How to Properly Weigh Your Catch
One of the greatest feelings during the fishing season is being able to see just how big your catch is.
This is why it is essential for those who are on the lookout for some anglers to know how to weigh a fish and have the right equipment along.
What’s the Catch?
There are two basic options to choose from for you to measure your catch with your trusty hook. The first is to use a digital scale, and the second one is to use a traditional dial.
Though the second one sounds intimidating, we’ll be giving a basic tutorial below on how to go about it.
The first one, on the other hand, sounds easier. However, there can be some hiccups with using digital tech, especially for those who are new to using gadgets.
They might surprisingly become more challenging to work with, as with new smart gadgets rising on the market today.
But worry not! We’ll also be quickly doing some basic tips on going about this below.
Generally, here are some tips you need to remember whether you’re weighing using a digital or a dial scale:
Weigh your catch in a spot where there is less wind. Wind creates movement when you lift your fish and will create fluctuations in the reading.
Make sure that if you’re weighing using a container–be it a net, a plastic bag, or a bucket–you should not only weigh and subtract the container from the total but also ensure that no water gets into the container.
Now, let’s proceed to some basic tips on measuring your catch:
The Digital
The most important tip we can give you when working with a digital scale is to never forget to use the tare function or to reset your scale back to 0 after every use.
In case your digital scale doesn’t have a tare button, you can also just switch it on and off again using the power button.
Once you’ve practiced this or discovered this function on your digital scale, you can then proceed to the next steps:
- Hook the fish under the gill. If this isn’t possible, you can also resort to hooking the fish from the lure, which is to the mouth of the fish.
Connect the hook to your scale and lift the fish completely off the ground. Make sure the fish is completely afloat so that you are given proper and accurate measurements, as the tiniest touch of a fin to a surface can change the weight.
Wait a few seconds before checking the reading. The movement caused by lifting the fish can create fluctuations.
Once the fish is steady and the number on the digital scale is no longer moving, then you may now record it.
More than One
Now, what about measuring more than a single fish? More so, what if you’re curious to see just how much you’ve already caught?
You can do this by either using scale hooks or by placing all of your fish in a container that has a hook or a sling.
Don’t forget to separately measure the container itself and deduct it after you’ve weighed in the entire catch.
Working with Tech
Additionally, if you’ve managed to find yourself an upgraded digital scale, some of them have features such as average weights and recording and storing the weight to your device’s memory.
This feature allows you to save previously recorded data, and then you can just keep weighing and adding them up later.
The Dial
Some of us like to go traditional. If you’re like this, then working a dial scale will best suit you. Though it might be more work for you, especially in terms of recording data, a dial scale will still do a great job with the right precautions.
Here’s how you can do it:
You will need a damped sling material for you to weigh the fish. This will make taring or setting the scale to 0 easier.
Next, you will need to hang the sling to the hook of the scale. Make sure that the sling is still empty when you do this, as you are going to reset the dial in the scale to zero.
To check if you’ve done this accurately, remove the empty sling and then put it back again to see that you have managed to get a zero reading.
Now, you need to put the fish onto the sling while ensuring that it will not bring in any unwanted water weight.
Using the weighing rod, hold the scale upwards, and you’ll see the record. Give some time again before reading it if the movement from lifting causes the number to fluctuate.
Unlike digital scales, a dial scale might not be able to handle multiple fish. This is why if you’re weighing more than one, you will need to write each record down and manually add them up later.
Go Fish!
These days, there has been greater advancement in terms of measuring a catch, and it is great how progress has made its way to fishing.
However, if you’re fishing as a hobby and for the love of a great catch, you will realize that both scales work and can work well in helping you give a number to further celebrate your catch!
