Every 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.
Years ago we used to sell the Doran lineup of scales for fishing tournaments. It was a great product but they were expensive and many fishermen could not handle the cost. Doran basically pulled out of that market. They still offer scales that will work well for fishing, but they do not offer the old “tournament fishing software” that used to average and lock the weight on the display. However, if you are looking for a rugged stainless steel scale that will last for years, the Doran 8000XL is your number one choice whether you’re weighing bass or catfish and if you need a 50 lb or 100 pound model they are great.
One of the most accurate fishing scales that we offer is the SL-3700 system. This system includes a stainless steel digital weight indicator and weighing base. It is relatively affordable when you consider the components that are included and has slowly been selling better of the last couple years as people hear more about it. Overall this is a very good scale system, if you want a couple of downsides, here are two. This scale is moderately priced and can be a little bulky to transport.
The Sportsman is really the best digital scale value for for fishing. Although not waterproof, this scale features lbs:oz, battery power, holding function and serial output which can be connected to a remote display. The negatives with this scale are the water resistance and it is not NTEP approved which some states prefer, especially when you are dealing with weighing transactions and payouts with prize money.
If you are in the market for a certified fishing scale that is both affordable and built for wash down environments, the PC-500 might be the best choice for you. This scale features a 50 pound weighing capacity and can definitely handle a little water being spilled on it. The only downside with this scale is that the platform is a little small for some folks.
Finally, the Weigh Master is a new scale that we are offering in 2013. This scale includes many exciting features like battery power, stainless steel construction, and weight locking. Plus it is priced competitively as well. We have to mention concerns since we’re trying to give you an honest assessment. The concern with this scale is the fact that we haven’t sold it before, but the scale has a lot of potential to be a very popular product with various clubs and tournaments all over.