Measuring fish is often a guessing game. Fishermen tend to judge many of their fish too long or too heavy. Exaggeration is just a part of the fishing game. You can blame these inaccuracies on men seeing inches bigger than they are, or women used to men’s exaggerations.
If you plan to keep the fish, you can make an accurate measurement later. If the fish is a Catch and Release, time is limited, and the fish needs to be quickly returned. These lunkers grow into Monsters instantly.
When taking a picture, include a hat, rod, or something to give the viewer a perspective. Make sure the props are to scale.
My last Alaska trip was great fun. We caught HUGE halibuts over 100 pounds. When we returned to dock, the boat boys measured the big fish and assigned a weight. The fish were not hung on a weight scale. They simply said the weight was what it was due to the length.
Metric lengths can also change fishing stories. 12 inches could become centimeters and pounds become kilograms. It is important to get the story right.
Sadly, most fishermen lie a little. Generally, a 20% exaggeration is acceptable. After that, the story just becomes BS! Older fishermen tend to lie less than younger anglers. Probably because they have lousy memories. The sure way to know that a fisherman is lying is when the story keeps changing.
If the fish story is about 100 fish a day and many monsters, figure that it is a story and far from the truth. Its ok to embellish the story some but make a mark on your rod to truly know what 12 inches is!
Montana Grant
For more Montana Grant, find him accurately measuring his fish at www.montanagrantfishing.com.
