Xtools scale

[TCook]

Who uses this scale? I got one this year because I was told it is an accurate scale and thats turning out not to be true. Half the time I put a fish on it, it reads 0. The other half it seems way off of the actual size. Do i just happen to have a rare faulty scale or do you guys have the same problem?

[Dan]

Hey T
Don't know about the x tools, but I have been skeptical about hand held. I never have felt confident about using them and generally go with a balance beam an just use length to sort fish with the balance beam culling the smallest. I have found that when I use a scale that if I use a small weigh bag it works much better. I have purchased a small size black weigh bag and you can drop the fish in then put it on the scale. When you stick the fish with the other scale hooks they flop around and fall off and you spend a week trying to weigh it. If you are using a scale the bag is a must.

[Slipkey]

I've got the X-Tools scale too, though I've found it to be pretty accurate.  The zeroing problem happens to me when I don't let the scale show 0.0 before I weigh the fish. 

The auto-tare kicks on whenever you weigh something before the 0 shows up.  That's one of my only frustrations with the scale. 

You might have a bad scale if you're getting weird weights showing up.  The only time I've had that happen is when I've weighed a fish and then forget to flip back to the 0.0 after the fish is in memory.

[VinceR]

I have the X-Tools scale, too. I haven't had any problems with mine (other than user error). I have found the scales to be within 2-3 ounces of the "official" weight. It is even closer when I can get the fish to be still, while I weigh them.

My only complaint were the clips on the floats. The first time I used them was last year, at Lake Charlevoix. After culling the first fish, I realized that about half the floats had come off. As soon as I got back home, I replaced the "fish friendly" plastic clips with the "less friendly" metal ones from my old floats. Problem solved. I hate having to pierce the fish's lower lip, but the metal ones don't come off, even with a lively smallie doing laps in the livewell.

[TCook]

I dont know what the deal was. the first few outings I weighed fish on it, it would read 0 or way off, and the fish were still. I tested it at home a few days ago with a 1, 5, and 10 pound weights and it was right on to the ounce. Maybe it was the operator out on the lake, I dont know but I couldnt get it to weigh accurate. I also use the cull tags and I swaped those plastic clips with the metal ones before this season started. There was no way those things were going to stay on livley bass.

T

[Slipkey]

On the floats, I struggled with them at first too.  If you look at the float clips, you will see that one side of the clip is bigger and one side is smaller.

Make sure the smaller side with the two points that flare out is tucked snugly under the front of the gill flaps and you shouldn't ever have them come off on you ( at least I haven't since I figured it out ). 

Hope that helps.

[BigSmallie]

I have the X-Tool also.    Had to read the directions about 5 times to "clearly" understand how that thing works!    I also found that the weights are off a little...............and I too have had problems with the scale acting like it did not read the weight of a fish......only to find out that it did indeed record the weight!   Very frustrating when your on your 5th fish in a team event with a 7 fish limit!!

So now I just try to catch big fish so I don't have to use the scale as much!

BS