While keeping your buddies honest may be the most common use of a fishing scale, tournament anglers know that money is won or lost during the culling, not just the catching.
As a result, an accurate, dependable scale isn’t just nice to have – it’s absolutely essential.
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Digital vs. Analog
Right off the top, it’s worth asking the obvious question: digital or analog?
Digital scales – are typically easier to read, and some feature memory that can record your catch’s weight. They require batteries, though, and are far less durable than analog alternatives.
Analog or Spring Scales – Analog scales are entirely mechanical, and the top-end models use a carefully calibrated spring to assess weight. Without the need for batteries, and with no electronics to worry about, they’re typically very durable, but they can be a bit harder to read than digital alternatives. It’s also worth noting that good analog scales can be very expensive. That said, they’re amazingly accurate.
Batteries
Long battery life is important for digital scales, and you certainly don’t want them failing unexpectedly! With some digital scales, low batteries can affect accuracy, so it’s a good idea to keep spares on hand and to make sure to change them often.
Accuracy
An inaccurate scale is worthless.
A good scale should deliver repeatable precision, fish after fish and season after season.
Durability and Water Resistance
A fishing scale should be able to absorb the bumps and bruises of outdoor life. From a hard knock on a gunwale to a drop on the dock, these little accidents shouldn’t kill it.
A sudden storm or the occasional splash should be tolerable, too, but obviously, mechanical scales have the advantage here. In fact, our research reveals that even the best digital scales should be kept high and dry if at all possible.
Final Thoughts
Tournament anglers know that culling is second only to catching in ensuring a win, and the right scale can make all the difference.
Our top picks are accurate, durable, easy to use, making them very popular among professional anglers. If you’re looking to improve your odds – and get into the prize money – one of our top picks will be a step in the right direction.
As always, we’re here to answer any questions you might have, so please leave a comment below.
Source: usangler.com