Category: Guides

Redfish — red drum — are the bulldogs of the flats and a favorite from the Carolinas to Texas. This redfish length-to-weight chart estimates weight from length for a fish in average condition, handy for slot limits and quick releases.

Redfish (red drum) length-to-weight chart

Length	Average weight
16″	1.41 lb
18″	2.01 lb
20″	2.76 lb
22″	3.67 lb
24″	4.77 lb
26″	6.06 lb
28″	7.57 lb
30″	9.31 lb
34″	13.6 lb
38″	18.9 lb
40″	22.1 lb
44″	29.4 lb

These figures use weight (lb) = length³ ÷ 2,900 (length in inches), calibrated to Florida FWC length-weight data. Big pre-spawn bulls in fall run heavier.

What’s an average redfish — and what’s a trophy?

Most inshore catches are “slot” fish, roughly 18–27 inches and 3–7 pounds. States manage red drum with slot limits to protect breeders — for example Florida at 18–27 inches and Texas at 20–28 inches (rules vary and change, so check current regulations). Fish above the slot are “bull reds,” commonly 27 inches and up, though many anglers reserve the term for 30–40 inch, 15 lb+ fish. A 40-pound-plus red is a genuine trophy. The IGFA all-tackle record is 94 lb 2 oz, caught from the surf at Hatteras, North Carolina, in 1984.

Put a number on your exact fish (worked example)

South Carolina’s DNR uses the standard length-and-girth formula for redfish:

Weight (lb) = Length × Girth² ÷ 800

A 36-inch red with a 22-inch girth works out to 36 × 22 × 22 ÷ 800 = 21.8 lb, well above the 16.1 lb length-only average — a bull red. Measure both and use our free fish weight calculator; see how to estimate a fish’s weight.

Why two redfish of the same length weigh differently

Fall pre-spawn bulls are the heaviest of the year, loaded with eggs and forage, so an autumn bull outweighs the same fish in late winter. Among slot fish, forage and body condition drive the differences.

Where and when to find bigger redfish

Slot-size reds live in the estuary — bays, grass marshes, oyster bars, tidal creeks, and flats, where they often “tail” nose-down in the shallows rooting out crabs and shrimp. The big bulls hold around structure like jetties, bridge pilings, and passes and move to nearshore water for the fall spawn (roughly late summer through November), which is prime time for a giant. ID: the classic black eyespot (ocellus) at the base of the tail — the quickest way to confirm a red drum.

Redfish weight FAQ

How much does a 27-inch redfish weigh? About 7 pounds — right at the top of many slot limits.

What’s a bull red? An over-slot fish, commonly 27 inches and up; the biggest are 40 lb+ trophies.

Can I keep a bull redfish? Usually not — most states require releasing over-slot fish to protect breeders. Check your local slot limit.

Related from Fishing Toolbox

• Striped Bass Length to Weight Chart
• Best Fish Finders of 2026

Carp pull like a freight train and grow big in waters just about everywhere. This common carp length-to-weight chart estimates weight from length for a fish in average condition, so you can size up a big common before the release.

Common carp length-to-weight chart

Length	Average weight
12″	0.80 lb
14″	1.28 lb
16″	1.91 lb
18″	2.71 lb
20″	3.72 lb
22″	4.95 lb
24″	6.43 lb
26″	8.17 lb
28″	10.2 lb
30″	12.6 lb
32″	15.2 lb
34″	18.3 lb
36″	21.7 lb

These figures use weight (lb) = length³ ÷ 2,150 (length in inches). Carp are deep-bodied, so a fat, well-conditioned fish easily beats the chart.

What’s an average carp — and what’s a trophy?

Most carp anglers catch run 18–28 inches and about 3–12 pounds, with plenty of smaller fish mixed in. Among North American carp anglers, 20 pounds is the widely accepted trophy benchmark, and a 30-pounder is exceptional on this continent (a convention, not a biological cutoff). The IGFA all-tackle world record is 75 lb 11 oz, caught in France in 1987.

Put a number on your exact fish (worked example)

Weight (lb) = Length × Girth² ÷ 800

A 24-inch carp with a 16-inch girth works out to 24 × 16 × 16 ÷ 800 = 7.7 lb, above the 6.4 lb length-only average — a deep-bodied fish. Measure both and use our free fish weight calculator; see how to estimate a fish’s weight.

Why two carp of the same length weigh differently

Body depth is everything with carp — a slab-sided fish from rich water dramatically outweighs a lean one of the same length. Pre-spawn females loaded with eggs are the heaviest of the year, so early-season fish measure heavy for their length.

Where and when to find bigger carp

Carp hold in warm, shallow, often turbid water — lake shallows, slow river pools, and backwaters with soft, silty, vegetated bottoms — and tolerate low oxygen and poor water quality, so they thrive almost everywhere at 60–80°F. They’re wary bottom feeders with a keen sense of smell, so the classic approach is to pre-bait (chum) a spot with corn, then fish a hair rig with corn, boilies, or dough so the fish takes the bait before feeling the hook. In summer they’ll also cruise the surface and eat floating bread.

Common carp weight FAQ

How much does a 24-inch carp weigh? About 6 to 7 pounds in average condition; a fat one weighs more.

What’s a trophy carp? 20 pounds is the widely used trophy mark in North America.

What’s the best bait for carp? Corn, boilies, or dough on a hair rig, over a pre-baited spot.

Related from Fishing Toolbox

• Channel Catfish Length to Weight Chart
• How to Estimate a Fish’s Weight Without a Scale

Kings are the largest Pacific salmon and a genuine bucket-list fish. This chinook (king) salmon length-to-weight chart gives a rough weight-by-length estimate — but because a salmon’s weight swings so much with maturity, girth matters more here than for almost any other fish.

Chinook salmon length-to-weight chart

Length	Average weight
24″	5.53 lb
28″	8.78 lb
30″	10.8 lb
32″	13.1 lb
34″	15.7 lb
36″	18.7 lb
38″	21.9 lb
40″	25.6 lb
44″	34.1 lb
48″	44.2 lb

These figures use weight (lb) = length³ ÷ 2,500 (length in inches) for a fish in average condition. Treat them as rough: a bright, ocean-fresh king is far heavier than a spawning river fish of the same length.

What’s an average king — and what’s a trophy?

Most sport-caught chinook run 24–40 inches and 10–30 pounds, though size varies hugely with the run and the fish’s age. The classic trophy benchmark is the “Tyee” — a chinook of 30 pounds or more; 40 lb+ is a true trophy and 50 lb+ a fish of a lifetime (angler conventions). The IGFA all-tackle world record is 97 lb 4 oz, caught by Les Anderson on Alaska’s Kenai River in 1985.

Put a number on your exact fish (worked example)

For salmon, guides use a slightly different divisor that reflects their heavy, firm bodies:

Weight (lb) = Length × Girth² ÷ 740

A 36-inch king with a 22-inch girth works out to 36 × 22 × 22 ÷ 740 = 23.5 lb. Because a king’s weight depends so heavily on condition, always measure girth for an accurate number — drop both into our free fish weight calculator, and see how to estimate a fish’s weight.

Why two kings of the same length weigh differently

Chinook die after spawning, and that drives everything: an ocean-bright fish is heaviest and firmest, but once it enters freshwater it stops feeding, burns its reserves, and loses weight — so a spawning-colored river king weighs noticeably less than the same fish caught bright in salt water. Age and sex add even more variation.

Where and when to find bigger chinook

Chinook are anadromous — they hatch in cool, gravel-bottomed rivers, feed in the ocean for one to five years (where nearly all their growth happens on herring, sardines, and squid), then return to their home river to spawn. Anglers catch them on the return run in rivers and estuaries, and in the Great Lakes where they’ve been introduced. Backtrolling or drifting roe, plugs, and bait near the bottom is the standard approach. ID: black gums/mouth and black spots on both lobes of the tail — the surest way to separate a king from a coho.

Chinook salmon weight FAQ

How much does a 36-inch king salmon weigh? Roughly 19–24 pounds, depending heavily on whether it’s ocean-bright or a spawning river fish.

What’s a Tyee? A chinook of 30 pounds or more — a classic trophy benchmark.

Why do river kings weigh less than ocean fish? They stop feeding before spawning and burn their body reserves, losing weight for their length.

Related from Fishing Toolbox

• Rainbow Trout Length to Weight Chart
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Blue cats are the heavyweight champions of North American rivers, growing past 100 pounds. This blue catfish length-to-weight chart estimates weight from length using state fisheries data, so you can size up a big blue before the release.

Blue catfish length-to-weight chart

Length	Average weight
16″	1.29 lb
18″	1.91 lb
20″	2.72 lb
22″	3.75 lb
24″	5.02 lb
26″	6.56 lb
28″	8.41 lb
30″	10.6 lb
32″	13.2 lb
34″	16.1 lb
36″	19.5 lb
40″	27.8 lb
44″	38.3 lb

These figures are calibrated to Missouri Department of Conservation data from over 2,000 measured blue catfish. Blues get relatively heavier per inch as they grow, so the very biggest fish can top the chart.

What’s an average blue cat — and what’s a trophy?

A common “eater” blue catfish runs 24–30 inches and 5–11 pounds; fish over 30 pounds show up regularly in productive systems but aren’t the average catch. Anglers treat 30 pounds as the informal trophy line, 50 lb+ as a genuine trophy, and 100 pounds as the fish of a lifetime (conventions, not official marks). The IGFA all-tackle world record is a massive 143 pounds, caught at Kerr Lake, Virginia, in 2011 — 57 inches long with a 44-inch girth.

Put a number on your exact fish (worked example)

Blue catfish are broad, heavy-bodied fish, so girth adds up fast:

Weight (lb) = Length × Girth² ÷ 800

A 40-inch blue with a 30-inch girth works out to 40 × 30 × 30 ÷ 800 = 45 lb, well above the ~28 lb length-only average — a true tank. Measure both and use our free fish weight calculator; see how to estimate a fish’s weight.

Why two blue cats of the same length weigh differently

Reservoir blues gorging on shad grow much heavier than river fish fighting current at the same length. Pre-spawn females are heaviest in late spring, and because blues bulk up so much as they age, the divisor that fits a small fish underestimates a giant — which is why girth wins for big cats.

Where and when to find bigger blue catfish

Blue cats hold in deep channels and holes of big rivers and reservoirs, along main-channel edges and current seams. They tolerate turbid and even brackish water, which is why they’ve become abundant (and invasive) in Chesapeake Bay tributaries. The standard trophy approach is fresh cut shad or herring fished on the bottom with circle hooks in current. ID: a straight-edged (flat) anal fin with 30–36 rays and a uniform slate-blue body, versus the channel catfish’s rounded anal fin and dark spots.

Blue catfish weight FAQ

How much does a 40-inch blue catfish weigh? About 28 pounds on average, and considerably more if it’s a thick, well-fed fish.

What’s a trophy blue catfish? Around 30 lb informally; 50 lb+ is a genuine trophy.

How do I tell a blue from a channel catfish? Blues have a straight-edged anal fin and no spots; channels have a rounded anal fin and dark spots.

Related from Fishing Toolbox

• Channel Catfish Length to Weight Chart
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White bass are hard-fighting schoolers that pile up in spring runs and blitz baitfish on the surface. This white bass length-to-weight chart gives average weights by length so you can size up your catch during a hot bite.

White bass length-to-weight chart

Length	Average weight
8″	0.25 lb
9″	0.36 lb
10″	0.49 lb
11″	0.65 lb
12″	0.84 lb
13″	1.07 lb
14″	1.34 lb
15″	1.65 lb
16″	2.00 lb
17″	2.40 lb
18″	2.84 lb

These figures use weight (lb) = length³ ÷ 2,050 (length in inches), matched to published length-weight data for a fish in average condition.

What’s an average white bass — and what’s a trophy?

The everyday white bass runs 10–14 inches and about ½ to 1½ pounds. A 15-incher (around 1.5–2 lb) is a good one, and 2 pounds is widely treated as a trophy or citation fish (an angler convention). The IGFA all-tackle record is 6 lb 13 oz — a mark shared by fish from Virginia (1989) and Louisiana (2010).

Put a number on your exact fish (worked example)

Weight (lb) = Length × Girth² ÷ 800

A 15-inch white bass with a 10-inch girth works out to 15 × 10 × 10 ÷ 800 = 1.88 lb, above the 1.65 lb length-only average — a chunky pre-spawn female. Measure both and use our free fish weight calculator; see how to estimate a fish’s weight.

Why two white bass of the same length weigh differently

The big one is the spawn: pre-spawn females staging and running up rivers in spring are the heaviest of the year. Forage matters too — white bass keyed on abundant shad fatten quickly, while crowded populations run lean.

Where and when to find bigger white bass

White bass roam the open water of large reservoirs, lakes, and medium-to-large rivers, herding shad into surface “jumps” you can spot and cast to. The prime time is the spring spawning run: when water climbs into the upper 50s°F, mature fish stack up in tributaries and below dams, and you can catch them in numbers on small jigs, spoons, and inline spinners. ID: faint, often-broken horizontal stripes and a single tooth patch on the tongue — the checks that separate white bass from hybrid “wipers” and true striped bass.

White bass weight FAQ

How much does a 15-inch white bass weigh? About 1.7 pounds in average condition.

What’s a trophy white bass? Around 2 pounds, or roughly 15 inches.

When is the white bass run? Spring, when tributary water reaches the upper 50s°F — the year’s best fishing for them.

Related from Fishing Toolbox

• Striped Bass Length to Weight Chart
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Lakers are the giants of cold, deep water, and their length tells you a lot about their weight. This lake trout length-to-weight chart estimates weight from length for a fish in average condition, so you can size up a laker before a quick release.

Lake trout length-to-weight chart

Length	Average weight
18″	2.16 lb
20″	2.96 lb
22″	3.94 lb
24″	5.12 lb
26″	6.51 lb
28″	8.13 lb
30″	10.0 lb
32″	12.1 lb
34″	14.6 lb
36″	17.3 lb
38″	20.3 lb
40″	23.7 lb

These figures use weight (lb) = length³ ÷ 2,700 (length in inches), set to average-condition fish. Big lakers from rich, forage-heavy waters run heavier — and the largest fish get proportionally stouter than the chart shows.

What’s an average lake trout — and what’s a trophy?

Lake trout size varies enormously by water. In smaller inland and stocked lakes, a typical catch is 18–26 inches and 2–6 pounds; in big Canadian lakes and the Great Lakes, the average runs much larger. Anglers widely treat 20 pounds, or 30+ inches, as a trophy laker (a convention, not an official mark). The IGFA all-tackle rod-and-reel record is 72 pounds, from Great Bear Lake, Northwest Territories, in 1995 — and even larger lake trout have turned up in commercial nets.

Put a number on your exact fish (worked example)

Weight (lb) = Length × Girth² ÷ 800

A 30-inch laker with an 18-inch girth works out to 30 × 18 × 18 ÷ 800 = 12.1 lb, above the 10.0 lb length-only average — a well-fed fish. Measure both and use our free fish weight calculator; see how to estimate a fish’s weight.

Why two lakers of the same length weigh differently

Lake trout grow slowly and stay lean where forage is limited, and get deep and heavy where ciscoes, whitefish, and smelt are abundant. Fall pre-spawn females carry extra weight, and the biggest fish get proportionally heavier per inch — which is why a chart is a starting point.

Where and when to find bigger lake trout

Lakers live in large, deep, cold, well-oxygenated lakes and are locked to cold water — roughly 40–55°F. In summer they drop below the thermocline into deep, cold strata, so anglers reach them with downriggers, lead-core line, or vertical jigging over deep rock structure, humps, and drop-offs. Right after ice-out and again in late fall, the same fish move shallow and can be caught on casting gear.

Lake trout weight FAQ

How much does a 30-inch lake trout weigh? About 10 pounds in average condition; a heavy fish can top 12.

What’s a trophy lake trout? Roughly 20 pounds or 30+ inches.

Where are lake trout in summer? Deep, below the thermocline — you’ll need downriggers, lead core, or vertical jigging to reach them.

Related from Fishing Toolbox

• Rainbow Trout Length to Weight Chart
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Ice fishing turns the dead of winter into some of the year’s best fishing — panfish, walleye, pike, and trout all bite through the ice. It looks intimidating, but the basics are simple. Here’s how to get started safely.

Safety first: check the ice

No fish is worth falling through. General guidelines for new, clear, hard ice: stay off anything under 4 inches; 4 inches is a minimum for walking and fishing on foot; 5–7 inches for a snowmobile or ATV; 8–12 inches for a small car; 12–15 inches for a small truck. White, slushy, or refrozen ice is much weaker — treat it as half strength. Our ice fishing safety checker lets you enter thickness and activity for a quick read. Always carry ice picks, tell someone your plans, and never fish alone on early or late-season ice.

Gear you actually need

The starter kit is short: an ice auger to cut holes, a short (24–36 inch) ice rod and small spinning reel, light line (2–6 lb), a handful of small jigs and spoons, live bait (waxworms, spikes, or minnows), and a skimmer to clear slush from the hole. A five-gallon bucket carries your gear and doubles as a seat. Warm, layered clothing and cleats or ice-gripping boots make the day.

Find the fish

Fish relate to the same structure they use in open water: weed edges, drop-offs, points, and basins. Panfish (bluegill, crappie, perch) often suspend over deep flats and basins; walleye and pike patrol weed edges and breaklines, biting best at dawn and dusk. Drill several holes across different depths and move until you find fish — mobility is the biggest key to ice fishing success. A flasher or sonar unit helps enormously, but you can catch plenty by hole-hopping.

Simple techniques

For panfish, drop a small jig tipped with a waxworm or spike, and jig it gently — tiny lifts and long pauses. Watch your line or spring bobber for the lightest tick and set the hook. For walleye and pike, a flutter spoon tipped with a minnow head, or a live minnow on a tip-up set near a weed edge, is deadly. Keep your presentation small and your movements subtle; cold-water fish want an easy meal.

Handling the catch

Winter fish come up from cold water, so they handle release well if you’re quick. Want a weight without a scale in the cold? Measure and use our fish weight calculator, or check a yellow perch or crappie chart for a quick estimate.

Related from Fishing Toolbox

• Ice Fishing Safety: Ice Thickness Checker
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Crankbaits are the ultimate search bait — you cover water fast, trigger reaction strikes, and let the lure’s built-in wobble do the work. For finding active fish along a shoreline or over structure, nothing beats a crankbait.

How crankbaits work

A crankbait is a hard-bodied lure with a diving lip that makes it wobble and dive as you reel. The size and angle of the lip set how deep it runs: square-bill cranks stay shallow (1–4 ft) and deflect off cover, medium-divers reach 6–12 ft, and deep-divers can reach 15–25 ft. Pick the crankbait that runs at the depth where fish are holding — our trolling depth and water temperature tools help you figure out where that is.

Match the crankbait to the situation

Use a square-bill around shallow cover — wood, rock, and grass edges — where the deflection off cover triggers strikes. Reach for a lipless crankbait to cover flats and grass fast (it sinks, so you can fish it at any depth). Go to a deep-diver to reach fish stacked on offshore structure like points, humps, and ledges.

Gear you’ll need

A medium-power rod with a moderate (softer) action is key — it lets fish load up on the treble hooks without pulling the bait away. Pair it with 10–14 lb mono or fluorocarbon (mono’s stretch is forgiving on trebles). A reel in the 5:1 to 6.4:1 range gives a steady, controllable retrieve for deep cranks; see our best spinning reels and baitcasting reels guides.

How to fish a crankbait

Make a long cast, then reel at a steady pace and let the lure’s action do the work — most of the time, a consistent retrieve outfishes anything fancy. The real trick is contact: bang the crankbait into cover and the bottom. That deflection — a crank ricocheting off a rock or stump — triggers reaction strikes from bass that ignore a clean-swimming lure. When you feel the lure hit something, keep reeling; don’t jerk. Vary your speed and add an occasional pause until the fish tell you what they want.

Quick tips

Use a crankbait that dives a little deeper than the water you’re fishing so it’s constantly ticking bottom. Don’t set the hook hard on the strike — just keep reeling and let the rod load, since a hard hookset can rip trebles free. And check your hooks; sharp, quality trebles land far more of the fish that hit.

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Catfish are the perfect target for anglers who want a good chance at a big, hard-pulling fish on simple gear. They’re widespread, they bite well after dark, and you don’t need fancy tackle to catch them. Here’s how to get started.

Know your catfish

Three catfish make up most of the action. Channel catfish are the most common and least fussy, happy to eat prepared and cut baits. Blue catfish grow huge and love fresh cut bait in current. Flathead catfish are ambush predators that want live bait tight to cover. Matching your bait to the species is half the battle.

Best baits for catfish

For channel cats, it’s hard to beat cut bait (chunks of shad or bluegill), nightcrawlers, chicken liver, or a good stinkbait/dip bait. For blue cats, use fresh cut shad or herring — the fresher and bloodier, the better. For flatheads, use a lively baitfish (bluegill or sunfish where legal, or a bullhead) — they rarely touch dead bait. Fresh bait almost always beats old bait.

Simple rigs that work

Two rigs cover most catfishing. The slip-sinker (Carolina) rig — an egg sinker above a swivel, then an 18–24 inch leader to the hook — lets a cat pick up the bait and swim off without feeling the weight. The slip-bobber rig suspends bait off the bottom over cover or in current seams. Use a circle hook and let the fish hook itself; don’t rip the rod on the first tap.

Where and when to catch them

Catfish feed most heavily at dusk and through the night, so evening is prime time. Look for deep holes, channel bends, the bottom of drop-offs, current seams below dams, and cover like timber and riprap. In rivers, fish the slack water just off the main current where cats wait to ambush drifting food. Warm months are best; cats feed hard from late spring through fall.

Gear and handling

A medium-heavy to heavy rod, a reel with a solid drag and 15–30 lb line, and a rod holder (cats often hook themselves on a circle hook) will cover most freshwater catfishing. Handle them carefully — the pectoral and dorsal spines are sharp. Support big cats horizontally, and use our free fish weight calculator to weigh a bruiser before release.

Related from Fishing Toolbox

• Channel Catfish Length to Weight Chart
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If you had to pick one lure to catch the biggest bass in the lake, a lot of anglers would tie on a jig. It looks simple — a weighted hook with a skirt — but a jig mimics a crayfish or baitfish better than almost anything, and it comes through cover clean.

Why fish a jig?

Jigs catch quality over quantity. The compact, weedless profile lets you flip it into heavy cover, drag it across rock, or swim it over grass, and it appeals to bigger, more selective fish. It’s a year-round bait that shines in cold water when bass want a slow, bottom-hugging meal.

Types of jigs and when to use them

A flipping/casting jig (with a stout hook and weed guard) is the all-purpose choice for pitching to cover. A football jig has a wide head that stands up and crawls over rock and gravel — ideal for dragging deep structure. A finesse jig is lighter and smaller for clear water and pressured fish. Match the trailer to the mood: a craw trailer for a bottom-crawling look, a swim-jig trailer for moving water.

Gear you’ll need

A medium-heavy to heavy fast-action rod, 15–20 lb fluorocarbon (or braid in thick cover), and a 3/8 to 1/2 oz jig for most situations. A baitcaster gives you the power and accuracy jig fishing rewards.

How to fish a jig

The number-one rule: fish it slow. Cast or pitch to cover, let the jig fall on a controlled line (watch it — many bites happen on the initial drop), then crawl and hop it along the bottom with small lifts of the rod tip. Keep contact so you can feel it tick rock, wood, and grass — and feel the bite, which is often just a subtle tap or added weight. When you feel a fish, reel down and set hard. Around docks and laydowns, pitch the jig right to the cover and let it pendulum down the edge.

Reading the bite

Bass often grab a jig and swim toward you, so you’ll feel the line go slack or “mushy” rather than a hard thump. If anything feels different, set the hook — a jig strike is easy to miss if you wait for a big pull. For a weight estimate after a good catch, use our fish weight calculator.

Quick tips

Trim the weed guard slightly if you’re missing fish, and dip the trailer in a little dye or scent for cold, clear water. Slow down in winter — sometimes a jig sitting still for several seconds gets bit. And match the jig color to forage: greens and browns for crayfish, black-and-blue for stained water.

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