Esimating weight when C&R

[Lochan_load]

I recognise some of my own logic in the 'wedgie scale'  :lol: is a fisher really a fisher if he doesn't add on a few ounces!?
In all seriousness if you're just catching bandies it doesn't really matter but when you get a better fish it can be frustrating not to be able to put a weight on it. It was interesting fishing with Alex with his weigh net because you estimate first and then get a fairly accurate actual weight and sometimes it was surprising either way. I'd quite like to get one but then again it would rob me of all my poetic license  :lol:

[Bobfly]

Salmon tables for length and weight and tables for trout have been gradually comoiled for well over a hundred years. In 1965 I was electro-fishing Tweed tributaries for our population dynamics studies and weighing and measuring all the fish that were taken in the nets. This data collection has been going on for well over a hundred years and the same has been done with many, many animals and birds. The resulting graphs are very accurate in providing the normal relationship of length to weight. Soldier Palmer is doing this same data compilation right now. Salmon tables are reliable and the gillie I referred to was asked by me what accuracy did he atribute to the Tweed tables and he reckons them to be very good. Later he has now seen the photo, but I am going by length and he agrees the weight for that length. Some trout tables do divide into condition categories, but salmon vary less and I have not seen one with any division.

[scoobyscott]

That weegie table is class 😂
I tend to under guess my catches too or at least I think I do but I haven't weighed a fish for about 6 years! So could be well off with my guesses.
There's an app called fish figure I have but haven't set it up yet. Basically measure a part of your rod say the handle and then take a photo of it. The app then uses that as a scale for when you catch a fish and take a photo of it next to your rod. Will try it out and see how it goes next time I'm out

[Wildfisher]

The Americans (as usual) are way ahead on this.

They use inches.  :lol:

Oddly so do we until the fish reaches 1/2 lb. 

[Bobfly]

What I have done just recently is measure the rod handle and marking up a lower section makes good sense. In the float tube there is a printed scale across the edge of the front netting which is a handy indicator.

[Wildfisher]

My Scott S4 actually has whippings at intervals  with sizes marked on at 12" and 20 "   

[corsican dave]

there's a joke in here; but it's a family show  : :lol:

[haresear]

I still find scales the best judge of weight

[ant0]

Blimey, opened a can of worms with this one and have enjoyed reading the replies  :lol:

I asked initially mainly as I've not weighed any of my fish for almost 4 years so aware my guesstimates were likely a bit out of touch.  I'm happy estimating the length against my net or rod and that's fairly accurate but guessing an approx weight is where I fall down.  Now I know that as some have replied "what does it matter" and I agree since a good and/or bonnie fish is just that - but I'm just keen to be a wee bit better at estimating.  The biggest wild fish in the waters I frequent are lucky to reach 2lb (few and far between) and most 1/2-1lb or smaller so no big deal anyway really.

On reflection I'll maybe stick to categorising my fish as either small, average or HUGE if describing them to others

[ant0]

And on that note... caught this HUGE one yesterday  :lol:

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