# Measuring fish while wading



## "Skinny Dipper"

Anyone out there have a good method of measuring your catch when your wading a mile from your boat? Just started wade fishing and love it. I usually catch and release but sometimes mamma wants some fresh fish and dont want to get stuck with an iffy on the stringer. Any help would be greatly appreciated.


----------



## Part Timer

Use fingernail polish to mark the rod. I just put on a drip and rolled the rod and it made a perfect little line. i measured mine from the cork up. I made 2 colors one for reds and one for trout.


----------



## I Fall In

Part Timer said:


> Use fingernail polish to mark the rod. I just put on a drip and rolled the rod and it made a perfect little line. i measured mine from the cork up. I made 2 colors one for reds and one for trout.


 This, or you can buy the stick-on ruler to go on your rod.


----------



## tomtom83

I have marks tattooed on my arm at 14", 15", 20", and 28" 

Hopefully they don't change the regs anytime soon.


----------



## allent2002

tomtom83 said:


> I have marks tattooed on my arm at 14", 15", 20", and 28"
> 
> Hopefully they don't change the regs anytime soon.


Dang what an Idea.. Headed to my Local Place Right NOW !! After I clean my Laptop Screen and Keyboard off

Thanks for the Beer Spitting response


----------



## WoodDuck Wizard

Problem solved, but get it on your forearm


----------



## jtbailey

Pure ******* genius right there :doowapsta Think I might finally get my first tat

But... Ummm 28" on your forearm ???


----------



## johndoughy

I knew a tattoo artist with a forearm of horizontal lines that said "list" at the top.


+1 on marking the pole.


----------



## tomtom83

I've actually tried to get the tattoo twice now, my non-fishing friends always talk me out of it. Some people just don't get it.


----------



## bearwash87

i had a rod custom made for wading it has thread wrapped for measurement all the way up to 30 inches.


----------



## Part Timer

I marked 4 spots on mine. one color i did for trout and i marked it at 15" & 25". Other color for reds i did 20" & 28".


----------



## ClearLakeClayt

This is my favorite, after trying a couple of other brands. Have one on each of my rods.

http://www.fishingtackleunlimited.com/p/fishing/c-Full-Limit/FLP-Rod-Rul-R.html

You tat guys, remember that you're going to shrink as you get older! Could be an issue when Mr. Warden Dude shows up...


----------



## Sisco Kid

I prefer to have mine a 1" more

Sent from my Note 2, using Tapatalk


----------



## bluefin

bearwash87 said:


> i had a rod custom made for wading it has thread wrapped for measurement all the way up to 30 inches.


Never understood why more rod makers don't put 14", 15" and 16" markers on their rods. 
As far as the measuring tape, I'm not a big fan of that. I did it to a couple of my older rods and it just took away any characteristic of the rod. Some fingernail polish and clear epoxy is a much cleaner look. Of course jmho.


----------



## KEN KERLEY

Stick-on ruler works good for me.


----------



## troutless

X-2 on the stick on ruler.


----------



## Cobrah

JimD had a good post about this not long ago, I use a seamstress' soft measuring tape that I cut down to 40". He added a paperclip to the end to king of anchor the measuring tape to your boga for better faster measurements.


----------



## Drundel

Find rod maker to put on lines on your ruler. Most can do it for about $15 and its a nice clean look for the lines. I have brown thread at 14, silver at 15 and 25, red at 20 and 28.


----------



## "Skinny Dipper"

Thanks for the tips guys. Used the fingernail polish idea but I'm getting a couple custom rids with the measuent on them. We'll see how it works on Monday.


----------



## Rockclimber

Pinstriping tape from an auto supply store with clear fingernail polish over it. Marks at 14, 15, 20 and 28".


----------



## OnedayScratch

Part Timer said:


> Use fingernail polish to mark the rod. I just put on a drip and rolled the rod and it made a perfect little line. i measured mine from the cork up. I made 2 colors one for reds and one for trout.


This.


----------



## zthomas18

I did this myself. Super easy. Just look up thread wraps you youtube. It cost $10 and will last a lifetime.


----------



## The Salty Raider

I will carry a yard stick with me. It can be a hassle at times but I wear a wade aid belt and used a small piece of rope to tie the yard stick to the belt. Besides getting caught up in my net a few times, it has worked out for me.


----------



## johndoughy

I have learned that my landing net's bottom diameter is 15", and I eyeball it from there. I'm gonna mark my rod soon, but it is a bit of a hassle even to do that. I keep a cheapo tape measure in the car to verify, get exact numbers or whatever, but if it is a close call, I don't keep them.

I was bringing a tape measure, but it's just guesswork measuring a bent fish with one hand anyways.


----------



## Flounder Face

wait, there are size limits?


----------



## EZ Wade

ezwade.com and go to legal catch product on shop page.


----------



## [email protected]

Texas legal Fishstix fold out floating ruler with all tx regs printed on it


----------



## madbayrunner

four pages of measuring fish wading help!
priceless, that's better than the topic of OP!
you guys are funny and helpful!!!


