Best Fishing Tournament Scales for 2016

We get asked all the time about fishing tournament scales that are used at competitions and weigh in’s. That’s probably because we’ve sold these types of scales for many years. So in this article we’re going to list off a few of our top choices for best fishing tournament scales for 2016 and provide you with our overall buying recommendations.

First, we would suggest that you decide what your budget is going to be and what features you must have and what features you want to have.

This can also be described as wants vs. needs. For example, you might want to have a remote display that connects to your scale so the crowd can see the weight. But you don’t necessarily need that luxury at the moment.

You’re also going to see that in many cases there is no 100% perfect scale.

Sometimes individuals will give us a list of a dozen requirements and say that they’re looking for scales that meet all these and almost always that will not happen. That is why we say to please come up with a realistic list of features that you need/want and then let us show you what we recommend for you.

Many years ago Doran Scales was the obvious choice for this market. They offered two different types of scales that were very popular. They offered a stainless steel bench scale and they offered a mild steel counter top scale. Both included “fishing tournament software” built into the scale and it would average the readings until it found the proper weight and then the weight would lock on the display.

These were really nice scales and were very popular with fishing clubs.

Unfortunately, Doran updated their main boards several years ago and the fishing software configuration was no longer available.

Now that doesn’t mean you can’t choose a Doran. In fact, we recommend if you’re looking for a long term solution a Doran 8000XL is a great choice. And, if you’re looking for something that is truly “waterproof” this scale is a great choice as well.

The only catch is that it doesn’t have the weight lock functionality and the scale indicator is rated IP69K which is excellent at water protection. So the Doran would be a great long term investment if you have the funds.

We also currently offer the 640 series. To be totally fair at this time, we are still evaluating it and can’t really provide much information other than to say it has some promise when it comes to averaging the scale weights and then locking in the weight but the system is fairly expensive.

Speaking of money, that is when customers often start going down the list looking for less expensive choices.

At this point, we start looking at items like the SL-3700 and BWS series. The SL3700 features a nice, high quality digital indicator that has some good filtering and weight lock capability. Meanwhile the BWS features a really large weight display which is easy to read.

When money is tight, folks often look at the Sportsman which does fulfill a lot of the requirements that club president’s do have. The scale is built for basic weighing environments and the fact is that it does a good job for the most part. But the scale is certainly not water proof and has its limitations for sure.

That leaves us with the WeighMaster. And overall, we think this is probably the best overall digital scale for fishing club weigh-in’s and tournaments.

weigh master digital fishing tournament weigh-in scale

The scale is built very well and features basically what we would call industrial construction. The weight indicator can be powered by regular 110VAC power or the built in rechargeable battery. The scale does have the ability to filter or average the weight on the platform and then lock the weight on the display.

This scale is overall the best choice we have for most everyday fishing tournaments. Now it does have its limitations as well. It’s not nearly as “waterproof” as the Doran 8000XL. It doesn’t display weight in ounces for example.

But overall for many folks, we think this is the best value and investment that you and your club can make. Contact us (919) 776-7737 or complete our RFQ form on the sales page and we can provide you with product recommendations and prices.

Virginia Man Reels in Fish Weight Record Catch

Since we offer so many great fishing scales for clubs and tournaments we thought it might be interesting to our readers to share a story. You may have already heard about it but there was a record catch that was made recently on the North Carolina coast. Neil Manning of Ashburn, Virginia, reeled in a 138-pound fish Nov. 16 while fishing off Hatteras. The fish measured 85 inches from the tip of the lower jaw to the fork in the tail. At one time you could see  all the North Carolina Saltwater Fishing records on a site we had linked here but it is no longer valid.

Some of the fish you’ll see listed in the North Carolina records link above include: Albacore, Amberjack, Barracuda, Black Sea Bass, Striped Bass, Bluefish, Cobia, Croaker, Dolphin, Drum, Flounder, Grouper, Hogfish, Kingfish, King Mackerel, Blue Marlin, White Marlin, Perch, Pigfish, Pinfish, Sailfish, Scamp, Blue Shark, Hammerhead Shark, Lemon Shark, Tiger Shark, Snapper, Spadefish, Spearfish, Swordfish, Tarpon, Triggerfish, Trout, Tuna and Wahoo.

