He didn't, he described a typical incident where a fish can be legal/illegal dependent on how it's measured.

As far as the overall problem, wouldn't it solve the whole problem if the wardens measured the fish first and the Sealy people went by that? P_102

What is the point of a slot?

Increases the population of fish in the lake that are in their prime reproductive/breeding years.

If you catch a fish at Fork that goes over on one side and put him in the livewell, you've broken the law. Plain and simple. And knowing that, I wouldn't be able to pass the polygraph. To me it wouldn't matter if the weigh master said it was good or not.

I don't see a lack of integrity at all. It was close enough that he was concerned, yet the fish turned out to be legal... With the stories about fish that measure in the boat but don't measure at the tank and the variations in boards, I can understand his reluctance to submit a squeaker. Caution does not equal lack of integrity sir.

The statement was that it measures just under 16" on one side but just over 16" on the other. If you measure that fish and see it go over 16 and choose to keep it then you have kept a slot fish and it is illegal. That is not a squeaker. We aren't talking that he measured and it was good but they measured the other side and he was unaware that it was longer. Yes he got one by the weigh master and imo took money that belonged to someone who got knocked out of the hour weigh in. I don't read anything in it about caution other than caution on paying the fine if he got caught. That sir is all about integrity

Several TDs in the past have stated "If it's good on one side, it's good". They have stated this for both overs and unders. They use that line of thinking to put it in the angler's favor for CLOSE fish. As to whether you could use that line of thinking if a warden were measuring is beside the point. There is no integrity issue here, he presented a fish that he felt may or may not be "good", depending on the conditions at the time. It was a coin flip, he could've gotten paid or DQ'ed, and he took the risk.

so, should these tournaments be more specific in their tournament rules:

The fish will be measured with its head pointed to the left side of the WP, with the bottom of the fish pointed towards the WP, and the WP will pinch the tail with his/her right hand and swipe back and forth to achieve the longest possible length.

or..

The fish will be measured every way possible (both sides, upside down, right side up) and the longest observed length through any one method will be deemed to be the length of the fish for tournament purposes.


I know I'm scared to death to bring in a fish that is close.

Just for discussion, does an over have to be over on both sides or is being over on one side sufficient? If yes, wouldn't being under on one side be sufficient as well?

He did not break the law....If he did he would have not gotten any money and the GW would have made him walk the walk of shame. On his stick one side measure good and one side long. On their stick it did not go over.

He never said they measured both sides. Of course he didn't get a ticket if it measured good on the side that they measured. If he measured it and one side was long and he placed it in his livewell then he most definitely broke the law.

TDs don't make or interpretate the law. They can only make their rules more stringent than the law. If I am 6' tall and I have one leg amputated 3' shorter, am I now 6'or 5'9"? I know it isn't exactly the same thing but you should see my point. If a fish is measured on either side and must be below a certain length and on one side here is over, then it is not a legal fish no more than trimming the tail on one.

I think if it measures short on one side it's legal. Along the lines of "tie goes to the runner". I also believe that if a game warden saw it was under on one side on your measuring board, it would be OK.

Read the TPWD deal " to obtain maximum length". Either side, either way, the MAXIMUM length is THE length to go by. Doesn't matter which side or how you hold your mouth. That is how everybody should measure and what everybody should go by. The guy took a chance with one he knew was over on his board. He won that time. I don't see anything wrong with that. He knew the consequences if he was wrong and that's part of the game isn't it, get as close as you can without going over. Sounds like he did that. Granted, in reality the fish WAS a slot fish on his scale doesn't mean it was on anybody else's. If that's the one thing everybody should take away from this thread is that basically no 2 sticks measure the same, as stupid as that is.

Enough you guys are killing me!!!