Best way to measure salmon

[AB3]

With the present slot size restrictions enacted by DFO, I am curious how everyone measures their fish. Having just had to do this a few days ago it wasn't an easy task. Luckily the fish was fairly obviously over. I would have hated to have to try and make an accurate measurement of a fish that was close to under/over with the fish flopping all over the deck or in the water.
So yeah, how does everyone do it? Keep the fish in the water, measure real quick on the deck....or some other way?
Thanks

 

[RiverBoy]

i have a 1” x 2” board with the min size 62 cm marked on all sides, and the overall length of the board is 80 cm. i just hold it in the water beside the fish.

now you just have to hope your fish is well hooked and feels like being measured.

 

[Cedarstrip]

i have a 1” x 2” board with the min size 62 cm marked on all sides, and the overall length of the board is 80 cm. i just hold it in the water beside the fish.

now you just have to hope your fish is well hooked and feels like being measured.

Same here. 80cm stick marked at 62 and 65 from all sides and both ends. No matter how I hold it, it'll give me the correct lengths.

 

[Waterwolf2230]

Same here. 80cm stick marked at 62 and 65 from all sides and both ends. No matter how I hold it, it'll give me the correct lengths.

SMRT!

 

[eroyd]

A fish has to be pretty warn out to lay in the water nicely to be measured. Especially when the length is close. This whole slot length limit is stupidly counter productive. I did have a soft trout net that had inches marked inside. (Measure Net?) Worked pretty well. Wonder if there is a larger version?

 

[AB3]

Agree that the slot size is ridiculous, it's such a narrow window!
I do like the idea of a board though. I shall be making one shortly

 

[SteelyDan]

I've been using a piece of gangion with a knot tied at each end at 80cm

 

[walleyes]

 

[Rain City]

It's true when they're dead they're far easier to measure.

 

[Rockfish]

On the south end of the island we have been dealing with slot restrictions for close to a decade. You can eyeball them in the water and with experience, have a rather good idea if they are over or under. For measuring in the water, some use two small diameter round sticks with tuna cord that matches the slot and can be stretched out to check. This works well, especially on boats that have some free board that would make it more difficult with a flat measuring stick to reach over and work. The two sticks and cord used from a distance may also be less likely to spook the fish than a flat horizontal stick and human arm and send it twisting while you are trying to measure.

If you are sure it is under or measures under slot in the water, you bring it in and measure it on a metric stick or tape, flat on the deck under the fish to confirm. Do not measure over the upper rounded body of the fish with a tape, as that adds length.

We were always permitted to keep hatchery marked Chinook over slot, which was a good percentage of our Chinook caught, especially in the spring and very early summer, so first we checked for that in the water. This year of course we are currently on a total Chinook Closure thanks to the politicking of the current Ottawa Govt.