Deep Water Fishing - problem of distended Swim Bladders

**ronn.** · 24-02-2008, 00:31

we are going fishing in norway and want to release all our catch. we will bring nothing back, as we are flying.what should we do with the dead fish,ie, fish that have blown their bladders from depths.

**wriggitt** · 24-02-2008, 00:42

why not eat them, there and then? ie bbq

**welshy9** · 24-02-2008, 01:04

blown their bladders from depths.

whats that when they are soo deap like divers ?

didn think fish were like that

**Cascars** · 24-02-2008, 01:32

Originally Posted by welshy9

blown their bladders from depths.

whats that when they are soo deap like divers ?

didn think fish were like that

It is often the case with fish like Pollack, Cod and Coalies when brought up from 60ft+. Most fish we get when wrecking in the UK are in 150-200ft of water and are as good as dead by the time they surface.
Some fish, such as bass are quite resilient to the depth change though.

**marlin man** · 24-02-2008, 07:39

Having fished out in Norway several times with Dave Lewis on the initial exploratory trips to see what was there we proved that cod will go back,we caught cod from 5lb to 50lb and apart from a few that were kept all the rest went back and that was from all depths,ok pollack and coalfish are different but you may find the fish high in thw water and if so then take your time and they to will go back.The other species ie wolf fish and Norweigen haddock are to nice to throw back,we dinned on them for a few nights.

**stevecatfisher** · 24-02-2008, 11:03

you'll find that most go back ok, if they dont ,try to puncture their swim bladders, they will go down then however Im not sure if they will live.... but they definitely wont if they are flapping around on the surface being pecked by gulls!

If you are really concerned thread a lenghth of 4 or 5 pound line through the hook hole in the fishes mouth or if there isnt one, make a small one under the chin.

then put a coulple of extra weights on your rod line.

Then tether the fish to the weights or a hook by the weak line using a granny knot.

Then drop the fish back in with the weights attached.

When it gets down deep enough, the expanded air in the fish will contract again under the pressure and the fish will kick and the knot will give.

Wind in, remove the extra weights and carry on fishing!

Takes a few moments but works every time ..no probs.

The fish are not dead when their swim bladders are over inflated and will survive ok.

**lobsterkid** · 24-02-2008, 19:45

Originally Posted by stevecatfisher

you'll find that most go back ok, if they dont ,try to puncture their swim bladders, they will go down then however Im not sure if they will live.... but they definitely wont if they are flapping around on the surface being pecked by gulls!

If you are really concerned thread a lenghth of 4 or 5 pound line through the hook hole in the fishes mouth or if there isnt one, make a small one under the chin.

then put a coulple of extra weights on your rod line.

Then tether the fish to the weights or a hook by the weak line using a granny knot.

Then drop the fish back in with the weights attached.

When it gets down deep enough, the expanded air in the fish will contract again under the pressure and the fish will kick and the knot will give.

Wind in, remove the extra weights and carry on fishing!

Takes a few moments but works every time ..no probs.

The fish are not dead when their swim bladders are over inflated and will survive ok.

Interesting technique. Do you think this would also work with tusk
as they also blow very badly. I defy anyone to get one of these chappies back alive. Will give it a go when i'm out there next time.
Although it might be a single line on a house brick required.
Cracking tip . Cheers.

**fishiee29** · 24-02-2008, 22:25

Yeah as has been said most of the fish will go back fine even from 100m.

They always go back easier the less time you have them out of the water so make sure you're set up with scales, pliers, camera etc. to hand so you can get them back in the water as quickly as possible.

The odd Cod etc. that doesn't go back we will keep for food during the trip (we go self catering). Small ones could be kept for bait. Ones around 2-3 lbs I keep to feed the eagles for photography

Tusk usually have to have their swim bladders pierced. I am not sure this technique actually works. Dunno anyone who can claim to have caught a fish again that has had that done however they certainly have more chance than floating on the surface like a baloon!

Redfish... hm... don't think they have much hope. Everything blows up with those! They are fantastic eating though if you get some big enough

The method steve explains works amazingly well for big nile perch in Africa. Not tried it in Norway though.

**stevecatfisher** · 25-02-2008, 09:47

Originally Posted by fishiee29

Yeah as has been said most of the fish will go back fine even from 100m.

They always go back easier the less time you have them out of the water so make sure you're set up with scales, pliers, camera etc. to hand so you can get them back in the water as quickly as possible.

The odd Cod etc. that doesn't go back we will keep for food during the trip (we go self catering). Small ones could be kept for bait. Ones around 2-3 lbs I keep to feed the eagles for photography

Tusk usually have to have their swim bladders pierced. I am not sure this technique actually works. Dunno anyone who can claim to have caught a fish again that has had that done however they certainly have more chance than floating on the surface like a baloon!

Redfish... hm... don't think they have much hope. Everything blows up with those! They are fantastic eating though if you get some big enough

The method steve explains works amazingly well for big nile perch in Africa. Not tried it in Norway though.

It works in Norway John, after all when a diver comes up with the bends they put him in a decompression chamber to simulate deep water conditions IE to recompress the air in his blood.........and a diver's metabolism is a little more complicated than a fish!

When a fish 'blows' his stomach (not his swim bladder) often comes out of his mouth, especially Tusk, Ive never tried the method with one of those, I just give the stomach a quick stab and throw it back. They usually go back down but as i said previously I dont really know if they live or not but they will soon get eaten if they are sick or injured.

Why not feed the Tusk to the fish eagles instead of cod?, or are they like us and wont eat the bl00dy things

Just a thought.....when you do get a blown fish, is it possible that a big part of what stops them going down is just expanded air in the gut cavity, so maybe a little deflationary cut avoiding any vitals is as good as anything.
Is 'deflationary' a word? ... have I invented a new word here??

**fishiee29** · 25-02-2008, 11:37

Hi Steve,

Actually it was cutting the stomach I was referring to. Now you mention it, the swim bladder obviously wouldn't come out like that.

I have seen them use a hyperdermic needle to the stomach of one perch (105lbs I think) that even after being tied down in deep water for an hour or so was still not going back.

I've not tried that in other countries. Had a Perch in Uganda (75lbs) that needed that treatment but they didn't have the equipment. We tried to revive it for over an hour but alas it didn't make it. Simple quick incision with a hyperdermic would have had it back in no time.

Never thought to try that same procedure on cod however.Most of them go back to be honest and it's been rare for those that haven't not to have been eaten by the end of the trip.

Certainly some of the fish that won't go down are as a result of the gasses. you can see they have the energy but just can't get down deep enough to equalize.

Small Tursk are also good for the fish eagles however the majority are too big. We've had them up to 15lbs or so. I'd like to see the eagle that can fly off with one of those!