No more guessing!

[agelesssone]

Got tired of guessing the weight of fish so I researched and found some serious quality scales for weighing them.

I have a 15 lb Boga, not foreseeing I'd be striper fishing as much as I do.

The Boga is OK except it doesn't read down to the ounce, only to the 1/4 lb. Big difference between 1/4 lb and 1/2 oz.

I know, people will be thinking "What's the big deal between 4 oz vs 1/2 oz"? We fish tournaments and some tournaments are won or lost by ounces. When you are only allowed to weigh in two stripers, ounces can win or lose for you.

I was fishing with Kent Woods from the Beverly Woods Fishing and Hunting with Kids Foundation creator/administrator last week when he caught a monster crappie. We guessed the weight at 4 lbs....and another boat pulled up and said he had a scale so we weighed it. His Rapala 50 lb digital scale said 2# 5 oz the first time and 2# 11 oz the second time. I have one of these scales ($65.00) and have found it to be inaccurate as hell, rarely giving the same reading twice.

Later that day, Kent took it to a friend that has a supposedly certified scale and the fish purportedly weighed 3# 10 oz. I wasn't there, I don't know the scale.

So, doing some research, I found this Brecknell Electro Samson handheld scale, guaranteed to be accurate to within 1/2 oz up to 55 lbs. How will I know if it's accurate or not? I'll have to weigh something and then have it weighed on a certified grocers scale, I suppose.

But until then, I will go with the guarantee that it is accurate....hopefully more accurate than the Rapala model. Only saving grace is the fish gripper on the Rapala. BUT, there are a lot of grippers out there that cost less than $65.00!

[Reel Tune]

Very interesting, I'd like to see how this works out as I also use the Boga, but like Merv says it only gets you so close, and with smaller fish you need to know every ounce to be accurate.

[TNBronzeback]

Thats some good info there. ive always had some doubt about the spring style scales and thier accuracy and i have that berkley sclae myself and ive never got the same reading twice while weighing the same object as a test.
Sadly the 55# scale would do me no good striper fishing as i have never boated one less than 56#. LMAO!
The struggle is real felllas, im sure you all feel bad for me.

[SaltySportsmanTV]

Good point, I'm all about digital scales and accurate #'s too. I have a digital scale not sure of the brand off the top but I'd be willing to test it next to what you have Merv just out of curiosity.
I dig the accuracy as you said. The question that comes to my mind is... with digital scales is are they as accurate in extreme weather conditions? I mean I know batteries are affected by weather, but I just wonder...?

[SaltySportsmanTV]

Thats some good info there. ive always had some doubt about the spring style scales and thier accuracy and i have that berkley sclae myself and ive never got the same reading twice while weighing the same object as a test.
Sadly the 55# scale would do me no good striper fishing as i have never boated one less than 56#. LMAO!
The struggle is real felllas, im sure you all feel bad for me.
Nice, I have extreme sadness overflowing for you lol...#loveIt

[spottedbass]

Merv, how are you going to over come the small hook on that scale. Hard to get the small of a hook to hold a striper so you can weigh it. I have a scale like that but the small hook makes it very difficult and at times almost impossible to use.

[agelesssone]

LOL, I just make sure I don't catch any big fish!

[agelesssone]

I just weighed a 1/2 ounce spoon.....the scale showed 1/2 oz.
Now when Mike Ernst or Jeremy Meier go fishing with me, we can finally weigh their catches!

[TNBronzeback]

I just weighed a 1/2 ounce spoon.....the scale showed 1/2 oz.
Now when Mike Ernst or Jeremy Meier go fishing with me, we can finally weigh their catches!

Thats a pretty solid burn there....not much to be said after that! LOL

[eksfish]

I've always liked my guesses!

[agelesssone]

OK, research is done, such as it is.

I tested the three scales that I have that are digital. The Boga didn't make the digital cut....plus it's only a fifteen pounder.

Here are the three contenders.

Brecknell Electro Samson...0-55 lbs...guaranteed to 1/2 ounce. $80.00 plus shipping.

WalMart luggage scale...0-88 lbs....no guarantee...$15.00

Rapala 50 lb digital scale w/gripper... 0-50 lbs...no guarantee....$65.00 plus shipping.

