[SurfaceStrike]

With the fall run ramping up I just wanted to share a quick tip I learned on this board a couple of years ago. In order to minimize the time a borderline keeper Bass has to stay out of the water, measure 28" or 29" to be safe up from the bottom of your surf rod and wrap a band of masking tape there. This will give you immediate feed back on the length of the Bass and if she is a legal size to keep.

Same can be done with Porgies, Fluke, Blackfish...etc rods as well.

 

[623428]

I'm probably gonna take a pounding for this, but---if it's "borderline" it should go back.

I don't mind people taking a fish home. But geez, if it's that close, why try to squeeze every last millimeter out of it?

And just FYI---that method is gonna get you a ticket sooner or later. Here's why--the LEGAL way to measure a fish is to lay it flat on top of a tape or measuring device. That way, the girth of the fish doesn't affect the length. DEC measures them that way, and that's how it's determined whether a fish is "legal"--flat, on a tape, with the girth not affecting the length. If you want to mark your rod, make 30" the spacing in question to be on the safe side.

 

[wader]

Gotta agree with windcatcher - if ya gotta measure it - it's too small.

 

[SurfaceStrike]

Point well taken.

I'd still rather know a fish is legal than guestimate to an inch or so. I have checked and double checked the mark on my rod with a tape measure and never had one read 28-29"'s or more on the rod and turn out to be a short with the tape measure. I probably only keep one in 10 keepers I catch anyway. If you think about it a curve (fishes side) is longer than a true straight line. If you take a curve that measures 28" and press it flat it will always measure longer. Basic geometry.

 

[617905]

I too agree that if it's that close it should go back. But let's not forget the importance of returning that all too sought after golden cow as soon and as unharmed as possible as well. She has a lot of work to do for us.

 

[ahcoldcorona]

Great tip!!

I like that tip and I will be marking my rod, only problem we in CT have a slot so two taped marks are required. I think it is still funny that CT is different from its neighbors RI and NY when it comes to a slot. Don't fish migrate??? If so shouldn't everyone down the coast have the same regulation size???