Releasing Deep Water Fish

[garroyo130]

Went out this morning and the Academy CRD + did well. Caught some decent fish but was wondering what best practice (if any) is for releasing fish caught for deep water (15ft +) when you do not have a livewell. Also to keep the crankbait from digging in too much i went to 15lb test which allowed me to bring in the bass fairly quickly. Should I avoid reeling them in like I would in shallower water? 

[Jig Man]

15’ is not deep around here.  We don’t worry unless they are 40’ or so.

[garroyo130]

2 minutes ago, Jig Man said:

15’ is not deep around here.  We don’t worry unless they are 40’ or so.

Thanks for the info.

 

Yeah theres much deeper water here as well but the fact that these fish had very little fight in them beyond the initial headshake made me wonder. The fish were almost in a trance when lipped so I wondered if it had to do with the depth, high volume of water rushing through their gills, or something else. 

[WRB]

30' pressure (2 atmospheres) can drastically affect the expansion of the air bladder, it starts to protrude pushing the stomach out the basses throat. If the bass can swim back down no issue. If it can't and rolls over then learning to properly needle the airbladder may help.

Tom 

[Ogandrews]

I’ve used it to release deep water walleyes and it worked great. Like others have said I wouldn’t worry until 30-35+ fow. It’s crazy how some fish like lake trout you can pull out of 100 or way more FOW and they shoot off the second you put them in the water with no real issue.

[WRB]

I use a 8 oz torpedo sinker clip on another rod. Put the sinker in the basses throat release it and let it swim down about 30' the left the rod sharply and reel up the sinker.

Lake trout have airbladder valves to release pressure, bass don't!

Tom

[Guitarfish]

Hmmm,  in saltwater fishing we don't even consider it a problem until like 80'.  Fresh water bass are that different?

 

If the fish appears exhausted it may just need to be cradled in the water until it catches it's breath. It'll swim off.

 

I have caught LM in deep water and have never seen the air bladder on one.  Not saying it isn't an issue, just have never seen it.

[garroyo130]

 

2 minutes ago, Guitarfish said:

Hmmm,  in saltwater fishing we don't even consider it a problem until like 80'.  Fresh water bass are that different?

 

If the fish appears exhausted it may just need to be cradled in the water until it catches it's breath. It'll swim off.

 

I have caught LM in deep water and have never seen the air bladder on one.  Not saying it isn't an issue, just have never seen it.

From what others have said above 30'+ is where you start worrying ... 

 

 

that sound ... 

[Vilas15]

From what ive read the livewell doesnt really help. Theyre coming up from 30', why would 4 inches help them any? Either fizz or get them back down deep. I don't fish over 20' except fall or ice walleyes which are most likely being kept. But if i catch a trophy ill try to have a clip on hand to sink them back down next time i go out.

2 hours ago, Guitarfish said:

If the fish appears exhausted it may just need to be cradled in the water until it catches it's breath. It'll swim off.

If the air bladder is expanded they wont be able to swim down due to the extra buoyancy and end up just floating back to the surface and rolling over. Their stomach literally comes out their mouth so they can't just catch their breath and swim off.

[schplurg]

Does anyone know how a bass gets air into the bladder, assuming it does at some point after it has been fizzed and returned to depth? Maybe it's gasses from the fish's innards?

[MN Fisher]

8 minutes ago, schplurg said:

Does anyone know how a bass gets air into the bladder, assuming it does at some point after it has been fizzed and returned to depth? Maybe it's gasses from the fish's innards?

There's various methods depending on the species of fish, but mainly it's gasses from the bloodstream 'leaking' into the bladder - young fish of some species DO get it from intestinal gases...but that feature disappears when they get older and they revert to the blood-gas extraction method

[schplurg]

Just now, MN Fisher said:

There's various methods depending on the species of fish, but mainly it's gasses from the bloodstream 'leaking' into the bladder - young fish of some species DO get it from intestinal gases...but that feature disappears when they get older and they revert to the blood-gas extraction method

Cool thanks. I was wondering about this a few days ago for some reason  

[Guitarfish]

Vilas15,  if the air bladder was sticking out it would be obvious, like saltwater fishing rockfish.  But we use a descender device in the salt.

 

I said I have never seen it in a freshwater bass if I wasn't clear.  I don't fish deep enough I guess.

 

And the OP never stated anything other than there was little fight to the fish, so I mentioned just cradling for awhile.  Gotta keep it in context.

 

I have heard poking fish is not a good idea at all in salt.  Will have to do a bit more research before I'd be comfortable doing it to a freshwater bass.  AGAIN, not saying it's wrong.  But I don't play a doctor on TV either.

[garroyo130]

15 minutes ago, Guitarfish said:

And the OP never stated anything other than there was little fight to the fish, so I mentioned just cradling for awhile.  Gotta keep it in context.

All fish swam away quickly once released. The only thing that was unusual was the fight or lack thereof.

[WRB]

Using a weight to lower the bass down quickly is easy just clip on a 8 oz torpedo sinker on another rod, put the sinker in the bass throat and lower it down then lift rid and reel the weight back up.

It's putting the deep caught bass in the livewell that creates problems for the bass.

Tom