Swear I thought I had the winning under at seally!

How much was the ticket?

Got lucky and just got a warning thank God.

So, you didn't measure the fish properly in your boat?

How much did it weight on your scales?

Didn't even weigh it I was so excited it was so big and still under that I just hauled [censored] to weigh in. I guess I didn't I put his mouth to board with pressure they BARELY touched his mouth to it. Idk I guess they know what they're doing

I have fished many events at Fork and I can tell you that your fish could be made to go under 16" if the person measuring would have pressed the fish's mouth forcefully against the bump stop on the board. Sometimes they barely bump the fish against the stop and sometimes they JAM it into the stop. It is at the discretion of the person measuring.

You bring a fish in to get measured and tell 3 people to check the length to the 1/16th of an inch - all three will have different answers.

We brought an OVER to the weigh in at McDonald's years ago and the game warden, let's call him *Humpty Dumpty because that's what he reminded me of, personally measured the fish. He jammed the fish's lower lip against the board's stop so hard that the gill plate stuck up. He then called it a Slot fish and proceeded to write us a ticket.

Bob Sealy witnessed the whole thing and felt so badly he comped our entry into the next event. He was so upset the GW took over the measuring that he wrote a letter to the TPWD Commissioner. That was the last year any GW's touched a fish at his events. Bob runs a good event.




*I support all LEO's but this guy was a jerk

The inconsistency of the “weigh in” procedures here for some of the bigger events is kind of a turn off for some of the locals and lake regulars for sure. Some people risk it to get biscuit and get rewarded… or get a fine. Mark Howard and others do a great job of being consistent and properly measure fish. But it can be a gamble in the 1,000+ entry tournaments unfortunately.

Mark runs a great tourney. He actually measures all the fish in his events. That's the key.

If the person measuring the fish changes, so will the fish's length. Not by much but when it comes down to the Squeakers like pictured above it can make a huge difference.

By the way, the heaviest Under ever brought to a weigh in at Fork is 3.50 pounds. It was caught by a lady fishing with her husband in a Skeeter Owners event about 15 yrs ago. Saw the fish myself.

Unless someone knows of one heavier that is the legit record Under for Fork.

I've been on the opposite end of that for sure. Fished a tournament several years ago on Fork and caught one that was just about that much short of being an over and it probably weighed 8 pounds or so. I turned that fish every way I could think of to try and make it an over. It just wasn't happening and I put it back. It can be frustrating.

Thank yall for the responses. I do believe it should if measured under. But I'll get a good one next time

Well, actually there's a guy named Curtis, don't know his last name, claims to have the largest under at 3.68 I think. Ken, you may know him. Used to see him around Lake Fork Marina. He actually made a boat lane chip for all brands fish finders. When I met this guy, the first thing he tells me is he has the biggest under on Fork. WELL, alrighty then!! It was a tournament fish, I think he weighed it in ABA, but he said it wasn't a typical Largemouth, some other kind of cross breed. He says they are scarce at Fork, but once in a while someone catches one. DID NOT see this in person, so take it for what it's worth. If anyone witnessed this, or Curtis, if you read this CHIME in, it could get interesting!

this is a practice I disagree with, when measuring a fish it should be laid with mouth just touching the board and the tail hits where it hits.

you will never see a fish swimming with its tail squeezed together like that.

also, if they swing an arc with the tail you will have a difference.

just let the fish lay on the board for measure.