Help estimating fish weight

[LionHeart]

Hey guys, I caught this'n walking the bank so I didn't have any scales.  You guys think calling it 5 lbs. is safe? Or over excited?

 

[soflabasser]

Nice bass. It would be best to carry a digital scale and a tape measure the next time you go bass fishing. That way you will know for certain how much a bass weighs and how long it is.

[Catt]

4-4.5# ?

[WRB]

One of these days someone will remember to use a piece of line off the reel to use as a measurement, just cut it to the same length as the fish!

Length X Length X Girth / 1200 = weight in lbs.

Tom

[LionHeart]

6 minutes ago, WRB said:

One of these days someone will remember to use a piece of line off the reel to use as a measurement, just cut it to the same length as the fish!

Length X Length X Girth / 1200 = weight in lbs.

Tom

Interesting.  Thanks.  From the trigger of this rod, to the butt is 10 inches.  Based on that, I'd say a 20 inch fish.  When you say girth, does that mean circumference?

[gim]

Its almost always easier and safer to measure the fish rather than weighing it anyways.  Measure it and you'll still get a pretty accurate estimated weight, and get her back in the water.  Nice fish

[WRB]

31 minutes ago, LionHeart said:

Interesting.  Thanks.  From the trigger of this rod, to the butt is 10 inches.  Based on that, I'd say a 20 inch fish.  When you say girth, does that mean circumference?

Measurement around the widest body area with the dorsal fin down. Length is measure with the fish laying flat, mouth closed to end of the tail down the center.

Unknown girth use 75% of the length for average body mass fish.

20" length, 75% of 20 is 15.

20 X 20 X 15 = 6,000 divided by 1200 = 5 lbs.

Tom

[LionHeart]

Tom you are full of helpful tips.  Thanks

[Sam]

  they're like Twinkies.

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Posted December 20, 2016

http://www.bassresource.com/bassfishing/fishcalculator.html

This is the formula I use:

 

• Bassaholic
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Posted December 20, 2016

I was watching Bill Dance's show the other night and he was talking about a way to estimate a fish's weight only by length. Here's what he explained...the fish is 20" multiply 20x20x20 then divide by 1600. Always divide by 1600. I was wondering if anyone has tried this and if it's fairly accurate. I caught a nice one last year and went to weigh it and my batteries were dead in my scale! If this is fairly accurate it would be pretty handy since most fisherman have a ruler. I don't carry a tape to do the length/girth formula (although I guess I should if I want a replica mount). I haven't tried it yet (iced out in Michigan) and wondering if anyone has?

[LionHeart]

Thanks for all the advice guys.  From now on, I will at the very least get measurements if I don't have a scale.  

 

Argh, I think I can say this is my PB,  but I'll never know for sure what it weighs.   Kinda painful.  

[LOZSteve]

Those formulas are going to be reasonably accurate but agree with Tom getting the girth is important. I caught a 20 inch spotted bass last weekend and it weighed 5.43lbs. 

[scaleface]

I'm going tp  guess 5 to 6 lbs . Thats a healthy looking bass .

[N Florida Mike]

Around 5 pounds.

[Deleted account]

Yeah, call it 5. Congratulations on the PB. We say that fish "carries it girth", as in its stocky all the way to the tail. We see that in some striped bass more than others. We can have 2 the same length and girth, that vary by several pounds. Good looking fish. Next time though, just say 12?, and barter down to 6...

[Hyrule Bass]

it wouldnt take up much space or weight, or take much special care, to carry a spring scale of some sort with you. i have a spring scale with a hanging hook, but its harder to use on bigger fish hooking them under the gills, and i dont like the idea of poking a hole in their lips. last year i upgraded to a knock off boga grip style scale that has grippers instead. just something to think about. some people may frown upon spring scales, though im not sure weigh, i prefer them and often feel more confident in them

 

i would say 5lbs is a fair guess on that fish, but wouldnt go no higher than that, its probably in the 4's somewhere...

[Darren.]

Another "help" is if you can't get the girth, you can

get a reasonable estimate with a measuring tape, 

or you can even carry a collapsible bump board like

this from Frabil and Plano. They're more durable than 

the Hawg Trough many of us use for kayak fishing. I

happen to have one of each. Get the length and est

weight with the chart below.

