Yep.....we cant get these southern crappie all the way down in those kind of checkers ( too thick and too wide)....if the nose does not go all the way down it will measure too long. The game wardens use a golden rule....they measure with mouth closed and tail pinched together.....so that's how we measure also.....and factor in the fish will shrink a little in the live well and even more on ice....we always add a quarter inch to what ever the length limit is to be safe.

