Homemade Fish Measuring Board

[caloosa bug 0]

I'm searching for some ideas for a measuring device for big fish. I almost bought a 40" aluminum board the other day, but for $35, I decided to stick with a tape measure for now. What is nice about the board is the nose stop that makes it easy for an accurate measurement.

 

I would like to be able to measure fish up to 35".

Must have a nose stop.

It would be nice to collapse or fold down to 20", or so, for storage.

 

It mostly will stay in the toolbox on my truck, but I'd like to have it smaller than full length for when I decided to take it on the boat when snook fishing.

 

The only thing I can think of at the moment is a board with a hinge to fold in the center. Then screw down a L bracket on one side.

 

Any better ideas?

Thanks.

[Crackaig 0]

The one I made for use in the boat was from some 6 inch plastic guttering with a blank at the end. That was only for trout though, we don't expect to be using it on such large fish around here. I'm sure you could find some of an appropriate size, it just needs to be big enough for the girth of the fish.

 

Cheers,

C.

[waltersty 0]

I use an old telescoping car antenna... each section is exactly 6 inches long and it extends out to 36" so I have to "eyeball" the length if the fish falls between two sections. You could easily mount it to some kind of L bracket or an old right angle. Maybe a little less fancy than you were thinking but it fits in a pocket.

[mikechell 0]

You're on a boat, right, Caloosa? You can glue in a cloth tape measure from the fabric store, so the "zero" line is butted up to one gunwale or the transom.

 

You can also do this on your truck bumper.

 

Neither, obviously, is portable ... but it's always "there" if you need it.

 

 

[Kudu 0]

Small tape measure. I use one that was designed to take fundal measurements.

[flytire 0]

let your fly rod do the measuring for you

 

paint a white ring on your fly rod at whatever increment you want

[caloosa bug 0]

That's similar to what I am looking for, Crackaig.

 

This is mainly for use when I'm fishing out of the truck from the bank. I have a long one on a storage box I usually carry gear in. I also have shorter, "bass size" stickers in my boat. However, I am usually at the helm of either dad's boat or my father-in-law's boat. I usually supply all the gear and tackle also...unless dad is going..and measuring in the boat is no problem.

 

When snook fishing, I am either on rocks, docks, or spillway structures. I'm just wanting something that I can measure a fish at the waters edge, accurately, without walking a fish up embankments, stairs, or parking lots. When I say accurately, I mean by less than 1/8 of an inch. A tape measure works, but holding the tape to the tip of the mouth, while pinching the tail with a 30"+ fish on uneven ground isn't the simplest of tasks. Often a measurement can be 1/2"over legal slot size, then a second measurement 1/2" under. I'm trying to eliminate the 2-3 measurement time and less impact on the fish. Something I can carry to the waters edge, quickly slide a fish to the stopper, pinch the tail, and quickly release the fish.

 

Flytire, I've seen those but I don't think I'll be putting my fly rod anywhere near a 40" fish to try and get a measurement.

 

 

[caloosa bug 0]

I may play around with some plywood or a 1x4, or I may have some starboard scraps laying around. Certainly don't need anything pretty.

 

Aluminum would be nice, but if I had to buy it and fab it, I'd just buy one on Amazon.

[Crackaig 0]

Thinking about it if you could get the half tubing in increasing sizes it isn't beyond the wit of man to make an extending one. A hole and a slot in each section and some rivets would do the job. You could, if you can get the section sizes, make a 6 section one that will fold to about 10 inches. May be good for carrying in tackle bag / box at that size.

 

Cheers,

C.

[caloosa bug 0]

That's an idea for sure. I've got some junk to dig through in the shed. I like the plastic route.

[Saltybum 0]

Caloosa, I made mine from a piece of acrylic sheet scrap about 2.5" wide and slowly bent it with a heat gun for my 90% angle then use the typical fish measuring sticker. You can get these scraps from a sign shop, plastics dist. or people who make boat windshields etc. It's getting ptetty old now but has held up well to the salt where I fish. Very easy to store on the boat or carry to the beach or where ever.

As far as hinging? That's up to you.

[Kudu 0]

Bent piece of siding or tin off a barn roof

[Fisherboy0301 0]

Pieces of pvc pipe with markings and couplings on one end of each piece. Put them together, how many you need depends on the length of the fish. Would easily fit in a pocket or backpack. Put a 90degree piece on the first segment of you need a stop for the nose.

[mikechell 0]

You can always turn your rod into a measuring stick ... with you on every catch !!

 

$3.50

 

 

http://www.berkley-fishing.com/berkley-tools-and-equipment-catch-management-berkley-fishingear/berkley-rod-ruler---30-inch/1285945.html

[islander727 0]

 

If you haven't come up with anything, you may want to try the kayak fishing forums. I know of one based in the Tampa Bay area that discussed those quite a bit, as they host their own tournament series.