Quick And Easy Ways To Measure Trout

[Wolfie]

Question:My buddies and I are always arguing about how long a given fish is, which means we have to break out the measuring tape. I would rather get fish back in the water as quickly as possible. What's the best way to get a fast measurement, while keeping the fish in the water?

 

 

Answer:This is an important issue because the amount of time you keep a fish out of the water is crucial. Studies show that leaving the fish in the water while you unhook it can double its chances of survival. So what you need is a way to get a nearly instantaneous measurement on the fish you catch.

 

I futzed around with several methods, until I finally settled on what I thought was the quickest and easiest: I measured my own forearm, from the point of my elbow to the tip of my middle finger. The total distance is just under 19 inches. From the elbow to the bump in my wrist is 10 inches, to the base of my pinky is 15 inches, and to the end of my pinky 17 inches. I easily memorized these numbers and could make a very educated guess for an inch or two to either side of these points.

 

I could hold the fish just under the surface, lay my forearm alongside it, and get an immediate rough measurement. Sure, it wasn't exact—and I may have rounded up on occasion—but this method lets you know immediately whether a fish is closer to 15 inches than it is to 18. Anything over 19 inches, of course, is a little more complicated. In this case, I'd mark the 19-inch spot, slide my hand to the fish's nose, and do the estimate in reverse. Simply add the two numbers and you're good to go. (Example: tail forward to mark = 19 inches, nose back to mark = tip of middle finger to base of pinky, or 4 inches. 19 + 4 = 23-inch fish.) Anything over, say 25-inches and, face it, you're breaking out the damned tape.

 

What I particularly like about this method is that you don't have to worry about holding anything but the fish. However, many anglers like to use their rod as a measuring stick. Jay "Fishy" Fullum, a well-known fly tier and angler, recommends using thread wraps on your rod blank. He makes narrow wraps at 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20 inches. You can use easy-to-read hi vis colors, or, if you think that ruins the aesthetics of your rod, you can use colors to match the guide wraps. When you want to measure a fish, simply lay the rod alongside the fish in the water and estimate based on your wraps.

 

Both of these methods require a lot less fumbling through pockets or arranging stuff on your vest, saving valuable seconds separating the time you land the fish and the time you let it swim away. And if your buddies can't live without an absolutely, scientifically verifiable measurement, just get new buddies. It's better for the fish that way.

 

These are not my personal words, however, just thought it would be a good topic here..what are your views............Wolfie

 

 

[Hawgstoppah]

I scratched marks into my net at 20 inches , 25 inches, 30 inches, and 35 inches. works pretty good. I also put 50cm, 60cm, 70cm, 80cm, and 89.5 cm (35 inch). No doubts about a fish's size, can be measured while releasing or while in the net. under 20 inches.... I dont usuallt measure those but if a guy needed to you could do so by knowing how far 20 inches really is.

[Avalanche]

My net is 18" from tip to tip. 2 or 3 inches is a whole lot easier to guesstimate than 20 or 21...

 

edit....Is anything under 18" worth measuring anyway?

[Tungsten]

Years and years of building kitchens i no what 20 inches is so i don't measure.Personally why bother all fish are nice weather its 15" or 20".Like others i no the opening on my net is 23.75".

[cheeler]

In the past I'd drink more beers until the fish size matched my outstretched arms.

 

Now I just use a measure-net.

 

 

[bhurt]

I am with Mike (Tungted)

 

To me I guess most of the time as the size is only for myself.

 

But I use to use my third leg as a reference, if its bigger then it was 24++

[yak]

I scratched marks into my net at 20 inches , 25 inches, 30 inches, and 35 inches. works pretty good. I also put 50cm, 60cm, 70cm, 80cm, and 89.5 cm (35 inch). No doubts about a fish's size, can be measured while releasing or while in the net. under 20 inches.... I dont usuallt measure those but if a guy needed to you could do so by knowing how far 20 inches really is.

using metric Brian? Im guessing bhurt(mm) is too

[bhurt]

using metric Brian? Im guessing bhurt(mm) is too

LOL,

 

But I am from the states so everything for me is in inches.

 

Was wondering when someone would catch that comment of mine.

 

[Teck71]

I used to keep Pythons and had a program from this site http://www.serpwidgets.com/Apps/measure.html to measure the snakes. now just take a pick of the fish with a object of know size (reel, rod handle, net) in the picture. and do the measurement with the program. fairly accurate as long as fish is in a good position.

[slingshotz]

What a great app, I personally dislike taking the fish out of the water for any length of time and like to release them as fast as possible so snapping a quick photo with the fish in the net while in the water, then using the net opening as a reference for the program should work awesome. Thanks for the link.

