I have a question

[Fish-N-Fool]

I'd like to know how if you are not suppose to hang a pike vertically are you able to weigh a fish. I just picked up a new digital Bocca Grip type scales for grabbing and weighing my fish, but if you can't hang a Pike/Musky how can you weigh one? In the past I have weighed them by hanging them off the scale and they seamed fine when I release them, but I have been told this is bad for them so I'm just trying to be a better CPR fisherman here.

[Bodofish]

I'm not really a Muskie guy but for any fish there is length and girth calculation to get an extrapolated weight. Keep that cloth tape! A guy could always rig a sling and zero the scale.

[Marc Martyn]

Well, you could carry a large plastic bag with you. Slip the fish in the bag, hook it on the scale and weigh it. The bag weighs nothing.

[dougw]

Well, first off, I personally have never seen the reason to weigh pike, since a majority are seldom over 10-12 pounds. What does it really matter? Length is every bit as good a "bragging" tool, if you will. Now if you are approaching a trophy size fish, I can see why some folks would want to know.

Here is what I would do for either pike or muskie if I wanted to weight them. Keep them in your net, and hook the scale to the net. The weight of the net can be subtracted from the gross weight. This method will support the fish and give the fish a better chance of survival. If you have a fish that is pushing record size it won't really matter what scale you use, you would still have to have it weighed on a certified scale any way to verify any records.

[dougw]

Well, you could carry a large plastic bag with you. Slip the fish in the bag, hook it on the scale and weigh it. The bag weighs nothing.

Mark, good idea. Won't work for muskie as well, at least for larger fish (pending what type of bag used). I guess you could use a large heavy "Hefty" garbage bag.

[Fish-N-Fool]

I'm only looking to weigh the large fish I get. I plan to break the Washington state record for pike this year, so I need to know just how big the fish is to see if I need to get an official weight. Last year my big fish was 20 pounds so I'm looking to better that this year with the fish I saw last year that could have ate that 20 pounder !!!!!
Weighing them in the net is probably what I will do, I just bought a certified catch and release Frabill pike size net. I was think of making a cradle out of canvas and 2 poles, but the less handling of the fish the better. So just keeping them in the net would work best I guess. I also just picked up the Rapala Lock-N-Grip digital scale and so far I like it. These go for $50 at most tackle stores but I got it for 25 off Ebay.

[Fish_Bait111397]

I'm only looking to weigh the large fish I get. I plan to break the Washington state record for pike this year,

Good Luckk !!

[Bodofish]

The only problem I see with weighing it in the net is the handle. I you want a real weight I think a cradle is a must. Just pull it up along side the boat and scoop. Zero your scale with the cradle. It's what all the fish bios do. don't think it would hurt too much.

[Marc Martyn]

On the bigger trout that I bring to the net, I weight the fish in the net and subtract the weight of a wet net.

[racfish]

I know I dont do things in a conventional way, but I dont weigh fish lessin I got a state record.I go by the legnth too. 1/2 pound an inch.

[Anonymous]

You use the length x girth x girth divided by 800 gives you a pretty close idea. You dont need to scale weight them unless its in a cradle.

[natetreat]

they sell slings for that, which would be the least stressful way to weigh the fish, and it shouldn't be hard to make one, if you want to be really sure you don't hurt them. https://www.resistancetackle.com/catalo ... w&ref=1098 they use them all the time on trophy fish in Europe, and on TV, I see it all the time. If you want to be double sure you don't hurt them I think you could put something together with some rods, rope and some smooth sturdy synthetic fabric.