It is a debate if it actually helps or not. But to deflate it you just puncture it with something small and sharp

Also, it has a description and picture in your Regulations book yoou got when you bought you license. At least i think i saw it in there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-74CqU28srs&feature=related

this video shows the spot to do it for a redfish... and it definetely helps with freshwater redfish because they will just die if you don't..

Decompression of certain types of fish caught at depths past about 60 feet is essential if you expect them to survive; after all, the point of releasing a fish is usually that you want to let it grow bigger so its worth catching later. Venting - by any method - is harmful to the fish and therefore not a good idea. Here's one alternative that I believe is far superior to venting:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bviQYGgKhw&feature=player_embedded

Note that you typically only have to lower the fish back down to about 60-100 feet for them to regain their equilibrium and they can then swim away on their own, relatively undamaged. The reason this depth is adequate is that the most decompression happens in the top 60' of the water column (atmospheric pressure doubles about 33').

Keep in mind, the regulations say you have to vent certain fish in certain circumstances. I believe the regs are wrong and release fish in a way that maximizes their survival, rather than blindly obeying the rules.

If you're gonna do it, do it right. use this.

http://www.basspro.com/Team-Marine-USA-Anglers-Series-PreVent/product/10202024/

Zack is right, his method is best, but not always do-able or practical. If you vent the fish CORRECTLY, no harm comes to the fish.
DO IT RIGHT! DO NOT cut or pierce the tissue portruding from their mouth, it's their stomach, usually & will kill the fish if damaged. Typically the needle is inserted behind a scale, diagonally back to front, @ the tip of the pectoral laying against the fish. once you pierce the air bladder the air will rush out. leave the tool inserted until bladder is deflated.

Sorry I did not clarify this, when I said there was disagreements I meant on inshore waters. Obviously pulling one up form 100 ft it is going to need deflating. I have see however, that many people think any redfish they catch needs to be deflated. I have seen quite a few surf fishing guys deflating 15ft deep reds. I prefer to move the fish back and forth and in the water to get water running over the gills and wait until they fish swims away from you.

Oh, yeah, absolutely not necessary from only 15 feet deep. Cannot imagine a situation where a fish caught from a jetty would ever need to be deflated.

the fish bloat up from stress... depth isn't ALWAYS the culprit... seen tons of redfish bloat up on the jetties, who knows if they ever make it there's no way to track the fish

This is normally a situation which occurs offshore when bottom fish are caught and the fish is reeled in at a relatively rapid rate.

What we normally do is, we tie a piece of line to the eye of a hook and squash the barb. To this piece of line we tie heavy weights, up to 1oz or 2 oz depending on the size of the fish. Tie another piece of long line, from a roll or another rod and reel and hook the fish's lower lip onto the hook. Drop the fish, the weights overboard and let it sink as far as it can go. Give the line 4 or 5 hefty jerks until the fish is free (the barbless hook should come out very easy) and reel your weights back up. The underwater pressure normally causes the fish to swallow its swim bladder and the fish will be fine.

My 2cents.

my understanding is that a fish cannot naturally Deflate the air bladder once it's bloated...hence why the angler must do it for them, if you throw back a 40" bloated redfish it will swim off fine, but the bladder is still inflated and eventually the fish cannot fight the full bladder wanting to tip them upside down and they float up belly up

Tokkie, next time you use your method, try placing the barbless hook into the top of the upper lip. You should find that the hook will come free on the first pull.

Thank you. I would think that it will pull free very easily. I'll try it.

We catch quite a few reds at the POC jetty in 40'-60' of water. Only a small percentage inflate. Black Drum seem to be more prone to it. The short rigs are round 60' and snapper usually don't inflate. My next stop out is about 100' and its 50/50 there.

Doubled up. Opps.