How Much Weight to Use With a Shelton Fish Descender?

The weight of the fish is not really a good factor in determining how much weight you need to make the fish negatively buoyant. The volume of trapped air is the number you really need to worry about. "A pints a pound the world around" means a pint of water weighs about a pound (a little more for saltwater). That means for every pint of air that fish has trapped, add a pound and a quarter or so to the descender. Pint = 1.25 pounds, quart = 2.5 pounds, half gallon= 5 pounds and so on. If you can't imagine how much a pint looks like, imagine how many tall boy beer cans the fish had to swallow to get that big. If you catch a fish that can hold a half gallon of air when reeled up from 60 feet, take a picture first because that's a big one.

I've had a large yelloweye float 3 pounds before, so carry more than that!

I guess it's time to buy a pyramid anchor in case I get into one of those giants we enjoy down here along the South Coast.  The weights shown in the brochures from Oregon, Washington and Alaska look much smaller than three pounds.

Maybe I can just point at my SLA battery and say, "See that? That's my descender weight."

The weight of the fish is not really a good factor in determining how much weight you need to make the fish negatively buoyant. The volume of trapped air is the number you really need to worry about. "A pints a pound the world around" means a pint of water weighs about a pound (a little more for saltwater). That means for every pint of air that fish has trapped, add a pound and a quarter or so to the descender. Pint = 1.25 pounds, quart = 2.5 pounds, half gallon= 5 pounds and so on. If you can't imagine how much a pint looks like, imagine how many tall boy beer cans the fish had to swallow to get that big. If you catch a fish that can hold a half gallon of air when reeled up from 60 feet, take a picture first because that's a big one.

Oh my sweet and fluffy Lord!  I think I'm better off staying on the beach, sipping beer after beer.  That's a better use for pints and tallboys.  But it is a formula for how much weight one might need to carry.

Thank you, gentlemen.

I've had a large yelloweye float 3 pounds before, so carry more than that!

I guess it's time to buy a pyramid anchor in case I get into one of those giants we enjoy down here along the South Coast.  The weights shown in the brochures from Oregon, Washington and Alaska look much smaller than three pounds.

Maybe I can just point at my SLA battery and say, "See that? That's my descender weight."

The weight of the fish is not really a good factor in determining how much weight you need to make the fish negatively buoyant. The volume of trapped air is the number you really need to worry about. "A pints a pound the world around" means a pint of water weighs about a pound (a little more for saltwater). That means for every pint of air that fish has trapped, add a pound and a quarter or so to the descender. Pint = 1.25 pounds, quart = 2.5 pounds, half gallon= 5 pounds and so on. If you can't imagine how much a pint looks like, imagine how many tall boy beer cans the fish had to swallow to get that big. If you catch a fish that can hold a half gallon of air when reeled up from 60 feet, take a picture first because that's a big one.

Oh my sweet and fluffy Lord!  I think I'm better off staying on the beach, sipping beer after beer.  That's a better use for pints and tallboys.  But it is a formula for how much weight one might need to carry.

Thank you, gentlemen.

I gotta 454 engine block that is not salvageable if you need more weight!

I've had a large yelloweye float 3 pounds before, so carry more than that!

I guess it's time to buy a pyramid anchor in case I get into one of those giants we enjoy down here along the South Coast.  The weights shown in the brochures from Oregon, Washington and Alaska look much smaller than three pounds.

Maybe I can just point at my SLA battery and say, "See that? That's my descender weight."

I clipped on a couple of 8 ounce jigs, and at 4 pounds total weight, she went down slowly.

-Allen

I gotta 454 engine block that is not salvageable if you need more weight!

I'm taking you off the list of the gentlemen I am thanking.

I clipped on a couple of 8 ounce jigs, and at 4 pounds total weight, she went down slowly.

Thank you, Allen.