# measuring the length of a bass



## crawdiddy (Apr 10, 2006)

smallmouth in particular. 

Are you supposed to squeeze the tail? If so approximately how much extra length does it give you on a 18.5" fish?

The easiest way is if you have one of those "L" shaped metal things (a culling board?) and you put the lip (lower lip) against the lower part of the "L" and then measure but I'm not sure if the tail is supposed to be squeezed and/or if this really adds any significant length. Also is the lower part of the tail slightly longer than the upper part? I think it is but am not sure. Basically I got a 18.5" smallie a week or so ago(measured from the tip of the lower lip down the middle of the body (using a straight metal tape measure) to an imaginary line extending perpendicularly up from the end of the bottom part of the tail)and am wondering if it would possibly measure 18.75 or 19 (doubtful) using one of those "L" things.

I need all the help I can get to get a fish ohio but don't want to cheat obviously and am wondering if a 19.5 or 19.75" smallie measured by my technique is really 20". I also have my rod marked and will hold (lip)the fish vertically and measure on my pole, does measuring vertically like this affect the measurement (make it slightly longer?)?

I should have just asked, when reporting the length of a bass, what is the official way to do it, squeeze the tail or not? I personally don't like the squeze the tail thing bc it is not a natural position of the fish "at rest".


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## fishingredhawk (Apr 14, 2004)

Any way you can get the fish to measure it measures. That means you can massage it to stretch it out or squeeze the tail together. Squeezing the tail may give you an 1/4 inch at most, usually about an 1/8 inch or less. The board is just called a measuring board or a board.


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## crawdiddy (Apr 10, 2006)

thats about what I thought on the tail (about 1/8", quite possibly less). Can you typically massage another 1/8" or 1/4"? from a 19" smallie? thanks again


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## fishingredhawk (Apr 14, 2004)

You could probably get a 19" smallie to measure 19 and 1/4 if you pinch the tail and massage it. That would be my guess. 

Mike


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## crawdiddy (Apr 10, 2006)

thanks mike. that is about what I was thinking.


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## Nickadams (May 1, 2004)

Mike is the expert at getting the small ones to measure... Someday he will bring one in that we don't have to stick on the board  Just kidding dude, don't let anyone know that you doubled my "keeper" total this year.


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## ss minnow (Aug 11, 2005)

I believe I read here that if you flip the fish on the other side it will frequenty measure longer. http://www.ohiodnr.com/wildlife/fishing/fishregs/default.htm#measure This is the states answer


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## crawdiddy (Apr 10, 2006)

wow that picture of the tail squeezed looks like an extra 1/2" or more. I don't think most tails squeeze that much (if they do they don't add nearly the length the picture depicts)


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