Length versus Weight...

[fishnislife]

I prefer to weigh fish over measuring them. I feel that it is way more accurate than the tape. Yes, the tale of the tape can tell the length of a fish, but the scale will tell you both length and girth combined. To me it is an easier way to judge how big a fish actually is. (without actually taking both length and girth measurements)

For instance, this bass I caught recently after spawn was at least a 6lb bass. She weighed 4lb 14oz. Her length would have told you way over 6lbs. but since she was spawned out and completely empty, she was just under 5lbs. To me this was the weight I caught her at. Length, the fish is huge, but not on this day.

(you can see that her pooper is purged which means she just got done dropping her young. i felt her stomach and there was nothing there. most likely my bait was the first meal she was going for.)








fishnislife

[cavdad45]

I prefer to use a digital scale, however, if you only have a measuring tape, take the measurement in inches and cube it and divide by 1800. It's pretty close.

For example, and 19" bass. 19 X 19 X 19 = 6859 : 6859 divided by 1800 = 3.81 pounds

It's not 100%, but it works for me.

[skimpy]

Found this...


(LENGTH X GIRTH X GIRTH) / 800 = WEIGHT in LBS.
or

(LENGTH X LENGTH X GIRTH) / 1,000 = WEIGHT in LBS.
or



-
Inches - Largemouth - Smallmouth - Spotted
12 --- --- --- --- .90 --- --- .92 --- --- .86
13 --- --- --- --- 1.16 --- --- 1.18 --- --- 1.12
14 --- --- --- --- 1.47 --- --- 1.50 --- --- 1.42
15 --- --- --- --- 1.83 --- --- 1.87 --- --- 1.77
16 --- --- --- --- 2.25 --- --- 2.30 --- --- 2.18
17 --- --- --- --- 2.73 --- --- 2.80 --- --- 2.65
18 --- --- --- --- 3.28 --- --- 3.36 --- --- 3.18
19 --- --- --- --- 3.89 --- --- 4.00 --- --- 3.79
20 --- --- --- --- 4.59 --- --- 4.70 --- --- 4.46
21 --- --- --- --- 5.36 --- --- 5.50 --- --- 5.22
22 --- --- --- --- 6.22 --- --- 6.38 --- --- 6.07
23 --- --- --- --- 7.17 --- --- 7.35 --- --- 7.00
24 --- --- --- --- 8.24 --- --- 8.43 --- --- 8.02
25 --- --- --- --- 9.35 --- --- 9.60 --- --- 9.14
26 --- --- --- --- 10.06 --- --- 10.89 --- --- 10.38
27 --- --- --- --- 11.95 --- --- 12.28 --- --- ---
28 --- --- --- --- 13.42 --- --- --- --- --- ---
29 --- --- --- --- 15.01 --- --- --- --- --- ---

[iPodrodder]

....but i see these pics of 18" summer bass and people claim 5-6-7 lbs....no way!!

Guilty....I think the two 'five pounders' fishingmachine and I caught at Beaver might run 4.00-4.75 pounds.