[SilverDoctor]

I don't usually measure fish any more , I do have a measure on my net and on my wading staff but seldom bother. Would rather keep the catch time down and fish in the water.

[yak]

I don't usually measure fish any more , I do have a measure on my net and on my wading staff but seldom bother. Would rather keep teh catch tie down and in the water.

I have a mark on my rod that I measured at approx 19 inches. any fish that looks measureable, i just lay against my rod while still in the water. gives me a fairly accurate measurement without stressing fish or too much screwing around. I dont need exact lenght (18.656666788 inches), just like to know if a fish is pushing the 20 inch mark(that has become my barometer for "big fish" on the streams i like to frequent).

[fishfreak]

I don't catch enough big fish to stop measuring, but I've only actually taped 1 fish in my life. All the others I measure against my rod or net if I need to. However, I only do this on 20+ inchers now.

 

I like the arm measurement approach... I might try that next time. Maybe I'll tattoo the measurements on my arm. As I get old and wrinkly, an 18 incher will be a 24!

[Hawgstoppah]

using metric Brian?

 

Ya. Europeans have no idea what inches are and so when I tell them they broke 50cm, theyre excited. 50cm sounds better than 20in

[Guest 420FLYFISHIN]

if it touches nose and tail in my Moby osprey net then it is 25" and if it is only as big as the opening it is 20" other than that i guestomate unless it is in the 30s then its tape time

[beedhead]

A lot of times while by my-self-when I get into a big fish, I quickly lay my rod down beside the fish, (if it co-ops with me) with the reel/rod but as a reference, then snap a pic, and measure my rod later, accordingly to the pic...But, I'm not big on lenght...I just like to catch fish....

 

Cheers...Jeff..

[flyfishfairwx]

easy way to do this, you fish with a straight fly rod ... RIGHT !!!!

 

take either a paint marker or some Red nail polish and a measuring tape mark on the rod in one inch increments after the handle a dot, for each inch.. I start at the 12" mark and go from there..

 

But to tell the truth I have not used it as I do not really care how big unless it is a one of for me, like the Brown trout that I caught with Hawgstoppah.. and he has not told me the length of it yet so I say 28 inches...

 

is that close Brian ??

 

 

[cuttbow]

Have thread wraps on my rods at 12,14,16 and inches. Anything longer is a big one.

[Hawgstoppah]

But to tell the truth I have not used it as I do not really care how big unless it is a one of for me, like the Brown trout that I caught with Hawgstoppah.. and he has not told me the length of it yet so I say 28 inches...

 

is that close Brian ??

 

LOL Ray. Yep.... if your using the "official FFC tape measure" used to measure most 28's Ive seen on this site, then hell yeah it is!! If your realistic it was about 23-24 inches

 

[Conor]

Most of the time I am satisfied with a simple system: dink, small, decent, good, big, huge.

 

I measure the odd fish just to keep myself honest. I find I am prone to overestimating at night and with thick fish.

 

Speaking of thick fish, why do we always talk inches length but not girth or weight. My buddy caught a 22" brown the other day that was one of the biggest fish I have seen out of the Bow. Bigger than most mid-20s I have seen. I bet it would be fairly easy to get a rough girth by measuring the inside circumference of your hands (as if they were wrapped around a fish).

[duanec]

if your using the "official FFC tape measure"

ha ha!

i think that's not just for 28's as i've seen lots of 15" "20's" as well

love that ffc tape measure.

 

[Guest JayVee]

Do you guys pinch the tail if you measure? I wasn't aware of this until I saw it in the regs the other day. Maybe my biggest was an inch longer! Just wondering...

[maxwell]

easy way to do this, you fish with a straight fly rod ... RIGHT !!!!

 

take either a paint marker or some Red nail polish and a measuring tape mark on the rod in one inch increments after the handle a dot, for each inch.. I start at the 12" mark and go from there..

 

But to tell the truth I have not used it as I do not really care how big unless it is a one of for me, like the Brown trout that I caught with Hawgstoppah.. and he has not told me the length of it yet so I say 28 inches...

 

is that close Brian ??

 

 

got marking on all of my rods.. simple easy and always closest too teh fish! got marking on my net too..... 24-30 on most of my sticks n net 20 on ym small creek stuff and 30-40 on my big fish stuff

[nebc]

Caught an 7.9 pound rainbow today, and although I weighed it, I never measured him.

[Wolfie]

Caught an 7.9 pound rainbow today, and although I weighed it, I never measured him.

 

hmm...7-8 lber...26"-28" no bigger................Wolfie