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Im looking to see which is the better route when releasing a bass with an extended air bladder. Ive never done the fizzing thing, Ive always been a little worried Id do it wrong. The method I use it to have an extra rod with a 1oz sinker and small barbless dropshot hook on it. Skin hook the bass, drop it to the bottom and give a little jerk, hook pops out. Is fizzing a better technique? Is there any research that says one is better for the fish than the other? Ive looked some but cant find anything.

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I like to use these flipclips if I put the fish in the livewell.

It usually helps them recover completely when they are in the livewell. If not, I'll fizz and through the mouth is the easiest way in my opinion. 

No fizzing is not a better technique
It is best to put them back in the water right away so they can get back down by their own power, putting them in a live well only makes them more fatigued and won't be able to go back down, so that's when you would have to use one of these methods. Fish caught in 45 plus feet can and will die if not handled and even fought properly. If you land a fish and a swim bladder is hanging out of its throat or the eyes are popped out it will most likely die regardless what you do. The others might survive in your live well for a while but more likely to die before weigh in time. Fish caught in less than 30 to 35 feet alot of times don't need to be fizzed right away, but might need help by the end of the day. I have had fish caught in less than 20 feet that needed help out after the trip to the scales.
You couldn't catch a cold beyond 5ft deep anyway. Pretty sure the fishes health will be just fine...

Dont worry guy... Bed fishing season will be here soon enough.

Weight return is the best but if the fish is going into live well then fizzing must take place. Go to you tube

 and type in fizzing bass. To fizz the fish I get the needle [16x1 1/2 ]  from a local animal store much cheaper. And that needle is way longer than needed. Fizzing the fish in the side is the best way. Going though the mouth if your not spot on the fish is done.      

Snake, you must've been looking in the mirror when you did your post.

Yeah, I'll keep doing the weight return.  I don't livewell fish in the winter so fizzing won't bean issue

Hmm.... I did post that while brushing my teeth. In all seriousness, its a good topic that more people need to get educated on.

Zach Chandler said:

Snake, you must've been looking in the mirror when you did your post.

Yeah, I'll keep doing the weight return.  I don't livewell fish in the winter so fizzing won't bean issue

Ron, what do you do to fight the fish properly for deep fish? Also, for fish over 45 feet, when would you use weight return over fizzing?

Personally i like the bends mender needles, they are easy to use and come with a nice diagram to use. I've always fizzed through the side not the mouth. I had several botched attempts until I bought this needle kit, so I'm pretty sold on it.

As far as what depth, I caught one at Banks in the April tourney with LaRoche in about two foot of water that we had to fizz, so I just check on my fish in the well to see if any need attention.

I'm guilty of bringing them up at warp speed sometimes ask Ron! Bad on me. I've had no casualties i can recall fun fishing when I use the immediate return method .  I can sometimes watch them swim down to bottom on my graph. In tournaments fizz then livewell is what we have always done. I learned to go thru the side and thats  what I'm confident  doing. There will be casualties when fishing winter tournsments. The trip up from deep water, fizzing procedure, and livewell holding all negatively affect bass especially in the winter months  . Thats just the way it is.

I would use the weight return when out fun fishing and have the fish out of the water for pictures a bit longer. The longer they are out of the water it seems the worse the air bladders extend.
I have found a hook set and just keeping a bend in your rod without power reeling the fish to the surface tends to help. If you set the hook and land the fish as quick as you can bringing them up that fast tends to make their eyes pop out (Google eye) if you keep these fish in a well they are dead within 5 minutes fizzing or no fizzing. These same Google eye fish probably are dead even if you release them right away, I don't know what causes the eyes to pop but I think the pressure change puts air behind them and in their blood stream.




Jeff Fancher said:

Ron, what do you do to fight the fish properly for deep fish? Also, for fish over 45 feet, when would you use weight return over fizzing?

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