Flathead Weight formula

This formula is said to “place the cat’s weight within on pound”

Girth (measured to withing 1/4 inch) squared, then multiplied by lenght and divided by 800.

Now I have to bring along a calculator to check this “time-proven” forumula.

I’ve always been told by the old drunks that a good way to calculate the weight is to…get this…use a scale. I know, it sounds crazy, and they had been in the sauce just a little bit, but it actually works.

Brian catches so many flatheads, he’s probably just looking to do something to make it a little more fun like testing a weight formula!

I’ll bring the tape measure… AND MY SCALE

This I understand but, it was still funny
There’s something to be said for old drunks

There are some… that don’t put batteries in their new scale or don’t have a spare battery when they go dead.

Then there’s me who drop it in the drink before they can weigh my first fish with it…

Skippy…we’re gonna have to go fishing sometime…free…one way trip.

Cement boots?

No Rolls….

If you dont have a fish scale, maybe a plain bathroom scale would work. Weigh yourself alone and then while holding the fish and subtract. On calm water could it be accurate?

Might be easier on the fish too for not hanging by the mouth on a scale hook or getting tangled up in a bag/net to be weighed. And dropping fish on the floor just plain sucks.

I thought it was illegal to put man made structure in the river without a permit

can you wait til after we get into some kitty’s before you throw me over

Page 6 Mn DNR regulations…2006 version….and I quote:

“It is encouraged to place any Husker Fan into MN waters preferably with weight as this tends to concentrate sheephead (freshwater drum) and aid in the removal of said specis.”

PS Tim_, my wife won’t let me bring flatheads into the bathroom any more.

Quote:

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Husker Fan

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i dont think so bubba

Don’t even waste your no-rolls Brian, Skippy can’t swim. You should see him flounder around when he falls in, kinda funny and kinda sad at the same time!

You take that back. I can swim circles around anyone. But that may be due to the fact I dont wanna take my hand off my inner tube cause i might sink

Like I said, Sad.

Sean…I think you should give him a ride up to Evert’s sometime…I gave swimming lessons in High School…all the time….

What is interesting about Briank’s formula is that the girth is squared. That makes the girth measurement much more important than the length. I think most of us emphasize the length and only rarely record the girth.

I was with Larry when he caught his 48″ long by 24″ girth flathead that weighed 38+ pounds. The calculated weight using the formula is 34.6 pounds. Using the forumla and keeping the girth at 24 inches the length has to be increased to 53 inches to give a calculated weight of 38 pounds. If the length is kept at 48 inches, the girth only has to be increased to 25.25 inches to give a calculated weight over 38 pounds. The two tables below might make this a little clearer.

TABLE 1. LENGTH STAYS AT 48″ AND GIRTH INCREASES 1/4″
Length – Girth – – Calculated Weight – Actual Weight
48 – – – 24.00 – – – – 34.56 – – – – – – – 38
48 – – – 24.25 – – – – 35.28 – – – – – – – 38
48 – – – 24.50 – – – – 36.02 – – – – – – – 38
48 – – – 24.75 – – – – 36.75 – – – – – – – 38
48 – – – 25.00 – – – – 37.50 – – – – – – – 38
48 – – – 25.25 – – – – 38.25 – – – – – – – 38

TABLE 2. GIRTH STAYS AT 24″ AND LENGTH INCREASES 1/4″
Length – Girth – – Calculated Weight – Actual Weight
48.00 – – 24 – – – – – – – 34.56 – – – – – – 38
48.25 – – 24 – – – – – – – 34.74 – – – – – – 38
48.50 – – 24 – – – – – – – 34.92 – – – – – – 38
48.75 – – 24 – – – – – – – 35.10 – – – – – – 38
49.00 – – 24 – – – – – – – 35.28 – – – – – – 38
49.25 – – 24 – – – – – – – 35.46 – – – – – – 38
49.50 – – 24 – – – – – – – 35.64 – – – – – – 38
49.75 – – 24 – – – – – – – 35.82 – – – – – – 38
50.00 – – 24 – – – – – – – 36.00 – – – – – – 38
50.25 – – 24 – – – – – – – 36.18 – – – – – – 38
50.50 – – 24 – – – – – – – 36.36 – – – – – – 38
50.75 – – 24 – – – – – – – 36.54 – – – – – – 38
51.00 – – 24 – – – – – – – 36.72 – – – – – – 38
51.25 – – 24 – – – – – – – 36.90 – – – – – – 38
51.50 – – 24 – – – – – – – 37.08 – – – – – – 38
51.75 – – 24 – – – – – – – 37.26 – – – – – – 38
52.00 – – 24 – – – – – – – 37.44 – – – – – – 38
52.25 – – 24 – – – – – – – 37.62 – – – – – – 38
52.50 – – 24 – – – – – – – 37.80 – – – – – – 38
52.75 – – 24 – – – – – – – 37.98 – – – – – – 38
53.00 – – 24 – – – – – – – 38.16 – – – – – – 38

Larry and I measured the girth at the last minute and rather quickly. We could easily have shorted the girth an inch or two. However, there is no way we could have shorted the length by five inches.

Jerry