YEAH, BUT .... you best check your Golden Rule for accuracy, too. I've checked mine, and found the 9" & 10" marks to be a little short .. but the 11" and longer marks to be dead on. Knowing that, I never keep a fish that doesn't measure a good 9.5" or better, even when the size limit is only 9".
And just for clarification ... I put my own 9" mark on the Golden Rule (years ago), measured backwards from the 10" mark, since the one I have only came with 10"-15" marks. I've had the ruler for decades, and since finding out about the discrepancy in the length markings, I've put a broad mark (Sharpie pen) across it at the 9" & 10" lines. That way I know that the fish's tail needs to extend beyond the black stripe, and not just the measurement line.

... cp