All freshwater Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission regulations
and the "Big Catch" program depend on "total length" The total length is
the maximum length of the fish, with the mouth closed
and the tail fin pinched together. The best way to obtain this length is
to push the fish's snout up against a vertical surface with the mouth closed
and the fish laying along a tape measure, then pinch the tail fin closed
and determine the total length. Do NOT pull a flexible tape measure along
the curve of the fish. The photo to the right shows a bass on a measuring
board with the mouth held shut. Prior to getting a final measurement the
caudal (tail) fin will be pinched shut.
TOTAL LENGTH MEASUREMENT
"Girth" is best measured with a fabric ruler,
such as tailors use. It can also be determined by drawing
a string around
the fish at its widest point marking where the string overlaps
and then measuring the distance between the overlapping points
on a conventional ruler. The measurement should be taken perpendicular
to the length of the fish. This measurement is analogous to
measuring the circumference of someone's waist. Knowing
the girth is important
when trying to certify a fish for a record, and provides useful
information to biologists about the relative condition of a
fish.
GIRTH
MEASUREMENT
Using total length and girth you can get a rough estimate of
a fish's weight using various formulas. Please remember that
if you are going to release your
catch, it is very important the fish be properly handled and released as
quickly as possible. See here for
live-release guidelines. Also don't forget if you catch a quality-sized fish
that you can receive a free angler-recognition certificate and sticker from
the "Big
Catch" program.
