be interlocking in a preferred embodiment of the device body 12 and the measurement chamber 16 fig1 further illustrates a series of pawls 58 indented into the back 20 of the device body 12 in a preferred embodiment the pawls 58 are formed as indentations in the back 20 of the device body 12 the pawls 40 can also be attached to the device body 12 using a variety of means including but not limited to attaching a separate pawl to the interior of the device body 12 with and adhesive screw nut and bolt or any other attachment mechanism known to those skilled in the art the series of pawls 58 can be composed of one or more pawls 40 depending on the number of digits desired to be recorded on the fish measurement recording device 56 the pawls 40 of the device body 12 are intended to interlock with the teeth 42 of the ratchet side 28 the pawl 40 rests in the indentation 44 of the ratchet teeth 42 when the desired number 32 is displayed on the wheel piece 30 the pawls 40 are ideally formed as a part of the device body 12 preferably formed when liquid plastic is poured into a mold for the device body with the mold having a molding for a pawl additionally the ratchet and wheel pieces 26 are also ideally made of a durable thermoplastic fig1.