Releasing fish with Baratrauma

[bulletbob]

Maybe someone can answer a question for me on this topic.. I too have seen way too many dying fish float away, feebly trying to right themselves after being cranked up from deep water.. Any device that cuts this down a lot is worthwhile.. However, I don't see this problem near as much in freshwater .. We catch lake trout while jigging as deep as 200 FOW, and the fish always swim back strong.. I have even caught perch and sunfish at 85 FOW in summer and they swam back strong... Hadn't really thought about why that may be, but this thread got me thinking about it... Even at 75 feet I have seen a lot of salt water fish go belly up on the surface unable to swim back down, but never saw it as yet in a fresh water fish caught from deep water.. Anyone know?... bob

[hammer4reel]

Originally Posted by bulletbob

Maybe someone can answer a question for me on this topic.. I too have seen way too many dying fish float away, feebly trying to right themselves after being cranked up from deep water.. Any device that cuts this down a lot is worthwhile.. However, I don't see this problem near as much in freshwater .. We catch lake trout while jigging as deep as 200 FOW, and the fish always swim back strong.. I have even caught perch and sunfish at 85 FOW in summer and they swam back strong... Hadn't really thought about why that may be, but this thread got me thinking about it... Even at 75 feet I have seen a lot of salt water fish go belly up on the surface unable to swim back down, but never saw it as yet in a fresh water fish caught from deep water.. Anyone know?... bob

FROM GOOGLE


Freshwater fish can experience barotrauma, especially when rapidly brought up from deep depths, but some species are less susceptible due to a physiological adaptation called a pneumatic duct which allows them to release gas from their swim bladder, effectively "burping" to adjust to pressure changes; fish lacking this duct are more prone to barotrauma when brought to the surface quickly.
Key points about freshwater fish and barotrauma:
Swim bladder function:
The swim bladder, a gas-filled organ that helps fish maintain buoyancy, is key to understanding barotrauma.
Physostomous vs. Physoclistous fish:
Fish with a pneumatic duct connecting their swim bladder to their digestive tract (physostomous) can release gas more easily and are less likely to experience barotrauma compared to fish without this duct (physoclistous).
Examples:
Fish less likely to experience barotrauma:
Trout, salmon, and pike have a pneumatic duct and can adjust their swim bladder pressure readily.
Fish more likely to experience barotrauma:
Walleye, perch, and bass lack the pneumatic duct and are more susceptible to barotrauma when brought up from deep water

[bulletbob]

Originally Posted by hammer4reel

FROM GOOGLE


Freshwater fish can experience barotrauma, especially when rapidly brought up from deep depths, but some species are less susceptible due to a physiological adaptation called a pneumatic duct which allows them to release gas from their swim bladder, effectively "burping" to adjust to pressure changes; fish lacking this duct are more prone to barotrauma when brought to the surface quickly.
Key points about freshwater fish and barotrauma:
Swim bladder function:
The swim bladder, a gas-filled organ that helps fish maintain buoyancy, is key to understanding barotrauma.
Physostomous vs. Physoclistous fish:
Fish with a pneumatic duct connecting their swim bladder to their digestive tract (physostomous) can release gas more easily and are less likely to experience barotrauma compared to fish without this duct (physoclistous).
Examples:
Fish less likely to experience barotrauma:
Trout, salmon, and pike have a pneumatic duct and can adjust their swim bladder pressure readily.
Fish more likely to experience barotrauma:
Walleye, perch, and bass lack the pneumatic duct and are more susceptible to barotrauma when brought up from deep water

very good , thanks for the explanation.. I do know that when we crank up a deep water laker, they always seem very "gassy"- you see lots of bubbles coming out of them as they come to the surface..

[tautog]

Originally Posted by bulletbob

very good , thanks for the explanation.. I do know that when we crank up a deep water laker, they always seem very "gassy"- you see lots of bubbles coming out of them as they come to the surface..

