own named stuff.
While there looked at scales, they had many to choose from, but nothing that I wanted. The spring scales are in pound increments, hardly accurate, they would all be 6 pounders then. lol. It was a nice Boga style, but for big fish, they had a another Boga style one that had a tape on it for measuring, but no weight sale. I'll see what Cabelas has ???
So far I found this in Cabellas, pricey but it's a boga in 1/4 pound increments and a spring scale. If a new battery doesn't help mine I'll but his one, oh heck I'll buy it anyhow, Social Security check is coming soon, lol..
I've heard and read the same thing.That fish hung verticle have a greater chance of mortality,that they should be supported under the belly and the gills,and are not created to be hung by their jaws.Now easy boys,only relaying what I read and heard.
That makes sense poleski. All their life fish are effected by gravity in a horizontal position. Probably not made to withstand the vertical force of gravity out of the bouyancy of water.
Cal
From what I have read and been told .You should NOT weigh any fish you plan on releasing.
Just my .02
I have Cabelas spring scale that works well.
I could have sworn I made a post on this to I'm In, oh well, maybe I did elsewhere ??? I did some research and you are 100% correct, "fish to be released should not be weighed by coventional methods we use". I'll see if I can pick out some highlights from F and G biologist and post it here, he had allot to say on the subject. The drops they put in the water are a controled substance, forget that idea, people would be smoking it, lol.
