Weight Scales And False Readings 2025

Texfisherman reply :

Hey, all.

I've owned several different brands of digital scales and spring scales to weigh my bass.

But I've gotten false readings from every one of them.

I've had digital scales give as much as 2 pounds lighter than the spring scales, when actually weighing bass.

Do all of you confirm that the scale you own is giving accurate readings?

If I weigh a bass through his lip vs. through the first gill, will I get different readings?

Nowadays, I keep a digital and a spring scale, but I tested both of them on a ten pound metal workout plate multiple times and........

The digital scale varied between a little over 9 pounds to 9.5 pounds.

The spring scale readout 9.75 pounds a good 90 % of the time and only once did it readout exactly 10 pounds.

EDIT: I should also note that I used tie wire (think of it as metal string) so that the entire weight was indeed below the hook.

I do make sure I'm reading pounds and ounces, vs. kilograms.

Any feedback on this is greatly appreciated.

My suggestion is to always verify that your weight scales are producing accurate readings.

Paul Roberts reply :

Scales MUST be calibrated, and checked often. Otherwise they are useless.

I use small weight-lifting disc weights put in a plastic grocery sack and hung on my scales. I have 2-1/2lb and 5lb weights, which can allow me to check my scales at 2-1/2, 5, 7-1/2, 10, and 12-1/2lbs.

endless reply :

I think I read most prefer going to a local tackle shop or somewhere can't remember (might want to search the forum) and getting the scale certified. I know people also like to weigh a gallon of milk. I tried my free plates when had them but not all them are accurate in the weight they say.

Darren. reply :

On 5/3/2013 at 1:44 AM, Texfisherman said:

Hey, all.

I've owned several different brands of digital scales and spring scales to weigh my bass.

But I've gotten false readings from every one of them.

I've had digital scales give as much as 2 pounds lighter than the spring scales, when actually weighing bass.

Do all of you confirm that the scale you own is giving accurate readings?

If I weigh a bass through his lip vs. through the first gill, will I get different readings?

Nowadays, I keep a digital and a spring scale, but I tested both of them on a ten pound metal workout plate multiple times and........

The digital scale varied between a little over 9 pounds to 9.5 pounds.

The spring scale readout 9.75 pounds a good 90 % of the time and only once did it readout exactly 10 pounds.

EDIT: I should also note that I used tie wire (think of it as metal string) so that the entire weight was indeed below the hook.

I do make sure I'm reading pounds and ounces, vs. kilograms.

Any feedback on this is greatly appreciated.

My suggestion is to always verify that your weight scales are producing accurate readings.

I just picked up a digital scale from DSG and have been quite pleased with it so far. I have an Econoscale as well (Boga knock off) which has been super-accurate over the years. I bought the Field & Stream digiscale because I wasn't sure my gripper was giving me accurate reading lower on the scale.

I've got some weights down to 3 pounds that ring up accurately on both. However, my digiscale reads a 10 lb weight like yours, not quite 10 pounds, but the Econoscale is spot-on. The grip scale is far easier to use since the fish is already lipped. Pain to hook the bass with a digiscale (just my opinion).

Packard reply :

I use an industrial/lab grade spring scale not a fishing one because I believe they are better. I can not get the readings below half pound increments but that is good enough for me. I also use a fish grip to grap the bass with and then hook my spring scale through the hole in the top of the fish grip. This doesn't harm the fish and I see that Major League Fishing is now using the same product.

Marty reply :

I don't think weights necessarily weigh what they say. For me, the only way to check a scale is to weigh stuff that has already been weighed on a certified scale at your supermarket. A six-pack, bag of apples, gallon of milk and many other things will do fine. i do this check twice a year or any time I think my scale might be going bad.

Goose52 reply :

I have had good results with my 3 digital scales and perform load tests on them periodically. When weighing known weight test loads (weight known within a tiny fraction of an ounce) - all 3 scales are very accurate. The last test I performed was with a known weight of 9.804 pounds - all scales were within one ounce of the test load. My report on this load test, including the test procedure and photographs of the test in progress, is here: Rapala Mini Digital Scale - Load Test Report

RoachDad reply :

My scale is way off. It always reads light! ha

Every 5 pounder I catch reads 3.5. What's up with that?