I used a purported 15 lb dumbbell as a test weight. I tied a string to it with a loop in it so I could hang it from all three scales.

I then hung each scale from a rafter in my garage.

Testing the Brecknell first I came up with 15 lbs 5.5 ounces, 15 lbs 5.5 ounces and 15 lbs 5,5 ounces. Very consistent.

Next up was the WalMart luggage scale...15 lbs 6 ounces, 15 lbs 6 ounces, and 15 lbs 5 ounces. Also pretty consistent.

Last was the Rapala 50 lb digital scale w/gripper...15 lbs 1 ounce, 15 lbs 1 ounce, 15 lbs .8 ounce also consistent (albeit it a little lower than the other two).

There is no calibration mechanisms on any of these scales.

My problem with the Rapala is during the summer I would get inconsistent readings on it, varying as much as 20 percent. I lost faith in it and relegated it to the storage locker on the boat. At that time the WalMart special was my "go to" scale.

Neither the WalMart in Hendersonville nor the one in Rivergate, Madison have the luggage scales. You have to order them through WalMart.

All three are susceptible to moisture so if you have one or get one, keep them out of the rain. I've gotten my WalMart scale wet numerous times and each time, I remove the battery ASAP and put the scale on a heat vent in the house and let it dry out for a coupla days before I re-battery it and turn it on. It has come back to life every time.

One of these days, I will try upping the weight by using one of my 35 lb dumbbells and see how they stack up at higher weights.

[Reel Tune]

I just weighed a 1/2 ounce spoon.....the scale showed 1/2 oz.
Now when Mike Ernst or Jeremy Meier go fishing with me, we can finally weigh their catches!


I've always wanted to get an accurate weight on my infamous catches:)

[Heiny57]

REALLY,,,,,,,,, a picture of a scale, and NOT a three pound crappie????? LOL

I haven't had the need to weight things that close.😞

[agelesssone]

I didn't post a picture of the fish because the article was about scale, not a certain fish.
Since I didn't take the picture with my phone, but used the camera of the fisherman who caught the fish, I don't have the photo. But I will have him send it to me and I will post it here in this thread....soon. He is on a deer hunting trip now and may not get me the photo very quickly.

[SAMBOLIE]

It seems you are still guessing.

Three scales and 3 different weights. Even the 15 lbs rating of the weight must be incorrect.

How do you know which scale is closer to correct? Could be the Rapala since it reads closer to 15 lbs.

How accurate are the tournament scales?

[agelesssone]

Here are the photos of the scales tested and the fish in question. The crappie measured 18 inches and was fairly chunky.

Pictured is the fisherman who caught the fish, Kent Woods Jr. He is also the creator and administrator of the Beverly Woods Fishing and Hunting With Kids Foundation.

@Sambolie, I would tend to believe the scale that is guaranteed to be within 1/2 ounce.

Our tournament catches are weighed on a verified certified scale and all fish are weighed on the same scale so we believe they are accurate.


http://s1276.photobucket.com/user/agelesssone/media/3803d3e8-94a2-4909-84f0-f2e4f425c255_zpsdipqpsau.jpg.html?state=copy&sp=false

http://s1276.photobucket.com/user/agelesssone/media/Kent%20Woods%20Jr%203-10_zpsnactmsms.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

[agelesssone]

Merv, how are you going to over come the small hook on that scale. Hard to get the small of a hook to hold a striper so you can weigh it. I have a scale like that but the small hook makes it very difficult and at times almost impossible to use.

I have the hooks on the scales sharpened to a point so it will penetrate the jaw. No more damage to the fish than does the hook when catching the fish.

[tacklemake]

If you use that plastic holder that locks on the lower jaw then hook your scale in that.It holds the fish tightly without harming the fish..............woody

[XxthejuicexX]

Dang thats a big crappie!

[Alphahawk]

That's a freaking pig of a crappie.

Regards


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[agelesssone]

Yes it is. He's also got a 4#.0 and a 4# 1 oz'er on his wall, all caught from the same lake.

[XxthejuicexX]

Those are some big fillets! You eat those, right?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[agelesssone]

If I caught it, it would be back in the lake after a few photos.
I no longer have the urge to mount fish or deer or anything else for that matter.
I couldn't eat one that big, with a clear conscience. I'd rather have the genes in the lake.

