If you have spent a long time out on the water trying to land that big fish – you will probably want to put an exact number on its weight.
Having reliable fish scales will make sure you get an accurate record of how much your catch weighs, so you have good information for bragging rights if nothing else.
In this article, we look at some of the best fish scales available, as well as share our thoughts on what to look for when choosing the best fish scale for you.
Best Fishing Scales Reviewed: Quick Picks
This budget-friendly fish scale can accurately weigh fish up to 55 pounds.
The Accu-Cull Digital Scale With Mini Grip is accurate to 100th of a pound so you can be confident your catches are weighed accurately and safely thanks to its fish-friendly clamping method to avoid mishandling any fish.
The Boga Grip 315 Scale can be used with one hand and is suitable for use on most species of fish.
It is easy to carry as it can be attached to your belt or clothing and it is even able to handle being in saltwater which makes it a good choice for sea anglers.
This fish scale makes sure any fish you catch are safe and secure as you weigh them with its built-in lip grabber.
The Googan Squad Digital has an easy-to-read display that comfortably weighs fish up to 55 pounds.
Best Fishing Scales: Full Reviews
If you are looking for the best fish scale for you and want more details on your options. Here are 13 of the best fish weighing scales out there.
The Boga Grip 315 Scale is an accurate and easy-to-use fishing scale that can be operated with just one hand.
It gives accurate weight in 1/4 pound increments up to 15 pounds although the scale is actually designed to handle fish up to 30 pounds.
This fish scale is supportive of "catch and release" as it allows you to land, handle, and weigh your catch quickly without causing injury to the fish.
- Saltwater resistant
- Keeps hands a good distance away from the mouth of any fish caught
- Stainless steel construction for toughness and durability
This digital scale is accurate down to 100th of a pound and displays the weight of your fish on its easy-to-read backlit display.
The Accu-Cull Digital Scale With Mini Grip can hold up to 55 pounds and is more than capable of handling a bit of moisture as it is water-resistant.
To save battery power, it has an auto-off function that kicks in after 50 seconds of inactivity.
- Water-resistant so can handle getting splashed while out on the water
- Hold function to keep weight displayed after fish has been removed from the scale
- Accurate to 100th of a pound
The Piscifun Lip Gripper with Digital Scale is able to weigh fish up to 60 pounds.
To make sure it stays safely and securely in your hand, it has an adjustable wrist strap and its handle can rotate and is made from a non-slip material.
It is made from premium stainless steel that won't corrode, even when used around saltwater.
- Fully waterproof so can survive being submerged in water
- The memory function allows you to store up to 10 fish weights
- Can be used in freshwater and saltwater environments
The Eastaboga Tackle Analog Scale is an old-school non-digital scale made from stainless steel for toughness.
It holds most fish comfortably without causing them injury or wounds to their mouths.
This fish scale is certified by the International Game Fish Association.
- Made from heavy-duty stainless steel
- Promotes catch and release fishing
- IGFA (International Game Fish Association) certified
If you are worried about dropping your fish scales in the water, then the KastKing Digital Fishing Scale could be a good choice for you as it is waterproof and floats to make sure you never lose it in the water.
You can weigh fish up to 50 pounds and you have the option to store up to nine weights using the memory function.
Unlike some of the other digital scales on this list, this one comes with batteries included so it is ready to use straight out of the box.
- Wide handle opening allows anglers of all hand sizes to comfortably and securely hold the scale
- Weight conversion function to quickly convert from pounds to kilograms
- Waterproof and floats if dropped in the water
The Rapala High-Contrast Digital Scale clearly displays the weight of your fish in all light conditions - even direct sunlight.
You can flick between functions quickly and easily to display readings such as weight in pounds, ounces, or kilograms, tare weight, view minimum and maximum weights, all with the press of a button.
It can handle fish up to 50 pounds and even has a clear battery level indicator displayed to let you know when new ones are required.