 

https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p/frabill-expandable-bump-board-16fbluxpndblbmpbrfac/16fbluxpndblbmpbrfac?camp=CSE:DSG_pg53132_ecom_PLA_452&gclid=CjwKCAjw7tfVBRB0EiwAiSYGM3uCIiXQyun4pumk0F3wmXDgJ0SBFAJmPixp0k41_8qqK8J81AScYhoCIOMQAvD_BwE

 

 

[A-Jay]

A-Jay

 

[BrackishBassin]

20 hours ago, LionHeart said:

Thanks for all the advice guys.  From now on, I will at the very least get measurements if I don't have a scale.  

 

Argh, I think I can say this is my PB,  but I'll never know for sure what it weighs.   Kinda painful.  

Had the same thing happen to me in 2016. I carry two scales with me all the time - digital and spring scale. Never again!

[NCbassraider]

Nice fish but there is a good chance it's dead or dying now. Keep them off the ground people.  I'm continually shocked by how many anglers still lay these fish on dirt/grass or marine carpeting.  

[LionHeart]

58 minutes ago, NCbassraider said:

Nice fish but there is a good chance it's dead or dying now. Keep them off the ground people.  I'm continually shocked by how many anglers still lay these fish on dirt/grass or marine carpeting.  

I can't help but feel like you're over reacting.  At least I hope so.  Would be a real shame if I killed this fish just to get a picture.  Will seriously look into this and act accordingly.

[soflabasser]

13 hours ago, Darren. said:

 

This seems like a decent chart to help a fisherman guess the weight of a bass based only on length but its off with bass that are thinner or thicker than normal. For example, I have caught double digit bass that where barely 25-26" but they where very thick( potbelly+ thick frame all the way to the tail) and caught bass in the 24-25" range that barely weighed 5 pounds( very skinny bass in the Everglades). I would at least get a length and girth measurement if I did not have a digital scale with me.

[WRB]

1 hour ago, LionHeart said:

I can't help but feel like you're over reacting.  At least I hope so.  Would be a real shame if I killed this fish just to get a picture.  Will seriously look into this and act accordingly.

Don't over react to someone thinking "laying" a bass on grass or dirt will kill the bass.

Big difference between carefully handling bass and mishandling bass by bouncing them into a boat onto carpet and letting flip around scrubbing of slim coat, a common practice that can introduce bacteria  into the skin.

I believe you are handling the bass with care from your photos. Just remember to get the bass back into water within about 1 to 2 minutes.

Tom

[Darren.]

8 hours ago, soflabasser said:

This seems like a decent chart to help a fisherman guess the weight of a bass based only on length but its off with bass that are thinner or thicker than normal. For example, I have caught double digit bass that where barely 25-26" but they where very thick( potbelly+ thick frame all the way to the tail) and caught bass in the 24-25" range that barely weighed 5 pounds( very skinny bass in the Everglades). I would at least get a length and girth measurement if I did not have a digital scale with me.

You're absolutely right, that's why I couched it with "est",

and "if you can't get the girth". It'll at least put it in a range.

 

I've caught bass that did not match the chart, as well, which

is why I try to always bring a scale or two.

 

Interestingly, there are many other charts I found on the web

years back when I was looking for one, that were for bass in

specific states. They varied a bit from the more general one

I posted (can't remember where I got it from).

[NCbassraider]

21 hours ago, LionHeart said:

I can't help but feel like you're over reacting.  At least I hope so.  Would be a real shame if I killed this fish just to get a picture.  Will seriously look into this and act accordingly.

It's not over reacting, they are made to be in water, not laying on dirt or marine carpeting.  Simply handling them with dry hands puts them in danger of infections that can lead to death. 

 

The slime you feel on your hands after handling them is the very thin coating that protects their scales and skin from bacterial infections.

 

Many "old schoolers" will tell you this is an over reaction, however they are most likely just trying to justify their lifetime of mishandling fish.  Not every mishandled fish will die but some will and that should be enough to make us all respect the fish. 

 

There is plenty of info and studies out there so look for yourself.  I tag and transfer bass on my property and have seen the progression of infections on mishandled fish.  It is a slow process.  Some recover, many don't.