New gear!

[MN Fisher]

13 hours ago, gimruis said:

If you insist on using a scale, please don’t use one with a metal j hook. Use a clamp.

Yep - the 'cheap' scale I got had the hook....removed that and replaced it with a carabiner holding a Rapala lip-grip.

 

Like @A-Jay - my scale is part of my checklist before going out.

[king fisher]

If you want to stretch the size of your bass, don't have a scale.  If you don't want to be called a liar, have a scale.

[Dwight Hottle]

1 hour ago, king fisher said:

If you want to stretch the size of your bass, don't have a scale.  If you don't want to be called a liar, have a scale.

 

That's why the most popular scale from the past was called a de-liar made by Zebco

[gim]

3 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

I'd venture a guess that laying fish down to measure them thus removing some slime coat is more invasive than a quick weight using a clamp style

I don’t think so. I can assure you that I can measure a fish on my hawg trough at least twice as fast as you can weigh a fish with an electronic scale. While your waiting for that thing to turn on and zero out, my fish is already back in the water.

 

But if you think a scale is an essential piece of equipment that you can’t catch fish without, don’t leave home without it.

[AlabamaSpothunter]

21 minutes ago, gimruis said:

I don’t think so. I can assure you that I can measure a fish on my hawg trough at least twice as fast as you can weigh a fish with an electronic scale. While your waiting for that thing to turn on and zero out, my fish is already back in the water.

 

But if you think a scale is an essential piece of equipment that you can’t catch fish without, don’t leave home without it.

To be fair, I don't think a scale has a thing to do with catching Bass.   

 

A scale and camera have never caught me a Bass, however both tools have allowed caught Bass to remain in my memory in more vivid details than without them.   

 

I think every person in this thread respects and does everything in their power to release Bass in the fastest, least invasive manner they can.   I'm not calling out those who measure fish, simply pointing out the fact that measuring and weighing are both invasive procedures for the fish.   I think both play little to no real harm in the long run for these fish.   

[T-Billy]

A-Jay does a great job of showing a good way to go about it in his videos. Land, unhook, back into the net/water while readying the scale and camera, weigh, pic, release unharmed.

[AlabamaSpothunter]

6 minutes ago, T-Billy said:

A-Jay does a great job of showing a good way to go about it in his videos. Land, unhook, back into the net/water while readying the scale and camera, weigh, pic, release unharmed.

Agreed, and I love that rubber mat he uses.   

 

I use an oversized net for just that reason.   I do need to upgrade it to a rubber one in time.  

[NYWayfarer]

16 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Agreed, and I love that rubber mat he uses.   

 

I use an oversized net for just that reason.   I do need to upgrade it to a rubber one in time.  

That rubber mat protects the boat carpet as well ?

[A-Jay]

18 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Agreed, and I love that rubber mat he uses.   

 

I use an oversized net for just that reason.   I do need to upgrade it to a rubber one in time.  

 

1 hour ago, NYWayfarer said:

That rubber mat protects the boat carpet as well ?  Especially from Pike Slime !

Thanks dudes ~

That silicone mat is 24 x 16 inch 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08LVSB8SL/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

A-Jay

 

[T-Billy]

20 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

I use an oversized net for just that reason

Same here. Mine is 30" deep. It's easy to hang it over the gunnel and keep the fish in the water while readying the scale and camera. The musky I've caught in warm water since getting this net have really benefitted. They get to recover while setting up the camera tripod. Come release time they're off like a rocket. This net works well for smaller musky up to about 3'. I just bought a 48" deep net to carry once the water cools a bit more and they flood the shallows. They love A-rigs and spinnerbaits. Having a large net appropriate for them will benefit both myself and the fish. It's kind of a PITA to carry in a 1648 boat though, so I'll only be taking it during the cool water periods when those big toothy critters are more likely to target my baits. 

[gim]

17 minutes ago, T-Billy said:

It's kind of a PITA to carry in a 1648 boat though

I can confirm this as I have a 17.5 ft boat and a full size muskie net is large and cumbersome. But I fish by myself a fair amount and it is a MUST to land, unhook, and safely release a sizable pike or muskie.

 

My Grandpa gave it to me before he died of cancer in 2012 so it has some sentimental value too.

[AlabamaSpothunter]

Just now, T-Billy said:

Same here. Mine is 30" deep. It's easy to hang it over the gunnel and keep the fish in the water while readying the scale and camera. The musky I've caught in warm water since getting this net have really benefitted. They get to recover while setting up the camera tripod. Come release time they're off like a rocket. This net works well for smaller musky up to about 3'. I just bought a 48" deep net to carry once the water cools a bit more and they flood the shallows. They love A-rigs and spinnerbaits. Having a large net appropriate for them will benefit both myself and the fish. It's kind of a PITA to carry in a 1648 boat though, so I'll only be taking it during the cool water periods when those big toothy critters are more likely to target my baits. 

I've never caught a single one of those toothy fish.    A Musky is on my bucket list fish.   

[Swamp Girl]

Be careful what you wish for, Alex. Muskies are scary! Their baleful glare boatside is just the beginning Then then there's tendency to strike a foot from the boat. And they leap like smallmouth. What's even scarier are the damage reports, i.e. the stories that musky-fishers tell of the damage musky lures have done to them. When I fished muskies from a canoe, my approach was to never bring a fish into the boat. The bonus is that they're no healthier release for a musky than a full water release. 

 

T-Billy, I like when fishers share tips on protecting the fish we love. 

[T-Billy]

4 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

Be careful what you wish for, Alex. Muskies are scary! Their baleful glare boatside is just the beginning Then then there's tendency to strike a foot from the boat. And they leap like smallmouth. What's even scarier are the damage reports, i.e. the stories that musky-fishers tell of the damage musky lures have done to them. When I fished muskies from a canoe, my approach was to never bring a fish into the boat. The bonus is that they're no healthier release for a musky than a full water release. 

 

T-Billy, I like when fishers share tips on protecting the fish we love. 

It gets REALLY interesting when you have one boatside on an A-Rig. Big angry fish with a mouthfull of teeth AND all those 4/0 swimbait hooks swinging around. They also like to play possum, then go ballistic when you least expect it. Most of the bass fishers around here despise them. I dig 'em and enjoy catching the occasional one while bass fishing.

 They love ned rigs right after ice out, and are happy to take you for a half hour ride!!! Interesting thing is, as long as the bait is on bottom, they tend to nip it and get hooked in the tip of the snout. I caught 7 out of 9 one day on a ned, 6# XT, with the biggest landed being 38". This is that 38".  It was a fatty.

My current PB. 46" caught on a tube and 15# XT.

 

 

[Deleted account]

On 9/17/2022 at 11:18 AM, king fisher said:

If you want to stretch the size of your bass, don't have a scale.  If you don't want to be called a liar, have a scale.

LOL. Bass guy after they get a scale "That can't be right!"...

[LrgmouthShad]

21 minutes ago, Deleted account said:

LOL. Bass guy after they get a scale "That can't be right!"...

Ain’t caught enough bass. I’m usually close enough. 

[Swamp Girl]

Tim, my biggest was 47", which isn't big to most serious musky fishers, for their cut-off is 50" and 47" is a long way, weight-wise, from 50". 

Quote

They also like to play possum, then go ballistic when you least expect it

Heck, yeah, they do! As I nuzzle them up to my canoe, they're closer, "Closer, closer. Just a little bit closer and I unleash wet Heck!"