Any engineers/entrepreneurs in the house?

[Swamp Girl]

I love my hog trough measuring board, but it only measures length. How about a combo measuring board/weight scale? You set the fish on the board and it gives you the weight as you note its length. Better for the fish since it shortens the whole process!

[gim]

I almost exclusively use a hawg trough now too.  I bought one in July and since I fish solo a fair amount, I take photos of them laying in it for proof, like you do.  I am in a work fishing contest every year too, and a photo is required of the length or weight as evidence.  These are the criteria we use in that contest.  Its something my office has done now for 26 years.  If you look at the chart of qualifying fish, its based on region and species.  For example, the top entry is largemouth bass.  In region 1, they are listed as 6.5 pounds/22 inches.  Smallmouth bass is 5 pounds/20 inches.  A fish of this size in this species is what we use as 100%, so you can go from there based on simple math.

 

https://www.in-fisherman.com/content/master-angler/375360

 

Obviously the weight to length ratio is going to vary based on what time of year it is, but this chart we have used for 26 years now seems to be pretty accurate in terms of weight/length comparison.

 

Disclaimer: I am not an engineer.  Additionally, in case you're wondering, I have two entries in 2022.  A 20 inch largemouth and a 35 inch tiger muskie.  They both score above 90% (I won't even submit an entry below 90%).

[WRB]

Length alone doesn’t factor In girth to determine mass. Smallmouth tend to have less girth to length on average.

My formula is Length x Length x Girth divided by 1200 = weight in pounds. Measurement must be accurate with mouth closed to end of tail. Girth is around the the widest area dorsal fin down. Calculator is needed.

The average bass girth is approximately 75% of the length.

Tom

 

[Scott F]

You know, that back in the olden’ days, there was already a device that did that in almost everyone’s tackle box. It wasn’t digital or even very accurate. It was called a De-liar Had a bad scale and a measuring tape.

 

[Swamp Girl]

New question: How many of you would buy a trough board that also electronically weighed your fish?

 

I sure would. 

[A-Jay]

6 minutes ago, Scott F said:

You know, that back in the olden’ days, there was already a device that did that in almost everyone’s tackle box. It wasn’t digital or even very accurate. It was called a De-liar Had a bad scale and a measuring tape.

 

I had one of those things as well.

Would love to know who came up with that funky little hook deal.

#useless

The not for legal trade disclaimer is solid though.

A-Jay

 

[Scott F]

7 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

New question: How many of you would buy a trough board that also electronically weighed your fish?

 

I sure would. 

I’ve measured many fish on a bump board over the years but haven’t weighed one in more than 30 years. I have no use for a scale.

[Darth-Baiter]

nope..not unless it adds about 2/3lbs.

[Swamp Girl]

There's this. If you added a trough board to something similar, you could sell it for about $30:

 

https://www.homedepot.com/pep/Ozeri-Precision-Pro-White-Stainless-Steel-Digital-Kitchen-Scale-with-Oversized-Weighing-Platform-ZK011/203725596?g_store=&source=shoppingads&locale=en-US&&mtc=SHOPPING-BF-HDH-GGL-D59H-029_029_HOUSEWARES-NA-Multi-NA-SMART-NA-NA-NA-NA-NBR-NA-NA-NA-kitchen_tools_smart_pla_test&cm_mmc=SHOPPING-BF-HDH-GGL-D59H-029_029_HOUSEWARES-NA-Multi-NA-SMART-NA-NA-NA-NA-NBR-NA-NA-NA-kitchen_tools_smart_pla_test-71700000087623968-58700007447146479-92700068477512577&gclid=Cj0KCQjwqoibBhDUARIsAH2OpWhYOnNr4XMIRF395vOxbvjx7zEbEBK7iab9TlblGsl6xyR-J2n5QO8aAo3jEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

[WRB]

3 hours ago, ol'crickety said:

New question: How many of you would buy a trough board that also electronically weighed your fish?

 

I sure would. 

Digital flat kitchen/food scale (22 lbs) and use double stick tape to hold to your board, zero the tar.

Tom

[MN Fisher]

4 hours ago, Scott F said:

You know, that back in the olden’ days, there was already a device that did that in almost everyone’s tackle box. It wasn’t digital or even very accurate. It was called a De-liar Had a bad scale and a measuring tape.

I finally tossed mine during the 'Great Tackle Sort' of 2019.

[TnRiver46]

12 hours ago, ol'crickety said:

New question: How many of you would buy a trough board that also electronically weighed your fish?

 

I sure would. 

I certainly would not. I’ve fried almost 100% of anything electrical while fishing. The only thing I’ve found that won’t fry in the rain is a depth finder. I even got water inside my trolling motor foot and fried it 

 

 

also factor in that I’m a cheapskate 

[J Francho]

Displacement is the wave of the future.

