Fizzing kit?

[slinging southpaw]

I was wondering if any of you guys know where I can get a fizzing kit?

I caught a smallmouth out of 30+ feet of water last weekend that needed to be fizzed and my partner had

one and it worked excellent.

[5bass]

I'd try Alka Selzer for fizz. Just break it up, cut a slit in your bait and jam it in there. The Alka Selzer will probably work better in the morning after the bass have been out drinking all night and need a hangover remedy.

[Garnet]

I got my fizzer from a Farm Supply Store. Now I use a heavy wieght and just tow the fish back down. Works better.

Garnet

[Bass Smacker]

Fizzer :-? never herd of it

[kayl.]

He means a kit to deflate the bass' swim bladders...I don't have a boat, therefore I have no need for such a kit, but I wish you luck.  Try doing a google search for tips?

[Pa Angler]

I don't know were to buy a kit or if one exsists but I have an old ink cartridge refill hypodermic syringe that I would use if I needed to or you can use one of those needles that are used to inflate footballs, basketballs, soccerballs etc.

[Gorgebassman]

I used to run into this problem while walleye fishing on the Columbia river and I used one of the old worm blowers dont know if they make the type I have it looks like a hypodermic needle and I just pulled the plunger out of it.

[clipper]

I read about a better way to release a bass pulled out of deep water than fizzing and it doesn't involve puncturing the fishes side with a needle.  I read it in either Bassmaster Mag or Georgia Outdoor News, I just couldn't find it tonight.  It involves using a barbless hook and a weight heavy enough to sing the bass.  The weight is tied by a short leader to the eye of a barbless hook.  Another line is tied to the bend of the hook and the hook is placed in the lower lip of the bass (I think).  The weight and bass are lowered into the water and when the bass is back at the depth it was caught the line attached to the bend in the hook is used to pull the hook free and the bass is released at the original depth it was caught so there should not be any swim bladder problems.  I haven't tried this technique but it sounds like it should work.  Does anybody out there remember seeing this article and know where it can be found?

[Cephkiller]

The link below explains two good techniques for this on page 8.  Sorry about the pdf.  I couldn't find a good explanation in html.

http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/MNR/pubs/Fizzing.pdf

[Pa Angler]

The fizzing I seen was to push the needle down the fish's throat rather then trying to puncture a hole in the belly you may miss your mark and damage some internal organs I think the article was in Bassmater mag. or it's website.

[Cephkiller]

The fizzing I seen was to push the needle down the fish's throat rather then trying to puncture a hole in the belly you may miss your mark and damage some internal organs I think the article was in Bassmater mag. or it's website.

The link I posted shows a technique where one does not puncture the throat or the abdomen.  That is the whole point - to protect the fish.  It uses a heavy weight to take the fish back down to the proper depth and then the fisherman retrieves the weight and the fish is free and back to normal.

[George Welcome]

You cannot get to the bladder down the throat of a bass. You are puncturing the stomach which will more than likely heal but will do nothing for the bladder.

[Ozarkie]

Here is the easy way.

Go to a animal supply store, i.e. Tractor Supplu local CO-OP feed store, get a syringe with a 18 to 22 gauge needle. The smaller the better, then higher the number on the needle the smaller the diameter.

Remove the plunger.

The air bladder is easy to find top of the throat right between the crusher teeth. you dont need to go to deep, ttthe air baldder is located under the backbone just under the kidney, the black stuff against the backbone.

Just insert and you should have a small puff and its done.

total cost is under $1.00

Ozarkie

[George Welcome]

You people that think you can reach a bass's gas bladder via the throat are wrong - go study bass anatomy.

[Guest the_muddy_man]

At first this is what I thought you guys were talking about ONLY THE OLDER FELLAS WILL REMEMBER THESE

[michbass]

Anyone know of a video of fizzing being done?

[George Welcome]

First post found on google ref. this subject:

Executive SummaryFish which are quickly removed from deep water often display signs of depressurization.Symptoms include over-inflated swim bladders, hemorrhaging, erratic swimmingbehavior and the inability to submerge when released. Death can result from gasembolisms, internal organ damage or from predation and exposure when unable todescend from the water surface.Recently, a procedure known as "fizzing" has been developed in an attempt to artificiallydeflate gas from a distended swim bladder. The procedure involves puncturing the swimbladder through the musculature of the fish with a sharp instrument such as ahypodermic syringe.Despite the relatively widespread use of this technique, particularly at competitive fishingevents, there is considerable controversy about the relative merits of this procedure.Numerous North American jurisdictions either prohibit or discourage the practice of"fizzing".There is a need for more exhaustive research on the practice of artificial air bladderdeflation and the examination of alternate techniques for the successful release of fishwhich have been angled from deep water.Pending further research and evaluation, the widespread use of "fizzing" should bediscouraged in Ontario.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