Texfisherman reply :

Thanks for all of the feedback. I may go buy one of the Econoscales. Then, get something weighed on cert. scales and use that to check my scales from now on.

ww2farmer reply :

I have two scales, an equalizer brand tournament scale, and a handheld Berkley digital scale. Fish weigh the same on both scales. One is $20, the other is $300. I have checked the $300 equalizer against known weights of various products, and it accurately weighs them. I find that guys who complain about scales either #1..... Don't know how to use a scale, or #2.......are disappointed when all the fish they think should weigh 5-7 pounds actually weigh three and a half, so it must be the scales fault. Any fool who is not a legitimate record hunter who gets so anal about certifying, calibrating to the Nth degree, or worrying about a few 100th's of a pound on a hand held scale for recreational fishing is a moron. If a scale is obviously off, like saying a 12" fish weighs 5 lbs, chances are you have a bad scale.

Lukas Lukas reply :

I am also fishing oftenly, and i tried to send my weighing scales from electronic shop, and i am happy about it ! ) http://www.moris.lt/lt/bendra-iranga/svarstykles.html what do you thing about them?

Mainebass1984 reply :

I use a rapala digital scale. It is has been very accurate for me. I have one pound weight that I check the scale with often. When weighing in pounds and ounces the one pound weight always has come out to exactly 1 lb on the digital I use. If weighed to the hundredth of a pound it is always within .05-.10 of a pound. I always weigh my fish in pounds and ounces..

00 mod reply :

I carry 2 with me. A bog a and an Accu Cull digital. I check both frequently and they are the 2 best I have ever owned!

Jeff

A-Jay reply :

What Jeff said.

A-Jay

Mytoyzfishing reply :

For me the only time I use a scale really is if I am tournament Fishing to help keep track of fish to make culling easier. Long as the scale is consistant I dont really care if it weights 3 oz lighter or heavier long as it does it consistantly.

alberto-1 reply :

In a tournament Im not really worried about it being completely accurate as long as it is consistent. I just need every fish to be weighed just like the last one.

tomustang reply :

If you have a scale you should always have it checked for accuracy. It's not hard and you don't need to buy a scale weight set, you can go to any grocery store and confirm produce on their scale then go home and place it in a plastic shopping bag and check your scale. You can also find work out weights and have them checked for accuracy (2,5,10lbs) and keep those as a way to check your scales every week or any time you drop or impact your scale.

J Francho reply :

Get rid of your accuracy issues here, with a quality spring scale: http://www.chatillon-scales.com/products/handheld-scales/in-series.aspx

BassinLou reply :

On 12/5/2013 at 2:10 AM, J Francho said:
Get rid of your accuracy issues here, with a quality spring scale: http://www.chatillon-scales.com/products/handheld-scales/in-series.aspx

That scale is in my immediate radar. Ever since you first lead me to them Francho.

retiredbosn reply :

I prefer spring scales, no battery issues, always reads the same, always ready to use, and very easy to use. Note of interest for ppl using free weights to check accuracy, depending on your weight set a free 10 weight doesn't weigh ten pounds. What I mean is if you want to curl 20lbs, then its two tens and the bar that equal the total weight. Using a free weight isn't the best way to check accuracy. I weigh stuff I buy at the grocery store that have been weighed at the certified scale, now days that's at the register the ones in produce aren't typically certified any more, they have reference only printed on them.

WRB reply :

Unless your scale is Lab quality it will be accurate with 2%. Spring scales read by an indicator aligning engraved lines, parallax of alignment isn't very accurate. Digital scales rely on battery power, as we all know batties fade voltage with time, as the voltage drops, the scale accuracy changes. Scales that use high end lithium Ion batteries will retain accuracy longer than traditional cad/nickel batteries. Scale accurate to 1% across their linear weight range are 2x more accurate than most 2% scales. Check your scales advertised accuracy and keep the batteries at maximum voltage.

