Scale - Hook Or Grip

[RF813]

First off, please excuse anything in this post that may seem obvious. I'm pretty new to Fishing, and learning from what I can pick up on the internet.

 

I catch and release, and take as many measures to do as little harm to the fish I catch as I can.  That being said, I caught a good size bass the other day, and have no idea how much it weighed, so I'd like to know from now on!

 

I've seen the Bogas out there, and the Grip aspect of it makes sense to me. It swivels (from what i've seen) and it seems like it won't hurt the fish if it jerks around. 

 

My question is on a lot of the digitals, the hook on the bottom. How do you weigh the fish from one of those?  A video I saw showed the guy gently putting it under the fish's lower Jaw, and balanced it while taking the reading.....Now, if the fish had moved at all, it would have fallen to the ground. Bad, right?  In my local tackle shop, they said just to put it into the gill....Also bad, i'm assuming, since I want to send these things back with little to no damage.....

 

Maybe someone here can point me into the right direction?   Is it possible to use these without piercing the fish, or suspending it in a bag? 

 

Lastly, is there a digital grip / and if so, one that's reliable?

 

 

thanks.

 

 

Rich

 

 

[Marty]

 

In my local tackle shop, they said just to put it into the gill....Also bad, i'm assuming, since I want to send these things back with little to no damage.....

 

I've read that putting it into the gill should never be done. I don't know if if it can be done safely by a careful angler. My friend weighs his fish by this method.

 

I use a digital scale and for the past five years or so I use a cheap lip gripper from Cabela's and put the scale hook into a hole in the gripper's handle. Then I subtract the four ounces that the gripper weighs.

 

http://www.cabelas.com/product/The-Fish-Grip-Fish-Holder/738192.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Dgrip%2Bholder%26x%3D0%26y%3D0%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts&Ntt=grip+holder&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products

[Brian6428]

I put the scale's hook into the top of the fish's gill. I've never heard it hurts the fish but if it does I will be happy to use an alternative method. Sometimes I will just weigh the fish using my lure still hooked into its mouth, though. Like on a crankbait sometimes I use one of the treble hooks to hold the scale's hook while the other treble is still in the fish's mouth.

[michang5]

I just posted this on a Texas bass fishing forum:

I bought a pair of Boga Grips the other day. I've been lusting after these for weeks, and insisting that I could go cheap with plastic grips or one of the poorly reviewed scale grips.

I'm glad I didn't compromise. The Bogas are built like a tank; I can't see how they will fail. And if they do, there is a lifetime warranty. It's small and serves two tasks (grip and weigh), which is important for a backpack bank fisherman like myself.

After buying them, I went out fishing and landed a personal best 3 pounder. I needed everything the Bogas had to offer after discovering that I had gut hooked the fish. I needed reliable gripping because my thumb was pretty torn up earlier in the week. I needed the rotating handle because I had to reach through the fish's opposite gills to get the hook. And finally the accurate weight gives me the ability to brag about a personal best fish!

[Jrob78]

Get the Boga's, I don't think you'll be sorry.  Just make sure to put a float on them, scales don't do you any good at the bottom of the lake.

[mikeeasttn]

I have a Rapala Digital Scale with the grip.  I have weighed a 5.7# LM and the grip held the fish without any problems. 

[Brian Needham]

I use the Rapala as well.....it is $50 but has some cool savable features and a good scale. 

 

it comes with both the grip or hook, so its your choice. I like the hook.

[Bankbeater]

I'm on my second Rapala scale with the hook.  I hook the fish through the gill, but I don't do it if the fish is thrashing around.

[RF813]

Thank you  for all the replies......I think I have narrowed it down to two.

 

The Boga

 

and This Rapala:
 

http://www.***.com/Rapala_Touch_Screen_Tournament_Scale_15lb/descpage-RTDS.html

 

Keep in mind, 3 kids, bills etc, price is a small concern, but don't a complete deterrent.  The Boga seems nice, and everyone who has one likes it.  Will this Grip on the Rapala reliably hold the fish?   Catch and release, I want to as little harm as possible.

 

So if you have the Rapala, could you please let me know what your thoughts on it are?

[WRB]

Weighing a bass with a hook style scale doesn't harm a bass if you place the hook between the gill cover and tongue opening, stay away from the gill rakers. Scales with grippers can tear a large opening in the mouth membrane adjacent the tongue, no garrantee the gripper will not do harm.

Weighing a fish in a bag or net works good, just subtract the device weight.

Tom

[Brian Needham]

Thank you  for all the replies......I think I have narrowed it down to two.

 

The Boga

 

and This Rapala:

 

http://www.***.com/Rapala_Touch_Screen_Tournament_Scale_15lb/descpage-RTDS.html

 

 

yes that is the Rapala. You can also get the 50# version as well if you are going to do any catfishing.

 

as far as the clamp vs hook. The clamp will work great, but the clamp has a heavy pull. So you need strong hands to have a fish in one hand and squeeze the clamp in the other.

That is the reason I use the hook cause I can weigh and release the fish much faster and get the fish back into water.

 

the rapala is half the price as the boga,no?

[RF813]

Yea, it's about $50.

[J Francho]

Hook through the hole on a Fish Grip.  Just be sure to zero out the scale with the grip attached, and hanging.

 

This is a pike, but you get the picture.

[RF813]

Hook through the hole on a Fish Grip.  Just be sure to zero out the scale with the grip attached, and hanging.

 

This is a pike, but you get the picture.

Pic isn't coming up for me. But i'd def be interested in checking it out.

[J Francho]

http://www.thefishgrip.net/

 

Take any scale with a hook, and loop it through the hole in the handle.  You can see them in use on Major League Fishing.

[AK-Jax86]

I use the hook and hook through the gill like you see on TV. I noticed when the fish is on it they don't thrash around, I haven't had that problem yet anyway.

I'm gonna check out that fish grip Franco posted I see it on MLF all the time, when I start getting into some consistently big fish during the spawn is when I will go out and get me one

[Brian Needham]

get the rapala..........if you dont like it I will buy it from you, then all it cost you is shipping to me.

 

I need another anyway.

[RF813]

Thanks for all the replies.... You all have been really helpful!

[5fishlimit]

I had the touchscreen rapala scale you're looking at. I had two go bad on me this spring because of rain.

I just use a non digital scale I picked up at a time flea market.

[Brian Needham]

Acadamey sports has the Rapala Digital we been talking about on sale for 39.99 for those looking for one

[Tartan34]

I have the Rapala Digital with the gripper, and it works. Got it at Sports Authority on a 75% off sale. It hasn't failed me on fish up to 10 lbs.