I'm Posting the Same Fish Twice!! - I'm an Idiot Pt. 2 w/ C2C Video

[collegebassin]

IM POSTING THE SAME FISH AGAIN AND NONE OF YOU CAN STOP ME. Okay, now that that's out of the way, let me tell you how I'm an even bigger idiot than we all thought. Sorry for the long post

TL;DR: Caught same fish twice and got a chance to put her on scale, thought she was at least 10 but scale says close to 7. But scale also gave weights from 8lb 6oz to 9lb 12oz for the same 10lb plate. So I think 8-9. Length with mouth closed was 26in with tail flat and 27in with tail pinched.

So once again, my buddy and I wake up at the buttcrack of dawn with the express purpose of frog fishing. Thankfully this time I didn't almost drop a load in my pants and I remembered to grab a 168 s-waver before I left at 5:30. The frog bite dies, and I lose a nice santone spinnerbait I found floating around my truck so I tie on the S-waver. After I land this fish I realize that it's the same fish from a week and a half ago. It had the same hole in its jaw and the same gigantic bug eyes. But again, my dumbass still had no scale because what were the chances that I'd run across a fish that size again so soon? Well my buddy kept the fish in the water and aerated while me and his brother ran back into town to buy a cheap scale from our local tackle shop. I passed a city cop, 2 county sheriff deputies, the actual sheriff, and a state trooper, each time doing at least 10 over the speed limit to get back as fast as possible. When I get back the fish that I thought was for sure a DD went 6lbs 14oz on the scale. The property manager was there and very loudly going, "That's 5 pounds but I caught two 12's back to back out of here" while looking at the fish once from 30 yards away which pushed my buttons in every which way. I go home to test the scale and to maybe save my confidence in my estimation. The scale gave me readings from 8lb 6oz to 9lb 12oz for the same 10lb plate with back to back readings weighing 8+oz apart. I think the fish was truly 8-9lbs but again I'm not sure. The picture of the scale reading 9-05 and 9-11 were back to back measurements.

Here's the C2C:

Why I'm an even bigger idiot than I thought:

1. I still didn't get a scale
2. I had my buddy keep the fish for 30 minutes while I drove to town to buy one
3. I buy the cheapest scale that comes with batteries
4. I sped past 5 cops and definitely should not have
5. The cheap scale I bought was wildly inconsistent
6. I learn I can't estimate a fish's weight for ish 

[Rogervang]

Great fish regardless. 

[bassbass]

Great fish. I have a bunch of those scale and they are on for my. One thing to watch for is you could have a weight in thete that is subtracted from the weight of what you are weighing.

[KeepinItReelFishing]

Love the story and your thoroughness.  Based on the health of the fish (healthy gut) coupled with the mentioned length (26"/27") I find it hard to believe (read: impossible) that it was 6lbs 14oz.  I would estimate it was in the high 8 to low 10 range.

I'll put this out there for what its worth.  I know there are plenty of good scales, but I have the Berkley 'Precision' scale.  Shortly after purchasing it I sent it to IGFA to be verified.  They measure a number of weights (2lbs, 7lbs, 12lbs, 22lbs, 27lbs, and and weigh each one, three times for consistency, well.....you can see in the image.  

You sound serious about the precise documentation of your fish.  Why else target trophy fish if only to call them big or bigger, right??  To that end I would STOP...DONT PASS GO until you get a quality scale AND a back up scale.  I hope this documentation gives you confidence in this model.   Scales occasionally outright fail and have batteries die.  For what they cost in the scope of swimbait fishing gear you can't afford NOT to have a primary and back up scale, each with back up batteries.  

You a good story teller, man.  Keep painting the verbal picture on future catches!

 

 

-Carl

Edited May 15, 2020 by KeepinItReelFishing

[collegebassin]

18 minutes ago, KeepinItReelFishing said:

You sound serious about the precise documentation of your fish.  Why else target trophy fish if only to call them big or bigger, right??  To that end I would STOP...DONT PASS GO until you get a quality scale AND a back up scale. 

I couldn't believe I got another chance to observe this fish again which made me realize how important having a scale was. I definitely will be investing in another scale and I'll be weighing every weight in my gym when it reopens! 

Also, your Youtube content is great. It definitely helped me get a good understanding of the big bait mentality when I was starting out. Thanks!

[bassbass]

Bottom line is that it is a great fish but without a scale you will never know.

Even the weight calculators are off, I took the measures of an 11lb1oz and it was high 12lbs...but only 11lb 1 oz on 2 scale and both scales were checked when I got home.

Always carry a couple of scales.....

[Noreaster603]

great fish and great story, I echo what has already been stated definitely keep a scale and back up along with batteries I have had scales die and will do my damndest to not let that happen again haha.

[Mossypumpkin]

Giant fish with bug eyes! 
 

I have the same cheaper berkley scales and they’re very accurate. Occasionally will be one oz off but I check different weights and with different scales several times a year. The biggest concern with the berkley is you have to be holding the scale straight up and down otherwise it can be WAY off. If you’re tilting it off to one side it can be off by many oz, either high or low