S. J. KerrFisheries SectionFish and Wildlife BranchOntario Ministry of Natural ResourcesPeterborough, OntarioNovember, 2001

From NH:

Fizzing of Fish

Summary:

Fish caught and quickly removed from deep water often show signs of depressurization. The most obvious signs of depressurization are an over-inflated swim bladder, erratic swimming behavior, the inability to submerge when released, and/or red on the edges of the tail, dorsal fin, and/or mouth. Death can result from gas embolisms, predation or exposure if fish are unable to re-submerge, or from internal organ damage.

"Fizzing," or artificial swim bladder deflation, is sometimes used in an attempt to increase the survival of fish that show signs of depressurization. The procedure involves puncturing the gas bladder through the musculature of the fish using a sharp object such as a hypodermic needle.

The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department's Position on Fizzing:

There is currently no law prohibiting anglers from fizzing bass in NH. However, based on a review of the available literature on fizzing, the NH Fish and Game Department does not advocate the use of fizzing, pending further evaluation and research.

There are a number of reasons not to fizz bass. During fizzing, there is an increased chance of infection to the fish and the potential to pierce other internal organs. Additionally, although the most obvious sign of rapid depressurization is an over inflated swim bladder, there is also internal damage that occurs to the brain and heart (as a result of gas bubbles in the blood). Damage to the brain and heart is often the cause of death in these fish and fizzing will not correct for this type of injury.

In order to avoid bass mortality due to rapid depressurization, the best practice is to not fish for bass in deep water. If deep waters are fished, fish should be released immediately (paper tournament), as many fish are able to re-submerge when released within 1 to 2 minutes. Additionally, there are other release techniques besides fizzing available for releasing fish caught from deep water; see:

[Ozarkie]

Gotta argue with George on that one. I handle lots of fish and have dissected almost everyone of them. If I told you the numbers you would not believe me.

But simply by going between the crusher teeth in the upper mouth yes, you can reach the air bladder.

When going between the crusher teeth there is not much  you can hit thats vital unless you are just trying to kill the fish.

The heart is under the tongue as is the aorta, and in most cases the bladder will have extended into the mouth.

If you cant see the bladder the fish will normally be fine. I have fished deep water highland res. all my life and have yet to see a fish not right itself unless it came out of 50 feet or deeper water.

I don't think there is anymore chance of infection than the fish being hooked.  

For now all the fish are shallow and spawning in my area on all the lakes.

Now lets look at Boyle's law, if you need to and the atmospheric pressures at depth. If you can get that fish to 6 feet deep the air bladder will compress.

So maybe the simplest thing is a extra long handle on a dipnet.

You will never degas a fish other than the air bladder, back to Boyle's law, it is nitrogen build up in soft tissues. These release upon ascending, this give divers the bends. Now if the samething is happening in fish, just descending the fish back to depth will not fix the problem, as the Nit. has already boiled to the surface of the organs. This could be fatal even returning to depth.

This is why the brainiacs who brink animals up from the depths of the ocean do so under compression.

Now look at the structure of the kidney in fish, that damage is done!!!

But the best chance the fish has is for the air bladder to be degassed or the fish dropped back to the depth where it was caught!! All without pictures and measuring etc.

I was bent in the Gulf of Mexico some years back, so I know that deep fish is a sick fish when pulled to the surface.

Maybe the worst harm comes to fish when caught from beds and moved long distances for tournaments!!

Anyway my main job for 30 years has been being a taxidermist, with special interest in fish. I did 10 years in the Army again fishing everywhere I went and mounting fish for buddies. Yea I kinda know a bit about fish anatomy.

George I don't mean to steal your post but I feel degassing a fish from the deep will work, we do it to red snapper in the Gulf all the time and those fish are reeled up then tagged and caught again later in the year. Your post makes  lots of sense but on the other hand so does the hypo barrel and needle.

The diagram is wrong, the air bladder sets forward of the location shown. It is a drawing and is simply an artist interpretation. Which just gives a general location. The location of the heart is also wrong as it sets forward. Plus the lack of kidney material. I can go on about the general diagram but there is not any need.

Just stay below the backbone and between the upper crusher teeth in the throat and fizzing or degassing will work.

Ozarkie

[Pa Angler]

You people that think you can reach a bass's gas bladder via the throat are wrong - go study bass anatomy.

They showed it on B.A.S.S. Saturday and you could hear the gas release on TV so maybe your diagram isn't accurate. There have been to many articles in print and on TV explaining down the throat fizzing to be wrong.