Tom

flyfisher reply :

On 12/5/2013 at 7:43 AM, retiredbosn said:
I prefer spring scales, no battery issues, always reads the same, always ready to use, and very easy to use. Note of interest for ppl using free weights to check accuracy, depending on your weight set a free 10 weight doesn't weigh ten pounds. What I mean is if you want to curl 20lbs, then its two tens and the bar that equal the total weight. Using a free weight isn't the best way to check accuracy. I weigh stuff I buy at the grocery store that have been weighed at the certified scale, now days that's at the register the ones in produce aren't typically certified any more, they have reference only printed on them.

I have never heard that before and to me does not make sense. I can use the same plates on my barbell as i would on a curl bar or a dumbbell so by what you said, each one of those different bars would have different weights. Not to mention i am not even sure how you could do the math on those to make it work for all the combinations because as you add more plates you would need the plates to weigh less because the bar weight remains the same while the number of plates changes.

AK-Jax86 reply :

I have a Berkley digital scale that I have had forever, may have been the first one they ever made to be honest lol had it since I was in middle school. I weighed a weight with it and it was off I forget by how much I think it was .7. I doubt each weight is exactly dead on what it's suppose to be but I may be wrong, if I am then add .7 to every fish I have weighed lol.

I'm getting a new scale from my girlfriend for Christmas so I will retire this old one after I do a comparison when I catch a biggen

SirSnookalot reply :

Being in a business where a scale is the lifeblood of the operation, I can say for a fact the scales are checked by the state. As far as I know it's done on a random basis and you don't know when they are going to show up. If one is using a 5 lb bag of sugar or flour to check accuracy it's most likely near perfect, in Michigan a legal scale is +/- 1 %. I can't really address fish scales as I don't use them, but the ones I do own or have owned in the past were all spring, accuracy is something I can't attest to. I have had scales ranging from truck scales that weigh over 100k, platform scales weigh a few thousand pounds and small scales weighing precious metals in grams or pennyweights, each and every one I owned was a spring scale, many with balance beams use springs too. I did have digital but that was only the display, the scale itself was spring.

Bankbeater reply :

I have had a couple of Rapala digital scales over the years. Never had an issue with them reading wrong.

retiredbosn reply :

On 12/5/2013 at 9:18 AM, flyfisher said:
I have never heard that before and to me does not make sense. I can use the same plates on my barbell as i would on a curl bar or a dumbbell so by what you said, each one of those different bars would have different weights. Not to mention i am not even sure how you could do the math on those to make it work for all the combinations because as you add more plates you would need the plates to weigh less because the bar weight remains the same while the number of plates changes.

Sorry, I was tired when typing my initial response, just like anything else there are different quality levels with weight sets. When you go to the gym the bar weighs 50lbs and the free weights are all accurate, two 50's and the bench bar at 50 total weight 150lbs. Your typical entry level home gym weight set is what I was referring to and not very well, the weights are light, so that when added to the bench bar they equal the total you are trying to get, fyi it is the total amount of weights in your set plus the bar equals the total. The individual weights are light, shoot many of them still use concrete in plastic, so a 110lb weight set is 110 lbs when the bar and weights are used together. The individual plates are light, the amount that they are light equals the weight of the bar divided by the total number of weights in the set. It is the cheaper home sets that I am referring to, sorry for the confusion.

BaitMonkey1984 reply :

On 5/3/2013 at 2:11 AM, Paul Roberts said:

Scales MUST be calibrated, and checked often. Otherwise they are useless.

I use small weight-lifting disc weights put in a plastic grocery sack and hung on my scales. I have 2-1/2lb and 5lb weights, which can allow me to check my scales at 2-1/2, 5, 7-1/2, 10, and 12-1/2lbs.

Yup, this is the answer. Easiest way I have found to make sure scales are reading accurately ( and I have many digital and spring scales available at all time) is to keep a 5lb cannonball on board. If you have any doubts, check the cannonball (test measurement).

MickD reply :

Buy a gallon of water at your local grocery store. As you check out ask them to weigh it. They have very accurate scales right at the cash register. Write it down. Take it home. Weigh it with your fish scale. Compare the result with the grocery store.

From then on, adjust your observed weight on your scale by the error between the grocery store and your scale. My Rapala weighs one ounce light, so I just add a ounce to what it tells me the fish weighs.

Bluebasser86 reply :

I usually have a pretty good idea about what a fish should weigh, so unless it's way off from that I'm not terribly worried.

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Weight Scales And False Readings 2025

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