[XxthejuicexX]

If I caught it, it would be back in the lake after a few photos.
I no longer have the urge to mount fish or deer or anything else for that matter.
I couldn't eat one that big, with a clear conscience. I'd rather have the genes in the lake.

I agree, I would probably throw it back too. I don't have a single fish mounted. I have never caught anything I deemed worthy of mounting.

[TNBronzeback]

I agree, I would probably throw it back too. I don't have a single fish mounted. I have never caught anything I deemed worthy of mounting.
X2! lol

[Heiny57]

Holy crap that is a big crappie. :eek::eek:

[Headhunter]

OK, research is done, such as it is.

I tested the three scales that I have that are digital. The Boga didn't make the digital cut....plus it's only a fifteen pounder.

Here are the three contenders.

Brecknell Electro Samson...0-55 lbs...guaranteed to 1/2 ounce. $80.00 plus shipping.

WalMart luggage scale...0-88 lbs....no guarantee...$15.00

Rapala 50 lb digital scale w/gripper... 0-50 lbs...no guarantee....$65.00 plus shipping.

I used a purported 15 lb dumbbell as a test weight. I tied a string to it with a loop in it so I could hang it from all three scales.

I then hung each scale from a rafter in my garage.

Testing the Brecknell first I came up with 15 lbs 5.5 ounces, 15 lbs 5.5 ounces and 15 lbs 5,5 ounces. Very consistent.

Next up was the WalMart luggage scale...15 lbs 6 ounces, 15 lbs 6 ounces, and 15 lbs 5 ounces. Also pretty consistent.

Last was the Rapala 50 lb digital scale w/gripper...15 lbs 1 ounce, 15 lbs 1 ounce, 15 lbs .8 ounce also consistent (albeit it a little lower than the other two).

There is no calibration mechanisms on any of these scales.

My problem with the Rapala is during the summer I would get inconsistent readings on it, varying as much as 20 percent. I lost faith in it and relegated it to the storage locker on the boat. At that time the WalMart special was my "go to" scale.

Neither the WalMart in Hendersonville nor the one in Rivergate, Madison have the luggage scales. You have to order them through WalMart.

All three are susceptible to moisture so if you have one or get one, keep them out of the rain. I've gotten my WalMart scale wet numerous times and each time, I remove the battery ASAP and put the scale on a heat vent in the house and let it dry out for a coupla days before I re-battery it and turn it on. It has come back to life every time.

One of these days, I will try upping the weight by using one of my 35 lb dumbbells and see how they stack up at higher weights.

As far as I know, the IGFA will certify the Bogas to weigh world record catches. Bet the ones you tested won't make that cut.

[agelesssone]

As far as I know, the IGFA will certify the Bogas to weigh world record catches. Bet the ones you tested won't make that cut.

I seriously doubt I'll catch any world records.

[Headhunter]

I seriously doubt I'll catch any world records.

to me nothing to with catching world records, everything to do with if they are accurate for world records per the IGFA, then should be accurate enough to keep whoever uses them honest.

[Reel Tune]

I seriously doubt I'll catch any world records.

Not that I plan on catching a record of any sort, but for the past 3 years we have made the trip to South Florida to get both of our Bogas Certified. It's more of a piece of mind than anything, and donate to a good cause.

[agelesssone]

Not that I plan on catching a record of any sort, but for the past 3 years we have made the trip to South Florida to get both of our Bogas Certified. It's more of a piece of mind than anything, and donate to a good cause.
Jeremy, I'd like to compare your scale to my scale to see how accurate mine is.
Let me know when you're headed to GSP.

[Reel Tune]

Jeremy, I'd like to compare your scale to my scale to see how accurate mine is.
Let me know when you're headed to GSP.

Sounds good. Just don't know when I'll get out there. I started working 12hr shifts Saturday, and my next day off is Friday January 8th working 12hr shifts. I've got two reels tore apart, waiting on parts, and more waiting in boxes, and people calling me asking when would be best to send reels to me. It hasn't bothered me to much because the fishing has not been good at GSP.

[agelesssone]

And with all this warm weather and warm water, this year may be a bust at GSP.

[Reel Tune]

And with all this warm weather and warm water, this year may be a bust at GSP.

Exactly what I am thinking. If I cannot fish, I'd rather be making money.