What does it weigh?
Forgot the scale, or releasing the fish? Measure its length - and the girth if you can - and we'll look up the average weight for that length in a state fisheries table (New York, and North Dakota for channel catfish), or use the length-and-girth rule if you measured the girth.
Estimated from length only - add a girth measurement for a sharper number.
Measure it right: lay the fish flat and measure nose to the tip of the tail. For girth, wrap a tape around the fattest part of the body, just behind the gills. Wet, careful handling gets it back in the water fast and healthy.
This is an estimate - real weight varies with how well-fed the fish is, the time of year and spawning condition, easily by 10-20%. For an official record, nothing replaces a certified scale. Always handle fish you intend to release gently and return them quickly.
Weigh and measure the real fish
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