is it ok to weigh a fish in early so you don't lose 1/2 lb. for dead fish?

I would only do this in the hot summer time to avoid the death of the fish. On many occasions they will regurgitate a 1/2 pound of bait in their stomach. I have rushed in big bass tournaments to get her to the scales before this happens. Most of the time, time is valuable and I am as far away as I can get from other boat traffic; so I will not waste fishing time to go early unless it is a winning sack and hot summer time temps. involved. Many times because of pre-fishing knowledge I have gone to weigh in at noon and called it quits. Once I won and once I took second.

but what if you know the fish was not going to make it should it be allowed.

The problem with early weigh-in is, in most tournaments once you weigh in your done you cant go back and add to it. unless it's a one big fish deal I and your is big I wouldn't want to chance it. I would either release it before it dies or take the penalty.

I am not going to turn a big fish loose in a tournament that has the potential of moving me up. Like said I will just have to take the penalty if she doesn't make it.

On Amistad I have come in early with a big sack a couple of times on tournaments that do not have a early weigh-in. The place I stay has a water well. I would stick the hose in the live well and keep the fresh cool water running in there with the recirculating pumps going until time to go through the line. It worked great. The key is well water and not city water. All my frozen bottles have well water and or lake water that I place in there every hour to cool the water down. I take the lid off the 1/2 gal. jugs so the cold water can get out and into the live well; then refill them and freeze after the tournament.

^^^ Good point Donald!! city water has all sorts of stuff in it(primarily fluoride and chlorine) that wouldn't be helpful to your bass!! I need to get a few water bottles from a lake and keep em frozen to use for cooling down. Usually I just take regular bottled water and freeze it then use it til its melted and drink it!!