Which Digital Scale?

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Ryan

Sealiner
So after all the debarkle of the last couple of weeks or so about how much a fish really weighs - in KGS I decided it was hightime to go and purchase myself a new digital scale.

It is scary to see how many Digital scales are available on the market.

For the Type of fihing I do most of the berkley scales are a little on the light side - they go up to 10kgs and they cost Plenty $$$ they start at about R400 and go as high as R1200.

Low and behold I found a Prince as indicated by Revo and CarloT - nice little scale for R220 so I bought me one.

It has some really nice features - simplistic but what appeals to me is that it auto "Offs" after 50 secs.

It also has the function to weigh Kgs and for guys like herman it even can weigh in LBS:fbash.

So what have you guys Got?
 

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Johanvc

Sealiner
I have a Berkley Digital scale and it can weigh up to 23kg’s but I have tested it and it is accurate up to 6kg’s. Don’t think I will catch a fish bigger than that so did not test higher. When I joined Pretoria bassmasters they had a couple and I paid R50 for it if I can remember correctly but the go for around R300. The nice function is that it can store up to 10 weights so works nice when fishing a tournament and you need to cull
 
S

Southpaw

New member
I dont have one but after fishing earlier this week with a friend that does and weighing the bass we got I soon realised that my 'guesstimates' are off the mark. So I think I should get one.
 
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CarloT

Senior Member
they also pretty waterproof! mine has been soaked twice before and still worked fine! 1st was albert classic (took a wave or 8! haha) and natal silver fish off's (rained non stop!)
 
C

CarloT

Senior Member
not good. There was hardly any water in the river. Could see that there were no fish. I'll try again when the river fulls up a bit!
 
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Revo

New member
Nothing wrong with that scale Ryan. Mine is 3 years old and still spot on. Just don't ever overload a digital scale. If it says 25kgs you don't want to weigh anything much more than 20kgs. I know little about it now, but they work off a load cell and when a mate of mine explained exactly what happens when you overload them, it made complete sense to me at the time.
 
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BigBass

Sealiner
I have a Berkley Digital Scale imported from the USA way back which weighs in pounds ... it works great! Especially for me, as I still tend to think in pounds :dude:! Conversion to kgs is easy enough with a calculator ...

Apparently, the "Rolls Royce" of Digital Scales is the Salter. Check out this link:

http://www.calfishing.com/freshwater/care_and_handling/Scales_amp_Certification.html

As an aside, DON'T try and hang a Bass (or any fish!) by their gills from the scale hook and also DON'T try to force the scale hook throught the Bass's jaw!

There are two options:

1. Tie a 5/0 Superline Gamakatsu Worm Hook to the hook scale with a short length of strong (50lb plus) mono or braid and flatten or file away the barb of the Gammie. Other XX strong hooks would also work! For smallish Bass up to about 3kg, there will be very little damage if you puncture their mouths (in an appropriate place - generally the thin skin of the bottom jaw just under the bony ridge of the lip) with this modified de-barbed hook for a quick weight check prior to the quick photo and release ...

2. Better still, follow the example of the specimen Carp anglers who weigh their catches in a wet sling/ sheet of sorts ... Revo also mentioned this method somewhere on another thread of using wet plastic sheeting to cradle or suspend the Bass while weighing ... Just make sure the material of the sling or sheeting is strong enough to support the Bass and remember to zero your scale after attaching the sling/ sheeting and before weighing! This method should be mandatory for 4kg plus Bass! The "Bass Bags" which tournament anglers use to carry their catch to the scales could also be used as a "weigh bag" within which to weigh individual fish on a digital scale ...

We have to show some respect to those "big green girls" who give us so much pleasure! :wfish
 
M

Monster

Senior Member
I Have a berkly pistol grip  I haven't tested the accuracy yet. Is there any place where you cna get your scale calibrated or ceritfied? 
 
V

Vaalboy101

New member
I have a Berkley digital that facilitates colour co ordinated culling data. As you weigh a fish, you allocate a colour of the clip and it stores the data. When it's culling time, it will prompt you as to the weight and colour of the lightest fish - also gives you bag weight. Bought it from Solly's in Vereeniging moons ago for about R800.

I don't know how accurate it is though - lol
 
F

Fishton

Sealiner
I use a Bonso Digital scale.  Has anyone else heard of these before?  They seem to work okay, except when the battery runs low, then it under-weighs.
 

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Bushbaby

New member
Looks great Ryan - did you buy it in Pretoria, if so which shop?
Bigbass - does 'hooking' the fish at the juncture of the two gill plates underneath (like the pic above), still cause unacceptable damage?
 
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Revo

New member
I have my bullett proof jacket on now, so let me continue, with fear I might add, but I will continue...

I find the comments made about the hook on the scale, placed between the front gill slits a great one. I have had this argument so many times. If that is a concern, then we need to look at what happens when you catch a fish on a Zara Spook or something similar with two large trebles on them, and the best is when guys feel the "tap-tap" then wait, then feel a tug, then wait for the "tap-tap" again, set the hook good and proper, only to discover the hook through the eye of the bass, or gut hooked. It's all about minimising damage to the fish. By simply catching them, we aren't doing them any favours, but you can minimilise it. I don't have a problem with the hook on the scale being placed in the gill slit at all. The best are the competition provided weigh bags that have velcro to seal them at the top. Guys will happily "pour" their fish out the bag, and the entire length of the fish gets a nice sand papering effect when it slides over the velcro. :?
 
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BigBass

Sealiner
Suddenly I've gone quiet, Revo ...:lol:1

But, seriously, I have always heard/ accepted/ assumed that nothing (not even your finger ...) goes near a fish's gills if you do not intend killing and keeping that fish ... :? But then, again, some stock scale hooks gently placed there by someone who cares for their catch and who knows what they're doing, may not cause any damage ...

Agreed, Revo, that what happens at some Bass comp weigh ins is just not on ... I like your idea (mentioned in another thread) of a weigh sling/ sheet for Bass :cool: and intend to use this method myself in future!
 
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