I’ve never carried a scale or a tape measure on the river. At one point in my life, when I fished primarily with a single fly rod, I knew the length of the rod butt to the cork and to the stripping guide. Even then, the inconvenience of laying a trout alongside my rod made this process tedious. So I didn’t do it. As far as weighing fish goes, I did have friends who would carry a spring-operated scale in their tackle box. These devices, which clip to the fish’s mouth, seemed inaccurate. Moreover, their use on a lot of two and three pound fish seemed unnecessary.

What is the point of quantifying fish with precision?

There are some situations where it makes sense. As heretical as it may sound to fly fishers, keeping fish is a thing. When one does that, measuring is very important. Regardless of what you think of tournaments, they rely upon numerical record-keeping.

More valid than both of those examples though are the benchmarks of the angling community. Although it is ultimately arbitrary, a 10 pound bass means something. What does “a five pound trout” mean? I am impressed with a 20 pound catfish… but should I be? Don’t some get to be 100 pounds? And circling back to bass: In some California lakes 10-pounders are by-catch. Up north? A 10 pound largemouth isn’t just something. It is legendary.

I like the sliding scales used by most trout anglers. A 20 inch fish is usually good. But on a big southern tailwater, someone might catch “a couple of really big browns, and a bunch of 20 inchers.” On a mountain stream the 16, 12, or eight inch fish may very well be the magic slot size. Expectations, like fish, vary.

Maybe it is me, but I trust someone’s gauge of weight even less than I trust their ability to estimate length. There are many factors which cause me to question your credibility. One: you are an angler. It is a trope, but it is true. We  want the big fish. We want it because of the challenge, but we also want it for the bragging rights. We might even want it for the benefit of the fish. “Wow, you have really made something of yourself, trout.”

At the heart of it, most anglers’ religion espouses a works-based salvation. This piscatorial pietism is well documented:  Initiates count numbers. As acolytes rise in the ranks, size matters more. The truly sanctified simply relish the experience. But always and ever, even the most enlightened fly fisher wrestles with the pounds and inches of the law.

The fly fisher should have a loose grip on weights and measures. Enough knowledge to keep track (with integrity); enough self-awareness to not be too focused on it. It is also essential to have a good measure of grace for those who need to hold their catch up to the tape or a little closer to the camera. After all, there are no saints in fly fishing.