some tourneys penalize you for dead fish by taking off weight, like a pound, but you can still weigh them, only a few I know of won't let you weigh dead fish. but the problem is they really don't look that close, or the good old boy network of friends has them pretending they don't notice, but so many fish are just clinging to life when they are put back and it is obvious they will not live, not even swim away from the dock.