[gim]

Regardless of whether you weigh or measure your fish, if you prefer to weight them, please don't use the metal j hook.  Use a clamp.  The metal hook that comes with some of them (including the one @Scott F referenced above) is very unsafe for the fish.  If you have one with a hook, get a clamp for it like @MN Fisher does.  I've seen fish wiggle off the metal j hook and smack down on the floor or ground and kill themselves, stone dead.  Now you have a big fish you just caught and killed by accident.

[MN Fisher]

26 minutes ago, gimruis said:

If you have one with a hook, get a clamp for it like @MN Fisher does. 

And don't just hook the clamp on - replace the hook with the clamp

[Deleted account]

14 hours ago, Scott F said:

You know, that back in the olden’ days, there was already a device that did that in almost everyone’s tackle box. It wasn’t digital or even very accurate. It was called a De-liar Had a bad scale and a measuring tape.

 

 

I love how guys use spring scales by reading it, pressing down on it, and then releasing it slowly to maximize reading, see it all the time with the Boga scales, I might patent after market already rusty springs...

[casts_by_fly]

14 hours ago, ol'crickety said:

New question: How many of you would buy a trough board that also electronically weighed your fish?

 

I sure would. 

nope. I have a scale and I have a tape measure printed on my paddle. I have no use for a board. Most Anything 18” and under isn’t getting weighed. I’ll weigh a couple early in the season to calibrate my brain but that’s it. I’m fine with a length. Bigger fish get both, but they rest in the water in the net for a minute or two to relax after the fight while I pull out the scale and/or camera. 

[TnRiver46]

25 minutes ago, Deleted account said:

 

I love how guys use spring scales by reading it, pressing down on it, and then releasing it slowly to maximize reading, see it all the time with the Boga scales, I might patent after market already rusty springs...

I can rust them myself thank you very much 

[Deleted account]

2 hours ago, J Francho said:

Displacement is the wave of the future.

So togas and orgies too?...

[Swamp Girl]

It appears I will be my only customer. Of course, my Dual Scale 5000 also comes with a free jet pack, but it's too late for any of you to get aboard this boat.

 

[Choporoz]

I understand that some might value that.  I carry a board and a scale in my kayak without too much trouble. The scale really only comes out when they push past 21".

[TnRiver46]

If only the fish would hold still and close their mouth when they lay on that board. Can you engineer such a fish? 
 

I honestly would like to fish in some kayak tournaments but I don’t see any way on gods green earth to get a good enough picture to submit 

[Bankc]

There are a few problems I see with this idea.  One, the water is often moving, so your boat is often moving.  It's hard to get that kind of scale to measure anything with accuracy as the scales is moving up and down or side to side against the momentum of the plate on top.  The kind you hold work better because you'll naturally counteract much of that with your hands.  Two, for those types of scales to be accurate, they have to be level.  And finding and maintaining level in a boat won't be easy.  And three, those types of scales work best when the weight is directly over the center.  When you combine it with a measuring plate, you'll always want to put the head of the fish in the same area.  So small fish will be centered on one side, and larger fish will be centered over the other.  The kind where the fish hang below the scale is always centered, assuming you're holding the scale correctly.  And lastly, they're going to be kind of bulky and not as easily stored out of the way when not in use.

 

I'm not saying in theory that it couldn't work.  Some of maybe all of these problems could be engineered around.  Like perhaps you could introduce a gimbal to the system to keep it level, stable, and upright, like they've done with compasses in ships for centuries.  In its most basic form, it would probably work fine for personal use.  But I don't see how you'd be able to get the accuracy or consistency needed for tournaments without increasing the price to something far beyond what's currently out there.  

[gim]

36 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

I honestly would like to fish in some kayak tournaments but I don’t see any way on gods green earth to get a good enough picture to submit 

@Bluebasser86 chronicles his kayak tournaments pretty well.  Obviously there is some minor subjectivity involved in these photos, but they must count since they are submitted properly.

 

Until this season, I was just using a standard metal measuring board (top photo). I switched to a hawg trough in July.  I can say for a fact that they fish lays in there pretty nice for me to snap a quick photo - certainly a lot better than they did just laying on a slippery metal board.  I selected a white one with black numbers so its as visible as possible.  My previous board had numbers that were difficult to see.  These fish are almost exactly the same length.  But the bottom one with the white board and black numbers is clear.

[TnRiver46]

13 minutes ago, gimruis said:

@Bluebasser86 chronicles his kayak tournaments pretty well.  Obviously there is some minor subjectivity involved in these photos, but they must count since they are submitted properly.

Yeah he’s pretty good at it! 
 

ive got a buddy that has fished bass boat tournaments for years. He tried a kayak tourney and said taking the pics was way too much work haha