- The reverse image LCD screen makes it very easy to read
- Secure hold on fish without causing them injury
- Has a memory backup function to make sure you don't lose your weights
The touch screen on this fishing scale makes using it very easy and practical.
The Rapala Touch Screen Tourney Scale lets you weigh your fish using the heavy-duty composite clamp or the stainless steel hook which is also included.
It runs on two AA batteries which should last around 400 hours before needing to be replaced.
- Water-resistant
- Comes with its own storage bag
- Tare function
The Berkley Digital Fish Scale with Tape has an attachable measuring tape so you can measure the length of your fish as well as its weight.
It is water-resistant and can weigh fish up to 50 pounds.
Its tare function allows you to see the combined weight of all the fish you have caught for added bragging rights.
- Attachable tape measure
- Batteries included
- Store up to 10 weights using its memory function
As its name suggests, the Brecknell MLF Tournament Fish Scale is the official scale used by Major League Fishing.
It is a very easy-to-use fish scale that can hold most types of fish securely and comfortably.
The 9-volt alkaline battery it uses for power is included and its auto-off function kicks in after two minutes to make sure it lasts as long as possible.
- Large LCD display for clear weights
- Comes with a fish gripper and carry bag
- Accurate scale for fish up to 55 pounds
If you want a fish scale that can accurately measure smaller fish down to 0.2 pounds all the way up to much larger fish of up to 110 pounds, then the Dr. Meter LCD Digital Fishing Scale is a great choice.
This digital hanging scale comes with a measuring tape so you can record the length of your catch as well as the weight.
As it has such a high weight capacity, you could even use this fish scale for weighing luggage for your next vacation - that makes it even more practical and of good value.
- Tape measure included for measuring length as well as the weight of your catch
- Very accurate digital hanging scale
- Batteries included
If the best fish scale for you needs to be compact, easy-to-use, with a no-frills design - you can't go wrong with the Ozark Trail Portable Dial Fish Scale.
It has a built-in tape measure that means you can measure the size of your catch up to 39 inches as well as weighing it up to 50 pounds.
If you prefer mechanical scales to digital fish scales, then this could be a very good choice for you.
- Durable so can handle the odd knock and bump
- The handle and hook can be folded into the scale, making transportation easy and comfortable
- Easy to read weight display
This is one extremely tough fishing scale with a huge weight capacity of 110 pounds.
The Whisker Seeker Catfish Scale has been designed with serious anglers in mind - particularly those who enjoy nothing more than landing large catfish.
It has an oversized hook that pairs well with catfish grips.
- Blue backlit LED display
- Very tough and designed to handle the rigors of outdoor life
- Capable of weighing fish up to 110 pounds
The Googan Squad Digital Scale has a built-in lip gripper that makes sure your catch stays secure while being weighed.
These digital scales have an easy-to-read LCD display that shows your catch's weight in either pounds or kilograms.
The handle folds nicely for easy storage too.
- Weighing capacity of 55 pounds
- Batteries included
- Non-slip grip on handle for secure handling
Our Guide to Choosing the Best Fishing Scale
Weighing Fish Humanely
Before we address some of the key factors to consider in buying scales, a bit of quick advice on weighing fish humanely.
Our view is that it is preferable not to hang a live fish by the lip vertically, especially with scales that use a hook that you insert through the fish’s jaw. Using the Boga-style lip grippers is better, but you should avoid holding the fish vertically for too long.
If you are fishing catch and release, get a quick weight and then get the fish back horizontal and support its stomach before releasing it. Better still, if you have netted the fish, attach the scale to the net and get a weight that way. For larger, consider measuring the length and girth as an alternative measure of its size.
If you are keeping the fish for the table, be sure to make sure it is within size and catch limits and then kill it humanely before weighing it.
Digital vs Analog
Most fish scales out there today are digital. These have an LCD screen that gives a very accurate weight of any fish you catch.
That being said, an analog fish weighing scale can sometimes still be the best fish scale for you.
