Flip clips rust too easy.

You don't need a hook at all. I learned this trick from Robert Amaya in Zapata. Best to do this on a rod you are not using. Just leave it rigged up. You may need it often at Falcon! I use four one ounce egg shape weights. Thread them on your line and tie a swivel on the end of the line so they won't slide off. Then hold the fish with his mouth open and simply let the fish swallow the weights. Believe me, they will fall right down his throat. With plenty of slack in your line simply put the fish back in the water and feed line to him. The fish will swim to the bottom. When the line stops just engage the reel and pull gently on the line. The fish will spit it out with no damage or stress to it at all. No holes to get infected. Once you do it you will be amazed how easy it is to do and how well it works.

Why do you need to do all of that? Have the fish out of the water a long time? Immediate release they go straight back down.

They wouldn't go down for me. I let them go right away and they floated. I called Robert. He told me what to do. I dropped the weights in and had no more problems.

if they float I ice them down and fizz them with a fillet knife

We use flip clips on our fish in the livewells to turn them up. Bass can't breath properly if they get on their sides. This helps that issue out. I know it is not a solution on fish that are turned back.

ttt.....more info on this waight thing.....seems easier to learn? is it a proven method that works? Is it safer for the fish? Seems safer for the fish not to have a bunch of nimrods like me poking holes in fish trying to learn how do it properly.

TTT

Thanks everyone for your input.
I ordered the flip clips for now and will have to get someone to show me how to fizz. I hate to stick a fish until I know how.
I've fish years without having to fizz a fish but this last weekend I caught some fish that needed to be fizzed. I had a friend that nursed them in the livewell for two hours keeping them upright and they eventually stayed in the bottom of the live well and were fine. I guess they released the air and stablized.

Check this thread out.

http://texasfishingforum.com/forums/ubbt...deo#Post5854267

Thanks bus driver. That is very educational and I think that I can try that with confidence now.

i have in stock the team marine pro fizz. these are very nice and are well built. gene