do i or don't i weigh my catches

[Matthew Cooper]

since taking lots of advice be it from FM or local anglers i have started catching more and bigger fish but should i weigh my catchs or or not.
if so do i weigh individual fish or the whole catch.
i must admit i prefer to catch and release rather than keep them.

some of my fish i catch (to me) seem big for the size of the pond i fish perch of about 7-8 inches compared to the smaller 3-5 inches i usually get.
can you also suggest some good but cheap scales if i should be weighing and how do i weigh them.

thanks all
matt

 

[Fred Bonney]

Matt,your fishing for fun,I would suggest you only weigh the fish that is bigger than the one you've caught before,so you can if you want, keep a record of your largest fish for the species caught.
Stick to your return policy.
The question you must ask yourself is,why would I want to weigh a fish?
Some people only weigh a fish if they know it to be a specimen,close to the record or the biggest fish from the location.
Waymaster scales are a good price and quite accurate.
Hope this helps a bit.

 

[Matthew Cooper]

Thanks Fred,
your right i am fishing for fun and a lot of fun i'm having to (even the other half is starting) thanks for your advice i really just want to beat my own records rather than other peoples so maybe i'll start keeping records and you never know the big one could be waitong just around the corner!

 

[Carl Madigan]

the more I fish the less I weigh. You realise it's not about catching bigger fish it's about being there and enjoying just fishing. Sure if you get a beast indulge yourself but there's too much emphasis on beating pb's. Don't become a slave to sizes you're only competing with yourself at the end of the day and why would you want to ruin your enjoyment by doing that.

 

[Ron Troversial Clay]

I only weigh fish these days that are a bit special. Years ago I used to weigh every fish I caught.

For example I accurately weighed a fenland tench of 61/4 lbs this year. If a barbel does not look like a double, I will not bother weighing it.

I have never been one of those anglers who have long records of fish of certain weights. Mainly because I have lost count years ago of fish that might be classified as "specimens".

And some of my most memorable catches have certainly not been some of my biggest fish.

 

[Baz]

It also pays to fish different waters.
Try and find out what other anglers are catching as regards to size. For roach, breem,perch use a plastic shopping bag to weigh them in. And try to do something different to everybody else. For example if they are using pop ups, try a bottom bait instead. If they are casting to the horizon, try the margins, especially when it has gone quite.
Give yourself blocks of time on any method, say of about 30 minuets. If it isn't working try something else.
Don't sit there idle like I used to do, work at it.

 

[Matthew Cooper]

Thanks for all of your help guys it is amazing the ammount of sound advice you all give out i just hope all the other new to fishing people are enjoying it as much as me. if there is anyone out there that fishes local to me (teeside) and dosen't mind a novice joining them for a day please let me know