Analog scales are usually quite a bit cheaper than digital fish scales, so this may have an impact on your decision-making process.
Digital scales do come with an increased risk of malfunction and error as there are more things that could potentially go wrong. However, a high-quality digital fish scale will likely work properly for a long time if it is looked after correctly.
Something to keep in mind with digital scales is that they require batteries. While this isn’t necessarily a big deal, it is worth thinking about choosing a scale that indicates when the scale has low batteries so you never get left with non-working fish scales.
One advantage that analog scales have over digital ones is that they can pretty much work anywhere without the need for batteries. Even if left sitting in your tackle box for a while, analog fish scales can still be used without too much fuss.
In simple terms, digital fishing scales will give the exact weight of your catch but will need batteries and extra care to stay functioning. Analog fishing scales may not clearly show the exact weights of your catches, but they will work anywhere with very little care needed.
Gripper vs Hook
A fish gripper provides a much more fish-friendly method of holding and weighing your fish. Using a gripper is best suited to catch and release anglers as they are much less likely to harm the fish.
Hooks are more efficient at holding larger fish, but they damage the fish, so they are better suited when you are fishing for food and humanely killing any caught fish quickly so the damage won’t cause them any unnecessary suffering.
Although it can come down to personal preference, practicing humane and fish-friendly techniques and processes is always a good thing to do.
Batteries
Battery life can be a key factor when deciding which fishing scale is best for you.
Some fishing scales can become less accurate if they are running on low batteries. Others may be quite tricky to change batteries once they have come to the end of their lives.
It is always handy when your chosen fishing scale comes with the batteries it needs. However, this isn’t always the case so you need to make sure you have done the appropriate research to see if you can start weighing fish straight out of the box or if you will need to buy batteries separately.
Accuracy
As mentioned earlier, digital scales will be more accurate than analog scales.
It is also worth mentioning though, that some digital scales may not be as accurate as others. For example, some scales on this list show the weights of fish down to 100th of a pound. Others may not be quite as accurate, whereas others may be even more accurate.
If you are a tournament angler, then you will want an extremely accurate scale. If you are a casual angler where exact weight isn’t as important, then a less accurate scale will be much less of an issue.
Durability and Water Resistance
As fishing is an outdoor activity, you will likely encounter some less-than-ideal conditions at some point.
Your fishing scale needs to be able to handle the rigors of outdoor life, which means it needs to be tough and durable as well as suitably water-resistant to put up with the odd splash during your time in the water.
Some scales can survive being submerged, whereas others will malfunction in damp conditions, so you need to make sure you choose the scale best suited to your chosen fishing conditions.
Price
Price is always a consideration for any purchase.
You should keep in mind that your fishing scales will only be used for quickly weighing your fish before being put away again until you land your next catch.
Spending a lot of money on something that won’t be getting huge amounts of use may not be the best idea, depending on your current situation.
However, if you have the budget for it, you can get some very high-end, highly accurate scales.
Read Out Display and Options
You need the display on your fish scale to be easy to read in all conditions. You should think about whether it is backlit, whether it is clear, and whether it will be compatible with any head or eyewear you may also be using.
Another consideration is the additional functions your scales may have, such as weight conversions from pounds to kilograms, tare functions, memory functions, and similar.
Think about how much detail you want your scales to provide, and then see if the one you chose meets these requirements.
Weight Limit
Depending on the type of fish you are going after, you will need to make sure the weight limit of your scale matches your plans.
For example, if you are going after a monster catfish, you may need a scale with a weight limit of 100 pounds or more. If you are going after bass, then a 15-pound weight limit will probably be enough.
How to Care for Your Fishing Scales
You should look after all of your fishing gear, and your scales are no exception to this.
Remove batteries before storing your scales for long periods of time, and make sure you wash your scales down with fresh water (or wipe them down if they are digital) after every use. This is particularly important if you have been out in saltwater.
If you are fishing in tournaments, then you may also want to consider calibrating your scales at least once every year.
