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Posts: 2865
Location: Brookfield, WI | I have to say I really enjoy the fat fish and skinny fish threads. Great pictures. A contrast like Laurel and Hardy. I know the standard for fish size in today's catch and release world is length, but when I see pictures, I can't help wondering how much the fish weigh. Especially the really fat and the javelin skinny ones. I'm aware of the LxGxG/800 formula, and would like to know how people feel about the formula and its results. I notice not many people include a formula estimated weight when talking about their catches. Obviously, if a length and girth are mentioned, a reader can do his own calculations, but it seems kind of weird to me that so few people talk about weight. How big is the margin for error using this formula? Since some fish are fatter for a longer part of their bodies it doesn't seem like it would be too accurate. What's the history of the formula's development? Who determined this formula would be the best to apply to a fish's body shape?
I'm also surprised there isn't a net with a built-in scale. Or maybe there is. It seems the Frabil Cradle would function well for this type of thing, and I think there's been studies that prove musky fisherman will buy almost anything.
Kevin
A climb out of the depths of ignorance requires a good plan. |
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Location: Des Moines IA | The formula is nowhere near actually being accurate. That's probably why nobody reallt posts the formulated weight. The cradle needs some reinforcment to use as a scale, but it could be done. I might just look into the Weight/Cradle idea. |
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| Good evening me young Jedi...next time yer on the east coast(Va), I'll show you how the formula began...a quick trip to the beach in the spring will reveal a wide variety of body and head shapes!  Pods of 'em floppin' all over the sand...  |
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Posts: 2865
Location: Brookfield, WI | Sponge
I don't know how accurate this formula would be if utilized on these creatures of which you speak. But if there's pods of them and we could get enough of them measured and girthed, maybe the data set would be sufficient to adequately test the system.
I tried the formula on myself and if my math was correct, I lost seventy pounds since yesterday. I think I'll have some ice cream.
Kevin
Plan
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| Best way to capture a few "specimens" here is to throw some Pop Tarts at the tide line and corner 'em when they gather to feed. You can also cast net 'em from a surfboard as they bob in the beach break and drag 'em to shore, but they tend to tire more quickly on land, making for an easier measure...as for the more serious aspect of yer question, I've never tried the formula, but also agree that there's gotta be a margin of error involved... |
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Posts: 1023
Location: Lafayette, IN | As far as estimates on weight are concerned, just remember Sponger.....The only time an angler is telling the truth is when they're calling another angler a "Liar!" (heh heh!)
(great to see your cyber face, Sponge) |
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Posts: 2865
Location: Brookfield, WI | Does the effectiveness of the Pop Tarts vary by flavor? Are some flavors better in early summer while a different flavor presentation might be more effective later in the year? Would they gather and feed on home made pieces of pie or chocolate chip cookies, or are the commercially produced presentations most effective? Questions lead to more questions in my search for knowledge. The force is strong within me, but I am late to my training. About 30 years late.
I'm afraid I gave away my Frabil Cradle/Scale idea. Mike from Team Rumbleknot, if this net is the hot new product at next year's show for the newly formed Rumbleknot Tackle Co., I would expect one for free. A new Tuffy would be nice also.
Kevin
The plan's scope of research has expanded.
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| And great to see you again Dawg! Being 1/3 retired allows one a tad more time to ponder and wander...
Indeed the research has expanded; the most popular flavor thus far has been Cherry or Strawberry, but the results have been slanted to a degree due to the fact that I ingest the Blueberry PTs meself. So far the commercial brands of pogy bait have worked well, as they are more easily obtained and less expensive. This spring we hope to include nabs and or saltines as bait to save even more money, but I'm worried the gulls will beat the "big girls" to the offerings. The larger females are slower and don't fight as hard, but often times they are quite oily and require a beach towel thrown over them to calm them down before measuring. I'm thinking we could invent some type of hoist sling that would allow accurate weighing/measuring of the specimen w/out doing the creature harm. Perhaps design a beach model w/ fat tires, and a clamp on version for boats? This would enable one to take detailed measurements, obtain an accurate weight, and provide a variety of photo opportunities, all the while ensuring a happy and safe release. An inexpensive spray bottle could be utilized to keep the specimen moist during the process, and perhaps a gill mounted breathing apparatus would be feasible also. A vitamin enriched "formula" would compliment the procedure, and perhaps make some of you basement inventors a wealthy peep by summers' end...please join MH in his quest for knowledge!  |
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Posts: 2865
Location: Brookfield, WI | Here in Milwaukee, Johnsonville brats would probably work well to gather the big girls in the Lake Michigan surf. Before the links are separated it could work as a long line. Buckets of sauerkraut may even lure them right out of the water. On the beach, a half barrel of Miller would work as the moistening agent. They don't congregate in the shallows here like they used to, however, due to the tons of raw sewage released into the water after every heavy rain from this area's famous deep tunnel project. Heavy duty measuring equipment is a must for Great Lakes big girls. So heavy duty in fact, that the project may warrant the attention of the Army Corps of Engineers.
Kevin
Planning is fun. |
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Rookie Questions II