Just how big is a "big fish"?

[slapshot]

Here is a question. Does a fish in pounds bring images of a dead fish on a scale in front of a tackle shop? I think a fish in inches might have been a fish that got released to grow bigger. How many here carry an accurate scale for a fish greater than 30 pounds?

Just curious, I am not a strict C&R guy, although the CTDEP recently stated that you should not eat more than something like six meals of striper a year for mercury reasons....

I have been looking for a quality scale that I can cart around with me, other than a 60 pound Boga.

[piemma]

Bryan:
No one put it better than you did. A 20 at Q is quite different than the same fish at FPR and if you are waist deep at Carpenters, a 20 can be a huge fish. Never mind a 30# at Black Point on the reef, top of the tide, at 2 AM, NE wind at 20. That's when you see what you are really made off.

[Nebe]

or how about the 'avenues' durring a big swell.

[GaryK2]

IMHO a BIG fish is anything over 45 inches.

[RIROCKHOUND]

Paul, good to hear from you, hadn't seen you on much..
Under the right conditions, a 20 from C-town, 3-5ft swell, plus chop feels like a monster... got smashed up a few times doing that.... glad I brought my rope...


Black point honestly scares me when it's like that... when conditions get that primal I tend to stay on the sand....

[schoolie monster]

I think it kinda depends on what your mindset is. When I'm chasing schoolies with light tackle, or throwing plastic into the rocks, a teen fish is pretty big.

If I'm livelining bait or tossing eels at night, I have different expectations and I think fish over 20lbs are pretty big.

But my scale goes like:

keeper size = decent fish
teens-20lb = nice fish
20lb-25lb = good fish
25-35lb = big fish
35-50lb = huge fish
50lb - up = MONSTER fish

[Canalratt1]

Anything over 30 lbs, 20 lbers are fairly common in the places I fish.

[bassmaster]

[Backbeach Jake]

Lookie!! Bassmaster just burned his own spot! Geeze I'm gettin tappy, any fish would be big right now.

[Goose]

That's a big fish and I can smell the honey suckel from here.

[fishin]

i agree with big fish-- how big is "big fish"

[bassmaster]

[bassmaster]

[Backbeach Jake]

That's not a Van Staal!

[bassmaster]

[RickBomba]

Hate to say it, but for me (and Mikey) any fish over 30# is a biggun.
He caught his biggest on a mismatched Ugly stick (different top from bottom) while hooked up to a pot off the Groaner (maybe it went 35#).
My biggest, same measurements while anchored off Straitsmouth with a 7'6" Loomis with a 965 deadsticked in my rod holder...
Almost had to pull anchor to chase the beast. Timed at 28 minutes... no scale, but measured 44.5" by 30" girth.
Think she went 36-38#; best surprise fish I ever had!
Never caught one close since, that was 2001.
Later,
Rick

[RickBomba]

Just did the conversions for LXGXG/800, formula says she's just over 50.
Little old Mikey will never believe this...I didn't have a scale, so I can't say for sure....
Was a COW...No pictures though.
Later,
Rick

[RickBomba]

Still don't believe the weight...
Was the biggest, fattest striper I've ever seen, though...
Didn't even look like a striper, my buddy who pulled it out of the water called it a "monstrosity."
Later,
Rick

[scoobe]

Rick,

stop stuffing those poor fish with bowling balls

[scoobe]

Couldn't agree with ya more. Hook a decent sized fish in some strong current like the Ditch or a breachway... can be a much better fight than a larger fish off say some placid beach. I've almost gotten pulled off the rocks at Q fighting a 33 incher when she made a sudden surge with the current.

Originally posted by piemma
Bryan:
No one put it better than you did. A 20 at Q is quite different than the same fish at FPR and if you are waist deep at Carpenters, a 20 can be a huge fish. Never mind a 30# at Black Point on the reef, top of the tide, at 2 AM, NE wind at 20. That's when you see what you are really made off.