Curious about Girth

[DTro]

Do you measure it on Muskies?

Only on large fish?

Never?

For those that do, have you ever seen any negative effects of doing so, that wouldn't have happened otherwise?

Sorry, don't want to start a war about measuring practices, but curious to know how you guys feel about it.

Thanks

[TruthWalleyes]

Only on the catfish that i want to enter into KingOftheCats...Usually just adds 1minute onto the time the fish is out of water. I try to keep that time to a minimum since cat fishing typically happens during the heat of the summer. Never experienced a Kill yet because of time out of water...but i am very conscious of how much time the fish is out.

[Dylan33]

I'm curious to see how others respond. A girth measurement is needed to get an accurate guess of the weight, right? So, in my amatuer opinion, I don't measure girth since muskie are most often compared by length, not weight.

[Nick Kuhn]

I never do. If it's big enough that I would measure, the picture will usually do the fish justice. If I was sure I wanted a replica, then I probably would do it. Otherwise it's just a number. The human mind is terrible at visualizing girth/circumference anyway, so that number is of little meaning.

[DTro]

Yeah cats are pretty tough customers, but I've heard that out of the water, (especially in the heat of the summer) Muskies can be really touchy, that is why I asked.

I'm curious how Muskie fishermen feel about this.

[goblueM]

i only measure girth on big fish, and then in the water. its just a lot easier to do in the water anyway, IMO

[cbrooks]

I never do. If I want to measure the length I use a floating tapemeasure. So my measurements probably aren't the most accurate.

[DOHKAY]

I've only done it twice, both fish were fat and over 50 inches. And I had a replica made of the one that measured 26 inches. The other was 23, so it's interesting to compare the pictures and visibly see the difference of 3 inches in girth. (huge difference) If done correctly, in the water while the fish is recooperating, there's absolutley nothing wrong with it. Anyone who is going to get high and mighty about this and say it's bad for the fish is just looking to put themselves on a pedistal. I'm always interested to hear what a girth measurement is. Take a look at the 2 beasts that Jerry Sondag caught last fall. Why wouldn't you want to know girth of those pigs? All you need is a flexible tape measure (like those a seamstress would use) or even a length of fishing line, a shoelace or whatever you can mark off that would snugly fit around a fish. If you ever imagine yourself catching a trophy musky (as everyone on this forum does or has)I would suggest having a girth measuring tool ready to use. Elite taxidemists (the Joe Fittante type)want to know as many measurements as possible to make your replica as acurate as they can. If you send them in a picture of a 51 incher with no ther stats, then it's just a guess.

[Shoot2Kill]

I've done it on a few that were more on the beefy side than normal and I wanted to know....I see no harm in doing it once the fish is back in the water and waiting to take off. Hold the tail and have the partner get it....if no partner, hope she sits still for a second.

[10,000 Casts]

I measured it on both my fish over 50" last year because I knew I wanted replicas and wieght. From now on, it will only be on the big girls like 44"x23" and 50+x23+.

1 more inch of girth on my bigger fish and she would go over 50lbs and if I wouldn't have measured the girth, it would have driven me nuts every day for years! To me that is worth a quick measurement.

Musky Hunter sells a little tape measure that is perfect for a quick measure. Or while the fish is in the net, cut off some fishing line and measure that later.

[guideman]

Most don't, some do...It's the least of the problems of handling big fish because most do it in the water, that is if they do it....

"Ace"

[DeBo101]

Never girthed one since I haven't ever caught one big enough to matter but don't really see why it would be a big deal if done right. Ideally done in the net while in the water I would think. Or have the tape laying across the bumpboard before you lay the fish down and get a quick measure that way.

I remember reading some articles about stress factors during the release being cumalative. Need to remember to use common sense during the release. Might want to avoid the extra work(time) after an extra long fight in warm water/air temps.

[jkahler]

I've only measured the girth on two fish and both were still in the net, in the water.

[Esox_Magnum]

So far no, lenth is plenty for me, only time I'll girth is when that replica fish hits the net, and then it will be done in the water.

[AWH]

I'll measure the girth on bigger fish. Like others have mentioned, always while the fish is still in the water. So there's no added stress to the fish.

Aaron

[mainbutter]

I've done it about a dozen time on ~30 incher pike to practice the procedure for adding one more thing before a release.

I've yet to do it on a musky, but a FAT 48er that MAY have gone 22-24 inch in girth that my buddy caught still bugs me to this day, mostly cuz I'd like to know how accurate I can eye such things The only real reason I'd really want a big fish measured for girth is for a replica, and since I'm not one to spend big bucks willy nilly, a replica would really have to come as close in dimensions to the fish as possible.

[RuKiddingMe]

Only if I have a curiously thick fish in the net, and it's more just to see if my judgment is on or off. A girth measurement has no harm to a fish if it's done in the water, plus it SO much easier to do in the water, just get a sewing tape measure.

[DTro]

Thanks for your thoughts everyone.

[jkrash]

If I'm by myself I'll girth it in the water, if it's an unusually large fish.

If I'm fishing with someone else I'll girth it like this one, only takes a second and is accurate.

[lovebigbluegills]

Holy buckets... that's some girth. She looks like I felt after supper last night.

[DTro]

HOLY MAMA!

Can you tell us what it read??

[cbrooks]

I'm guessing 26, 27 inches. That is fat

[HeviShot]

Any fish I think might be over 24" im gonna get the girth. Definetly a better way to estimate the weight of your fish compared to hanging it on a scale!

[Gordie]

HOLY MAMA!

Can you tell us what it read??

Ditto