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Fizzing bass

11K views 28 replies 18 participants last post by  TxMrbass 
#1 ·
When you are fishing in deep water, anything over 30 feet is deep water for bass, you should immediately release the bass so it can return down to the depth it was caught while it is still has the strength to swim back down. If you take time to admire or photograph the bass, it weakens the fish. If you are a tournament fisherman and place the bass in the live, that weakens the fish. What you need to do before releasing a big bass that you have kept out of the water few minutes or before placing a bass in your live well, is fizz the fish.
Fizzing is letting the air out of the air bladder by puncturing the bladder with a needle. The easiest method is to use a specail needle kit made for this purpose. The needle has a plunger to keep the hollow needle from plugging.
To needle a bass, you can use it's pectoral fin laid flat against the side of the body and insert the needle 1/4 inch behind and above the tip of the fin. Slip the needle under a scale at 45 degree angle towards the head. Push the needle in about 1 inch or until your hear the air comming out. If you place the bass under water the air "fizzes"out in a small stream of bubbles. Gentle push up on the basses belly to aid the air exiting. Then release the bass and watch to see if the fish swims down under it's own power or place it in the live well and watch to see if it can swim upright. If you don't fizz deep water bass, they will die.
Tom
Ps; Fizzing kits are available fir $2 to $3 at veternary supply shops or Don Iovino products.
 
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