Degas Tool ??

[VX70]

I’m looking for that tool that Aaron Martins is using to degas his bass, I’m talking about the one he’s putting in the fishes throat

[Jackl]

VX,
You better know what you are doing, or you will kill more bass than you save!
JackL

[MIbasser]

That would be a hypodermic needle and a syringe. Keep in mind he is only doing it when he keeps a bass from the deep. Most times if you practice catch and release you don't need to fizz the fish. Please do research before you attempt this as Jackl said (the bassmaster web page has articles on this).

[BigBassin144]

I believe it is called fizzing, and it can be VERY dangerous to the bass if you do not know exactly what you are doing. And it is still very controversial whether it even helps or not.

BB

[carolina-rig-01]

a air needle like what you inflate a football with will work. be sure and do your research before you do it but i am on the side of the argument that says it works.

[pig n jig]

Its called bends mender.

http://www.bendsmender.com/


I am also for using it. Ivan

[pig n jig]

The only way the fish will live is to unlock the air bladder.You can do this by the fizzing method or by lowering the fish back down to the deeper water depth needed to unlock the airbladder.

A weighted laundry basket lowered with the fish underneath the basket to sink it to the desireable depth to unlock the airbladder works.The fish will swim away once the airbladder unlocks.It is big and bulky to carry and they break after some use.A large sinker and a leader with a barbless hook through the top nose area lowered down does the same thing, once the fishes airbladder releases, it will pull off the hook and swim away.The trouble is your not really sure they reached the required depth before they come out of the system you are using to lower them.

I built a small stainless steel cage.I lower it down and slowly bring it back up with the fish still trapped in the cage.If you bring the fish up slowly once their airbladder is unlocked, they will remain unlocked.You can then put it in the live well to weigh in or release them back to the lake knowing they are going to survive.

When fishing deeper depths, remember to slowly allow the fish to come up at a slow pace and you will have less problems.Sometimes it is impossible as the smallmouth will rocket to the surface on their own.For many years I chose not to fish deeper for them because I was not good at fizzing with a hypodermic needle.You can actually take too much air out or hit in the wrong area and instantly kill them.With this new bendsmender tool , it is a very effective method to use if the instructions are followed.Ivan

[Mac2]

Excellent Post pnj, great info. Thanks, Mac

[Captmikestarrett]

I burp catfish all the time for C&R but do not need to punchure them.

I saw him fizzing deep smallies and wondered why a hypoderm.

Capt Mike

[VX70]

Thanks for all the input!

[pig n jig]

Originally Posted by Captmikestarrett

I burp catfish all the time for C&R but do not need to punchure them.

I saw him fizzing deep smallies and wondered why a hypoderm.

Capt Mike

Mike, You do know that they are different right ? I burp lake trout all of the time before releasing them but it isn't the same as bass.

Here is another method, I am not sure it works but it might be the easiest to try.

http://www.flipclipfishing.com/

[pig n jig]

Here is fizzing with the bends mender. Ivan


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyoe0jrZWvQ

[pig n jig]

http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/228130.pdf

[crankybait]

As I was reading... I figured for the steel cage method, one of those crabbing box things may be useful. Just throwing random thought out there