Barb Elliott, NY Director of BASS Conservation, shares her expertise in treating barotrauma in bass. BUY the kit to save your fish!
Barb’s Best Fizz Kit, hand-assembled by Barb Elliott, includes everything needed to fizz bass suffering from barotrauma: laminated guides, step-by-step instructions, stress reduction tips, a specialized needle, and a protective cover. Essential for tournament bass fishermen, it promotes bass conservation.
Buy NowThis comprehensive kit is hand-assembled by Barb Elliott and includes everything you need to properly fizz bass suffering from barotrauma. The kit features:
This kit is an essential tool for tournament bass fishermen, providing the knowledge and equipment needed to effectively treat barotrauma and promote the conservation of bass populations.
Fizzing through the mouth can harm other organs and increase fish mortality. Scientific studies show that side fizzing is safer and more effective. Researchers have developed a method to fizz through the side, piercing only the skin, muscle, and swim bladder, which significantly improves fish survival.
MORAL OF THE STORY --> FIZZ YOUR FISH - FIZZ THEM THRU THE SIDE - FIZZ THEM AS SOON AS YOU SEE SIGNS OF BAROTRAUMA - AS SOON AFTER CATCHING/LANDING THE FISH THAT YOU CAN. PERIOD.
Barotrauma Relief, or “fizzing,” is a technique to remedy swim bladder over-inflation caused by rapid ascent from deep water. To understand this, imagine a balloon underwater. As you dive deeper, the balloon shrinks due to increased pressure. Similarly, a fish’s swim bladder compresses at depth and expands when brought to the surface, causing discomfort and potential damage.
When a fish is rapidly brought to the surface, its swim bladder expands, leading to severe stress and potential mortality. Even if the fish appears alive at weigh-in, it may not survive long-term due to internal damage.
For over 45 years, the catch-and-release mantra has focused on releasing live fish. However, we must aim to release viable fish—those capable of eating, growing, and reproducing. This ensures the sustainability of our natural resources, which face increasing pressure from human activity and environmental changes.
As tournament anglers, it’s our responsibility to release viable fish back into the ecosystem. Future generations will thank us.
The image shows a fish with its body cavity opened, revealing extreme swim bladder inflation and extreme pressure on critical internal organs. This condition is a clear indication of barotrauma, which occurs when a fish is rapidly brought to the surface from deep water.
Organ Compression: The expanded swim bladder presses against vital organs, notably the heart, impairing its function and reducing cardiac output.
Suffocation: With the heart unable to pump effectively, blood flow to the gills is reduced, causing the fish to suffocate.
Blood Acidosis: The lack of oxygen leads to blood acidosis, lowering the blood pH. This is critical because the gland (rete mirabile) that regulates swim bladder gas only functions properly at a normal pH.
Why Immediate Action is Necessary
In overinflated fish, the ability to manage swim bladder pressure is lost. The fish cannot deflate its swim bladder on its own, regardless of how much time it is given. Immediate fizzing is essential to relieve the pressure and allow the fish to survive, unless it is released back to depth immediately.
By understanding and addressing barotrauma, we can ensure the health and viability of the fish we release, contributing to the sustainability of our fisheries for future generations.