Getting back to the original point of the post, the previous state record for white marlin was 118 pounds, 8 ounces, caught off the coast of North Carolina’s Oregon Inlet in 1976. In case you’re curious, the all time record world wide for white marlin was done in Brazil and weighed over 180 pounds.

digital hanging scale for weighing fish caught in ocean

Most of our scale systems that we sell on a regular basis to fishing clubs and tournaments are lower capacity models designed for weighing small mouth bass for example. Our standard capacity is usually around 50 pounds and the scale has an actual platform that is usually around 12″ x 12″. However, in order to weigh some of the larger saltwater fish that are mentioned in the article above, we would typically recommend some type of digital hanging scale. We have a variety to choose from and likewise several price points are available as well. You can contact us M-F 8-4:30 at (919) 776-7737

Professional Scale for Fishing Tournament Weigh-In’s

We have been actively providing digital scales for fishing tournaments and clubs for over a decade. During this time period, we’ve learned a few things about this segment of our customer base regarding price and quality. It is imperative that you don’t just settle when it comes to scales. After all, the weigh-in portion of your fishing tournament is kind of important don’t you think?  The good news is there are some pretty good digital scales available that don’t cost a fortune. Let’s take a look at one below.

weigh master digital fishing tournament weigh-in scale

The Weigh Master is a very nice scale system that we feel will work quite well for most clubs. The standard size of the weighing platform is 12″ x 14″ and the capacity of the scale is 60 x 0.01 lbs. The column that connects the digital indicator to the weighing platform comes standard but you can choose to not use it if you wish. The LCD digital display is easy to read and the indicator has several weight lock functions that you can fine tune to perfection. The scale is powered by standard 110 VAC power or an internal rechargeable battery. The RS232 serial port is ideal for connecting the scale to a remote display or printer. Overall, we think this is a nice choice for many clubs who aren’t able to spend pro tournament kind of money but want a good reliable system for their club or tourney.

In our review of the Weigh Master, the biggest drawback of the scale is that it doesn’t display weight in ounces. So, if you must use ounces you might want to consider the Doran 7000XL or 8000XL which are great Stainless Steel Wash Down scales.

Overall, we recommend the Weighmaster scale if you’re looking for a quality scale that is accurate, affordable and built to last. Please contact us 919-776-7737 or visit our contact page and fill out the request for quote.

Brecknell ElectroSamson Official Scale of Major League Fishing

Brecknell recently announced their new partnership as the official scale sponsors of Major League Fishing’s 2013 event. Major League Fishing is one of the new highlights of the sporting calendar for many anglers, with 24 of the world’s premiere competitive bass fishing anglers coming together to compete in high-intensity angling competitions over the month of September. With the ‘New Game, New Rules and No Limits’ slogan, the competition winner is the competitor with the highest total weight caught over the course of the competition.

With accuracy and weight being the key deciding factor for the victor, Major League Fishing chose Brecknell’s ElectroSamson as the best portable scale for the job. So, if you’re in the market for a digital fishing scale that is both portable and affordable, this is your ideal weighing solution.

fisherman using handheld brecknell scale to weigh fishThe ElectroSamson is a hand held electronic digital balance which can be used for hand-held weighing, with or without the weigh handle, or suspended weighing. Ideal for anglers and other sports, the highly portable ElectroSamson allows you to switch from kg/lb/oz, has a bright LED display and comes in three capacities to suit your needs. Click here for an entire brochure of the angling scales from Brecknell. For more information contact us at 919-776-7737.

Just What You’ve Asked For – Fishing Scale Reviews

fishing scale reviewEvery year we are asked for recommendations and quotes on various scales that we sell for weighing fish that are caught in a tournament. These fishing scale reviews are based on our experience and years of selling these items to customers. The weigh-in scales that we review are basically the ones that we sell. We don’t usually comment on scales that we have not sold since our experience is limited on those products. Often we are asked things like what is the best fishing scale and the answer to that really depends on several factors. Things like, how often are you planning on using the scale, and how accurate do you need the scale to be? Does the scale need to be “waterproof”? What is your budget? These are things that need to be considered before making a purchase. One other question that we don’t often talk about but it is worth mentioning is salt water. If you are planning on using the equipment around salt water, that is good to know when we make recommendations.

When you’re casting that fishing net across the internet trying to reel in the right scale for your club, you want to make sure that you buy the right product for your club. We all know that your budget is important, but you also want to make sure of the key features that you want. Does the scale need to be portable? Do you really know how to use a fishing scale? Since you obviously want a professional quality scale at an affordable price, lets take a look at some of our products and learn more about them. Continue reading