Fizzing Fish

Shorter tournament hours, lower bag limits, multiple required weigh-ins or better yet an honor system tournament format where you'd weigh the fish yourself then quickly release it. All the above suggestions would give the fish a better chance of surviving than poking their insides with a dirty needle after riding around in a tiny live well for 6 or 8 hours in 80+ degree water would. Like [B]I[/B] said, the key to their survival is returning the fish to the water as soon as possible, in the best possible condition without any extra holes in their bodies. (besides the one their mouth of course)

[QUOTE=sweetwater;461986]Shorter tournament hours, lower bag limits, multiple required weigh-ins or better yet an honor system tournament format where you'd weigh the fish yourself then quickly release it. All the above suggestions would give the fish a better chance of surviving than poking their insides with a dirty needle after riding around in a tiny live well for 6 or 8 hours in 80+ degree water would. Like [B]I[/B] said, the key to their survival is returning the fish to the water as soon as possible, in the best possible condition without any extra holes in their bodies. (besides the one their mouth of course)[/QUOTE]

I'm not disagreeing with what you're saying, just that the tournaments are what they are and those of us that enjoy fishing them have to do what we have to do....Here's a good example for ya though...Friday night we were out fishing and my friend caught a 5lber out of probably 20ft....Got it in the boat, unhooked it, admired it for maybe 30 seconds, and put it right back in the lake...She flipped belly up and absolutely would not take off...Not the first time I've had this happen...So we picked her back up, fizzed her right there on the side of the boat, put her in the water and she took off like a rocket...No doubt she would have been dead had I just left her laying

[QUOTE=sweetwater;461986]Shorter tournament hours, lower bag limits, multiple required weigh-ins or better yet an honor system tournament format where you'd weigh the fish yourself then quickly release it. All the above suggestions would give the fish a better chance of surviving than poking their insides with a dirty needle after riding around in a tiny live well for 6 or 8 hours in 80+ degree water would. Like [B]I[/B] said, the key to their survival is returning the fish to the water as soon as possible, in the best possible condition without any extra holes in their bodies. (besides the one their mouth of course)[/QUOTE]


You have not made a point at all.

"Shorter tournament hours" Fish start suffering from this the minute they are caught

"Lower bag limits" Just kill three instead of five?

"Multiple required weigh ins" Again this would not help with barotrauma at all


"Honor system tournament format" See above, but i don't see how a fish floating on it's belling in 80+ degree water, unable to achieve the depth it was prior to being caught, is better than riding around in a livewell all day.

Most biologist's opinions i have read agree that no long term affect comes from doing this if the fish survive.

What exctley is "fizzing". Seems like i could use it around 3pm.

[QUOTE=TimE;461993]You have not made a point at all.

"Shorter tournament hours" Fish start suffering from this the minute they are caught

"Lower bag limits" Just kill three instead of five?

"Multiple required weigh ins" Again this would not help with barotrauma at all


"Honor system tournament format" See above, but i don't see how a fish floating on it's belling in 80+ degree water, unable to achieve the depth it was prior to being caught, is better than riding around in a livewell all day.

Most biologist's opinions i have read agree that no long term affect comes from doing this if the fish survive.[/QUOTE]
I 100% agree. But as long as it is legal to do so there will be fish caught and killed in bass tournaments. My point is that more self regulation could be done to minimize fatalities than is currently being done. I hope that the day never comes that the government will regulate bass fishing the way they have done with grouper and the "endangered" red snapper.

[QUOTE=coombro;461999]What exctley is "fizzing". Seems like i could use it around 3pm.[/QUOTE]
That's a good one. :D

i have fizzled a few fish here lately catching them from 8 to 30 foot... i was told about 2 years ago how to do it and all i remember him saying was past the side fin about 2 or 3 scales or something like that but i've not had anyluck fizzing one there... i have moved down a lil bit more and closer to the air pockets.... i'm 100% for this i've not needled fish before and ended up baby'n the fish all night maken sure it stays alive!
my BIG question is.... i wanna know how to do this properly in the side... i've gotta small needle and wanna make sure i'm disturbing them as lil as possible!


oh and biggest tip i could give anyone for doing this if you leave them in the water when doing it make sure you have live well/ recirculator off before attempting!

Back to the original topic. I'm not a tournament fisherman,I do fish when I get the chance.I do not like fishing in the heat of the day,I do get out out very early, & miss most of the pleasure boaters. Sometimes you run into a situation were you let the fish die or fizz it. I say fizz it every time! None of my fish go into my livewell, every now & then if you fish enough your going to run into it.

Flip&Clip is all you need too keep them alive.I had 4sets & gave them away at the last tournament i ran.That was a 2day tournament & Mike Carter used them on the 2nd day too save a fish.
River Basser
Terry Adolph:cool: