FIGURING FISH MATHEMATICS

JEFFERSON CITY -- The practice of releasing fish caught with a rod and reel is increasingly popular as a way of "recycling" fish and making the most of fishing opportunities. But occasionally the catch-and-release ethic falls victim to the perfectly human desire to know how big your fish is. Here is a way of satisfying your curiosity without having to subject fish to injurious treatment or haul them to the nearest boat dock for weighing.

All you have to do is measure the fish's length from tip of nose to tip of tail. You can do this and release the fish without even taking it out of the water. After releasing the fish, use one of the following formulas to calculate its approximate weight in pounds.

For largemouth bass, cube the length and divide by 1,600. For example, for a 22-inch largemouth bass, you would multiply 22 X 22 X 22 = 10,648 divided by 1,600 = 6.66 pounds.

For bluegill and other sunfish, cube the fish's length and divide by 1,200. For a 11-inch sunfish, this would mean: 11 X 11 X 11 3D 1,331 divided by 1,600 = 1.11 pounds.

For catfish, use the divisor 2,000. For a 52-inch blue catfish, this would = mean: 52 X 52 X 52 = 140,608 divided by 2,000 = 70.3 pounds.

The estimates from these formulas can be fudged upward for particularly fat fish, and whose big fish doesn't look particularly fat? The Missouri Department of Conservation offers free stick-on rulers for measuring fish beside your boat or tackle box. To get one, visit the MDC office nearest you.