I know crappies caught over 30 feet get barotrauma as well. I see it with the ice fishing guys who target them in deep basins in the winter.

[Captain Rich]

I thought I would show you what we use down here, there are pressure sensitive release clips available, but I like this set up better. The weight is a section of stainless steel prop shaft, available from any boat yard that does repairs. You stick the point in the fish mouth and out the gill cover. When you yank up on the rod the swivel shifts, the point is now down and the fish slides off. This makes it easier for the fish to swim away or for sharks to eat it ! These are mandatory I believe on the Gulf side of Florida, and recommended on the Atlantic side.

[Broad Bill]

Capt. Rich, very cool, I assume that's custom made? How much does the weight weigh and what depths do you typically use it in or does it depend on the species being fished for? If anglers tried, millions of fish a year would be spared. No need for regulatory mandates unless anglers aren't proactive and start using these devices voluntarily. There's no downside, almost no cost and nothing but benefits. Thanks so much for sharing.

Quick story about 15 years ago. My son hooked off Asbury Park on our last drift (fluke tournament) a black drum that probably went every bit of 80 - 100 lbs. We were only in about 50 - 60 feet of water. Fish wouldn't go down, had the bends which at the time I didn't think was possible in such shallow depths. We tried releasing her for at least a half hour without success, she floated upside down every time and gulls started moving in. as a last ditch effort, we took a fillet knife and pierced a pin prick under her large scale about 4 inches behind her pectoral fin. You could hear the air being released instantly. Swam her for a minute and off she went in a blink.

These things work and should be on board every boat as they cost almost nothing and will help save many different species of fish.

[Captain Rich]

The weight weighs a couple of pounds, I welded a ring to the top for easy attachment.
The pin and swivels came from Return'em Right, they also supply a pressure activated release clip.
SeaQualizer is another company that makes a pressure activated release clip.

I keep it rigged on a short junk rod next to my helm chair (express model) so I can grab it any time I think we need it. Anything over 60' its possible they are going to gas up, especially the small mutton snappers. It seems some species are more prone to it than others, I guess it's anatomical variety. I hate seeing throwbacks drift away on the surface.

[Broad Bill]

Originally Posted by bulletbob

Maybe someone can answer a question for me on this topic.. I too have seen way too many dying fish float away, feebly trying to right themselves after being cranked up from deep water.. Any device that cuts this down a lot is worthwhile.. However, I don't see this problem near as much in freshwater .. We catch lake trout while jigging as deep as 200 FOW, and the fish always swim back strong.. I have even caught perch and sunfish at 85 FOW in summer and they swam back strong... Hadn't really thought about why that may be, but this thread got me thinking about it... Even at 75 feet I have seen a lot of salt water fish go belly up on the surface unable to swim back down, but never saw it as yet in a fresh water fish caught from deep water.. Anyone know?... bob

Freshwater fish generally don't get the bends because they don't breathe compressed air like humans do when diving, meaning they don't absorb large amounts of nitrogen into their bodies at depth, which is the primary cause of decompression sickness ("the bends") when surfacing rapidly; whereas some deep-sea saltwater fish can experience issues with their swim bladders due to pressure changes, which can be similar to the bends but arises from a different mechanism related to gas volume regulation within their bodies.

Or what Dan just posted.

[dales529]

IMHO I think any device like Dan posted that can save fish should be implemented. Why NOT? Inconvenience is not an excuse.

Having said that and when you fish with quality Captains I have found out that not all "floaters" die especially seabass. After a great stop with shorts and keepers slowed Capt spun the boat and we all including the crew tapped the bloated floaters on the head quickly / sharply with Rod tips and soft end of the gaff and I was amazed at the amount that revived and swam back quickly to the bottom (or somewhere) but they all were lively!

This was not one trip but many. Also what worked was throwing the bloated shorts back fast head down. Granted more in 65 to 120 ft depths vs offshore but the "floaters" don't all die even offshore and I believe the boats left care.