----------



## bigdaddyflo

Here's what I do the day before I go fishing...I check my regulation book for the fish I am targeting and the legal lengths. Then I use a small piece of electrical tape and wrap it onto my rod at the correct distance(s) from the end. I use different colored tape for specific fish, e.g., red for redfish - two pieces for this fish, minimum and maximum sizes, white for trout - minimum and maximum, black for flounder, etc. if you fish in Louisiana, their sizes are different so this option works great. The only problem is getting the fish to stay still to get a good measurement! But that is with any measuring device!
After I am finished fishing for the day, I can simply remove the tape and have a clean fishing rod, or leave it on for the next trip. If regulations change, no problem.
Tight lines <*(((((><


----------



## bragwell

Rod Rul-R at academy $2.99. Or a hawg trough squirt foam sealant in the grooves underneath and it floats. In fact I have one I'll sell you. PM if interested.


----------



## GP

I stick the rod ruler on starting at cork handle then i cut at 14 15 20 25 and 28 just leaving the number and line and peel the rest of the rod ruler off


----------



## Dick Hanks

The fingernail polish, orange dots, on this rod are @ 14" and 15" from the tip of the butt. There is another dot @ 20".

You need to grab Reds, Trout, Black Drum, and Sheepies, right behind the gill plates. Usually they will settle down to be measured then.

Flatties are a different story. Have fun measuring them!

See rod at top of picture:


----------



## Doubless

Been wrapping rods since the early 70s. I put tick marks on rods at 15, 20 and 28" for customers, seldom do it on my own rods. I won't keep a marginal fish (too much risk). If I know he/she is legal he goes on the stringer; if there is a chance he is too big (not likely at this stage of my life...) he/she goes back in the water. It is just one fish.

There is no upper length limit on a speck. If she is that good, she can wait until I get back to the boat or the house. It just isn't that big a deal, at least to me...


----------



## JFolm

Doubless said:


> There is no upper length limit on a speck


Yes there is.


----------



## Bioyak

I marked it permanantly on the side of my kayak - not always perfect since I tend to walk away from it frequently.:walkingsm


----------



## tspitzer

i have been using a tall walking can that i stick in the ground just to feel where i am walking it is marked well --i am not getting any younger and not a big fan of what I cannot see under my feet--


----------



## JustSlabs

I don't have anything on my rod or carry anything with me to measure them with. If I can't eyeball them and be certain they are the legal limit I let it go. Unless someone with me has a rod rulr then I will measure it.....


----------



## fishing4sanity

*FunNNy*



tomtom83 said:


> I have marks tattooed on my arm at 14", 15", 20", and 28"
> 
> Hopefully they don't change the regs anytime soon.


Now that's funny.


----------



## sotexhookset

I use my peter. 3" on a good day but half that at best on a cold wade so anything over 17" is an automatic C&R. Gets kinda brutal out there. Dam. I never thought about marking my rod.


----------



## Live2hunt

Academy has a rod ruler that is color coded for trout, reds and flounder. Easy to tell at a glance.


----------



## captain sandbar

I Fall In said:


> This, or you can buy the stick-on ruler to go on your rod.


Be careful, those tapes sometimes strech when you attach them to your rod, and your measurments can be off by a half inch or so. Use teh nail polish method.


----------



## Landman

Mark the bottom side of the rod with White-out at 15",20",28" from the cork. It's free and works great. Reapply when necessary.


----------



## Alwaysinshorts

Really?

I'm just happy to catch something much less target a species.



bigdaddyflo said:


> Here's what I do the day before I go fishing...I check my regulation book for the fish I am targeting and the legal lengths. Then I use a small piece of electrical tape and wrap it onto my rod at the correct distance(s) from the end. I use different colored tape for specific fish, e.g., red for redfish - two pieces for this fish, minimum and maximum sizes, white for trout - minimum and maximum, black for flounder, etc. if you fish in Louisiana, their sizes are different so this option works great. The only problem is getting the fish to stay still to get a good measurement! But that is with any measuring device!
> After I am finished fishing for the day, I can simply remove the tape and have a clean fishing rod, or leave it on for the next trip. If regulations change, no problem.
> Tight lines <*(((((><


----------



## CoogFisher12

the Rod Ruler is what I use, and it can be picked up pretty much anywhere, but like the others said, beware to not stretch it because it can mess up your lengths. It can be a pain in the butt to put on too. But my tactic is to just use it as a guideline; if I have to stretch a trout to be 15, I usually just let him go. Worse come to worse, you just re-measure when you get back to the boat. Tight lines!


----------



## Puddle_Jumper

That is a awesome idea... Gonna do that before my next trip for sure.. I have duct tape on it now


----------



## Tail Chaser

Whatever you choose, you'll only use it on the first couple fish (especially trout) and after that you'll just be eyeballing. When it comes to trout, if it looks too small or even borderline, it's too small (shrinkage).


----------



## FlounderSeeker

Part Timer said:


> Use fingernail polish to mark the rod. I just put on a drip and rolled the rod and it made a perfect little line. i measured mine from the cork up. I made 2 colors one for reds and one for trout.


Works great or strip of electrical tape. Sorry if I'm repeating, didn't read all of the replies.


----------

