The elusive 50lber

[DTro]

seems to be with every species of fish there is a magic number in which those that fish for them strive to achieve. Of course this is regional and varies from place to place, but in general there seems to be that universal magic number that applies in most cases. For example:

Walleyes 30” or 10lbs

Bass 20” or 6lbs

Musky 50” or 30lbs

Pike 40” or 20lbs

Etc

Etc

Yes, there are “hardcore” folks who are maybe looking for a bigger fish than my examples, but that’s aside from the point I’m trying to make here.

For Flathead cats, the magic number seems to be 50lbs.

So, what exactly does it take to catch a 50lber? Well, if a guy wants to have a chance at a 50lber, you need 3 things. A lot of free time, a good fishing spot, and a bunch of luck.

So when it comes to a 50lber, and you don’t have a scale, is there a way to know it’s 50lbs? Well no, not for certain, but we sure can come close with a little math and/or a tape measure.

For a few years I’ve been using a formula L*L*G/1275 to get a ballpark weight. This formula was sort of backwards engineered based on a sample of fish and known weights, however after seeing more and more big fish over the years, it has become apparent that as the fish get bigger, the formula tends to be on the high side, so I’ve been trying out the formula L*L*G/1350 with a little better/more accurate results.

Don’t want to mess with formulas? Well then just measure Length and Girth and add them together. 57”=20lbs 65”=30lbs 72”=40lbs 78”=50lbs 83”=60lbs

Notice a trend? Between 20 and 30 are 8”, between 30 and 40 are 7”, between 40 and 50 are 6”, between 50 and 60 are 5”. As the fish get bigger and bigger, a simple inch of length or girth can mean as much as 2lbs difference. Pretty cool stuff to a Geek like me.

Or…you could just weigh the darn thing in a holding device such as a landing net or cradle and know for certain how much it weighs. I can tell you this though, weighing a fish over 50lbs is no easy task, especially hanging it via a hook on the bottom lip of the fish. I would strongly suggest not doing this as it almost always ends up with the fish giving one good head shake and ending up banging on the bottom of the boat or shore and wreaking havoc with your nearby gear.

Remember that 50lber today is tomorrows 60!

Good Luck

[rbs]

Can't wait for my 50# fish. Then again can't wait for a 20# fish right now...been tough for me this year!

[rushing]

every fish can be 50lbs + if you hold it in front of the camera at the right angle.

[TruthWalleyes]

People strive for 20" bass

[DTro]

People strive for 20" bass

largemouth don't count

[SteveD]

largemouth don't count

Well, we can count them if you use them for bait. A 20" one might make some nice cut bait strips.

[DTro]

Speaking of 50lbers, here's one I got a few weeks ago. (maybe I posted this already, I forget)

[Slabasaurus]

Notice a trend? Between 20 and 30 are 8”, between 30 and 40 are 7”, between 40 and 50 are 6”, between 50 and 60 are 5”. As the fish get bigger and bigger, a simple inch of length or girth can mean as much as 2lbs difference. Pretty cool stuff to a Geek like me. grin

I am really glad I am not the only one who would use the word "cool" to describe that

[Gordie]

Nice one Dtro