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Posts: 7119
Location: Northwest Chicago Burbs | Kind of wondering what all of you do in terms of measurement on whatever you consider a "good fish". Meaning, a larger size fish of the fish you catch. Use your own definition of what that might mean. |
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Posts: 699
Location: Hugo, MN | I use a stick and if the fish were large enough I might take a Girth Measurement but it's rare . . . guess I need to catch more big fish :-0 |
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Posts: 556
| I use a floating stick---I also carry a soft cloth measuring tape in case I should need a girth measurment---I plan on using this if I should EVER catch a fish that I would want a repo of--No such luck yet.
Edited by esox911 8/22/2009 6:47 AM
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| do you know cradle measurement??
imho nothing is more gentle on the fish than a cradle |
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Posts: 462
Location: Antioch, IL | The guys I regularly fish with and I usually just use the floating stick. We do carry a cloth tape in the boat if we want a girth measurement. Unless the fish is over the low 40" range we usually don't measure at all. A guestimate is good enough for fish under that range. |
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Posts: 292
Location: SW MI | If it's a "good" fish. I want a girth measurement so I can approximate weight. |
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Posts: 774
Location: South East Wisconsin | I go with a wet bumpboard.
S.Killips |
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Posts: 2865
Location: Brookfield, WI | Disto. Laser measurement is where it's at. It's the 21st Century. Tapes, sticks, etc. are so 20th Century.
Kevin
Fore |
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Location: Northern Wisconsin | decided to try a bumpboard that i made at home and didnt really like it. when i put the muskys onto the board they shook around and came close to hurting them selves. i think ill just stick to measuring them in the water with a tape. |
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Posts: 90
Location: Ohio | where is the option for counting the teeth?  I just get the length but I haven't caught anything over 42" so noting else matters to me, maybe one of these days I will get a Pig to where I have to get a girth measurement for a replica, then again, maybe not |
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Posts: 32958
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Bump board. |
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Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | The hand or handbreath is good enough for horses, it's good enough for a musky. |
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Posts: 11
| if its a big fish ill measure it with the floating stick while the fish is in the water. and if its a fatty of any length ill get a girth or if i want to get a replica made ill get a girth, but so far no replica quality fish. the smaller fish go on a wet bumpboard real quick then back to the deep they go! |
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Posts: 90
Location: Ohio | Just for quick reference, how many girth measurements need to be taken for a replica? |
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Posts: 149
| Floating stick and even then only if the fish is mid 40's or better. The fish I do measure get done while the fish is in the water being held for release. I do carry a soft tape for girth but have never used it. It would have to be a monster worthy of a replica for me to break out the soft tape.
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Location: Contrarian Island | bumpboard from MuskyLink.com and Brandyn...very well built....truely the most accurate way, no guessing...spot on.
girth fish only once in a while if they are super fat fish in the 45 to 50 range, and once in a while on 50+ inch fish if they are fat and maybe replica worthy....
have only girthed 2 fish this year....both were 50 +
find the fattest spot and measure it
did weight one fish this season just to see, have a 99 lb digital scale that is very very accurate and wanted to see how girth formula worked out...it was right on for that fish..just under 40 lb.
and it wasn't vertically weighed before anyone jumps to conclusions...weighed in the net, no harm to fish.
Edited by BNelson 8/29/2009 6:26 PM
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Posts: 83
| BNelson, What formula did you use for the weight based on girth & length - thanks. |
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Location: Contrarian Island | this one
http://muskie.outdoorsfirst.com/weighit.asp |
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Posts: 392
Location: lake x...where the hell is it? | if its looks under 40 i let it swim out the net without ever being touched. if its a fat fish or good fish i bump and girth it. i always girth it in the water. |
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| If I caught it and there it looks like it could be 50+ then we'll use a wet bump board. Under 50 we just let it swim out of the net. No pics unless it is a special fish because in photos they all look the same. If the partner catches it and wants length, wet bump board. |
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Posts: 829
Location: Maple Grove, MN | Stick in the water for me an doften times not even that.
I have a bump board and used it once. Didn't like it because it took longer to get the fish back in the water and then it took longer for the fish to recover. Normally, no picture or a quick picture and its back into the lake for me and try to catch the next one.
I find that if we spend to much time measuring and taking pictures, then we usually just catch one fish at a time. But by not over-fighting them and releasing the fish quickly, we can often times get back to casting and catch mutliple fish in very short time periods.
I call it "speed catching". Catch as many fish as you can as fast as you can. One needs very quick and good releases to accomplish this and, of course, one has to get into a pack of hungry Muskies. It has happened to me three times this year already when I caught multiple Muskies within minutes of each other. It might not happen again this year and maybe not next year, but then it might happen the next time out. All one can do is try.
Good fishing all. |
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Posts: 133
| I email Lax with this question and they said just one measurement for girth with a couple good photos will suffice. |
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Posts: 177
Location: Cohasset, MN | Measuring tape for an approx length. Not interested in microns. |
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| I use a micrometer for the girth and a set of calipers for the length---'cause I want to be able to say "It was 47-7/8" AND .022" long!" Although many these days are developing an eye good enough to know that even the fish they saw on a follow was 50 AND 1/2", so they have no real need for any measuring device. |
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Location: Contrarian Island | when you catch enough big fish as some do you can get pretty good at guessing lengths of follows....anyone that doesn't think so simply doesn't catch enough...I have a friend who is my age with close to 50 fish over 50 inches..think he might be able to guess a follow pretty darn close? I think so...
though calling a follow to a 1/2" might be a bit extreme... 
still if I see a 50 follow...chances are pretty darn good if I catch it, it will be 50"
just another fyi...we girthed one fish this year at 22.5"...it was 22.5" IN the water and 22.5" OUT of the water...to those that say they are different in or out of the water I have on thing to say....huh?
Edited by BNelson 9/2/2009 10:57 AM
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Posts: 59
| Depends on the water temps. If its cooler water ill take it out for a measurement. If not i try to leave it in the water. |
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| Dollar bill works fine for me. |
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Location: Des Moines IA | You forgot the Frabill Cradle, am I the only guy who uses it anymore? |
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| bump board only way to get a true measurement. I cheated myself out of an inch this year when the tape said 53.5 After the fish sat in the big kahuna awhile I put her on the bump board 52.5 I truly wonder how big some of these fish are that are measured anyway else. Doesn't make that big of a deal when your in the over 50 range. Still a nice fish. Guess I'm to competitive to let an inch slide by. Only girth if obese or well over 50 in water. |
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| "You forgot the Frabill Cradle, am I the only guy who uses it anymore?"
You're probably one of the few who still does, Mike. And for good reasons.
Why use a cradle, when today's big nets are available? You don't have your face down near the lure with a net like you do with a cradle. From everything I've seen, a hook removal is easier. And I think less slime is removed from the fish. |
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Posts: 463
Location: Sw Pennsylvania | MuskieMike - 9/2/2009 10:28 PM
You forgot the Frabill Cradle, am I the only guy who uses it anymore?
Nope your not. Its the easy method for me as i fish alone. Great for big flatheads and carp also.
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