A few questions:

1. I know some use fin clips, how long, on average does it seem to take for the fish to be able to stay upright and swim off without clips.

2. I vaguely remember seeing or hearing someone somewhere lowering the fish back to deep water and somehow unclipping the fish in deep water. Seems like I saw something somewhere of someone doing this on livescope and watching it swim off, seemingly ok. I know this wouldn’t work for tournaments. Does anyone do this, or know how that works exactly?

I’ve fizzed several through the side with a needle, they all have kicked off good, but I always wonder if that’s the best thing for them.

Don't fizz them at all. They don't need it..

I don't have any science to prove it, but it sure seems to me that if you can get by without poking a hole in a fish, the fish is better off.

I think bloated fish stress themselves out trying to keep themselves upright. I think that is what kills them more than the inflated swim bladder. Then at the end of the day they just don't have the energy to swim down to depths where the air bladder will deflate.

I use heavy weights on fin clips to keep fish upright and after weigh in they have always been full of energy and able to swim down. I have only fizzed them if they pop back up to the surface which has happened once to me once in the last several years.



I've used the spotted Bass to practice fizzing on at Alan Henry. Figured if they died I'd eat them. At the end of the day both the spots I fizzed and the ones I used weight clips on were able to swim off. I'd think the ones without the hole poked in their side have a better shot.

If not in a tournament, I just take a quick picture and release, so never had to fizz a fish that is released immediately, and haven't had one come back to the surface.

There's a few alternatives out there.

1) Weighted weigh in bags
2) Fin Clips
3) Reel in slower and allow the fish to regulate when fishing deeper, you learn to do this in great lakes.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/385620861322

You can make your own and release the fish without fizzing.
Put a weight on the bottom of this rig and when the fish hits the bottom just reel up.

I fizz I recently tried the mouth technique and I kinda like it. Clips don't work for [censored]

Saw a tactical bassin video where they put a marker bouy weight into the bass, sink the weight/fish down to the bottom and jerk the weight free. Seemed plausible.

I have also seen someone use a wire bowl/basket with weights attached all around the perimeter with a rope tied to the center. He placed the bowl over the fish and lowered it to the bottom. After a period, he just pulled up the bowl and that allows the fish to swim away. You just have to attach enough weights to the bowl so it will force the fish to the bottom.

Have used fin clips at Amistad and after 1 hour or so the fish stayed up right, they work.

I fish deep most of the time. I have used the marker bouy trick a ton. Just barely mold the lead to the jaw. Sink the fish then jerk the string.

I also build an apparatus like the one Allison1 posted. It works great too. Made one for our bass club and we use it often.

Throw the bass up in the air a decent ways and let it hit the water. When it hits the water, it knocks the air out and they have a better time going down. I use this with crappie I have caught 45 ft deep and it works most of the time.

Fizz through the throat works. Clips I'm very doubtful. The side method seems more difficult to me. Put the needle down the gullet with the fish under water and go 1 second per pound of fish on average. You'll see the bubbles coming up if you did it right. Try not to over fizz the fish otherwise she'll sink to the bottom of the livewell unnaturally.

I've heard of dead fish with the clips on. Unpleasant surprise when you go to weigh in.

Don't fizz the fish immediately, just put em in the livewell and check on em. If they're on the top and even just a bit sideways then fizz em.

I mostly fun fish, so I try my best not to fish too deep, and have this problem.

It’s happened a few times where I’ve caught one in 15-20’ and I still run into swim bladder problem. Seems like it’s always with bigger fish.

I don’t get why some seem fine and some roll over that come off the same spot.

I think I’ll try the marker buoy trip, that one sounds like it would work good.

I feel comfortable fizzing, it just seems very obtrusive.

Someone said reeling the fish in slow, I think that is a myth, with bass. Unless you’re taking several hours.

So there I was. In 15’ of water, dragging a fb jig around one cold sunny day January day in Oklahoma, when I felt a thump, I set the hook and within about a minute, I had her in my net. It was about 3:30. I put her in the livewell to prepare for a quick solo photo shoot with her. I went to get her out of the livewell and realized she was rolled over on her belly. No blood, I hooked her cleanly in the top of the mouth. I took a quick photo and tried holding her upright, she would kick off and then come back up after a few seconds. I was unprepared, I didn’t have a needle to fizz and I had never heard of fin clips at the time.

I knew there was a farm supply store about 30 minutes away, so I went for it. I knew it was a lot of stress to a fish having her be on her side in my livewell for that long, but I went for it. It was getting dark and I needed to do something. I learned how to do it on the way to the store. I got the needle, crossed my fingers, and stuck her in her side. I let bubbles out for about 5 seconds, instantly she was bouncing off the walls of my champs livewell.

We went back to the lake, and she charged off.

That fish weighed 9 pounds and had a missing right eye and a few unique markings but otherwise a very healthy and beautiful fish.

Fast forward, almost one year, same like , I’m casting my 6XD into a brush pile, and my rod loads up with a nice fish, a few moments later I’ve got the same fish in the net! Same exact fish. About 300 yards from where I caught her the first time. She weighed about the same. I didn’t need to fizz the second time, she charged off into the depths.

I know fizzing works, I just really like to be prepared for baro trauma now, it was the worst feeling rushing that fish to the feed store for a needle that night. I recommended getting educated on it, even if you’ve never had a problem with it before, it was the worst feeling being unprepared for that.

I’ve been digging around for photos of that fish, but haven’t found them, if I do, I’ll post them.

Hope you enjoyed my story.