Air Bladder Relief. Jump to:

Transcription

1 Air Bladder Relief Though it is only my own theory, not proven scientific fact, I think fish caught in deep water are not the only ones that suffer air bladder expansion. When stressed I believe fish can inflate their air bladders like human adrenalin becomes increased upon stimulation. A fish can be determined to have an expanded air bladder when: the fish is trying to get deeper in the water but cannot, the fish is rolling over and over, or the fish is swimming in a nosedown position with tail elevated. Relieving the air Jump to: * Handling Fish * Fish Care * At the Tournament * Personal Notes * Diagram * Trouble Shooting bladder of these fish is controversial. It has not yet been fully studied, and even TP&W personnel differ on it's procedure. In some cases it won't be necessary if you treat with Catch & Release, and hold fish horizontally until it can hold itself up. Air bladder relief procedure is done only when it's obvious the fish will perish without one last effort to save it. TP&W has done no studies on the practice I use to hold fish upright, but in six years of fish care I have seen it help fish. If allowed to lay over in an unnatural position I firmly believe that fish will simply give up. We have had success with fish unable to hold themselves up by holding them in a normal position for 20 minutes to one hour, and in some cases relieving the air bladder. It's preferable, especially with the larger bass of five pounds or more, to have someone hold the fish for you on a smooth wet surface or place the fish in a large landing net just under the surface of the water in the hospital tank. If this procedure is done in your boat do not hold fish on carpet, but place on wet weigh bag or other smooth surface. Place the fish's head on your left as this side presents the best location for the air bladder. It's best to have the person holding the fish "lip" it with their left hand and hold the wrist of the tail with their right hand. Small fish can be done by one person more easily than larger ones. Once the needle is inserted the fish must be held under water so you can see air bubbles escaping, preferably by the side of the boat rather than in the livewell. A large biopsy or spinal tap needle is needed for this procedure, one that has an insert that can be removed to allow air to flow out. A single hollow needle will not work as it will become clogged with scales and skin immediately. Use a spinal needle no smaller than 18G31/2. Your veterinarian may be able to help you get these in an inexpensive disposable form, But, do not dispose of it after use, it's reusable. They simply cost a lot less than the ones vets or surgeons use. Your needle must be 16 to 20 gauge and at least two inches long. Spinal tap or biopsy needles are best, do not use anything else.

2 THE PROCEDURE You must push the needle under the skin, this is best done at an angle between scales. Back needle out until just the tip of the needle in under the skin, redirect needle straight into fish about half the length of the needle. Remove plunger and allow air bubbles to escape for a count of 8 to 10 seconds. Do not remove all air, this is important. Remove only a small amount of air, then wait and see if fish is better. You can always remove more if necessary. Allow fish to go free and observe it's behavior. If fish resumes normal swimming, all is well. If fish goes to bottom and simply lies there, do not worry, yet. It's usually just tired from trying to get down and needs some rest. If fish recovers in 30 minutes or so, hold for another 30 minutes then release into lake. You've given that fish the best chance for survival. David Campbell, Texas Parks and Wildlife biologist and head of the new hatchery and fish study center in Athens, prefers a different location for air bladder removal than what is shown in charts from the department. I use his method on all large bass, but have used the other location on some smaller bass in colder months. David Campbell's Recommended Location for needle insertion Draw an imaginary line from the fourth spline (dorsal fin points) straight down to meet an area even with the point of the gill flap and straight with the center of the tail. This is your starting point, however some fish differ just like some humans and you may not hit your mark the first time, but feel rib cage, push the needle in no farther when you feel bone. Remove needle, count one or two scales down and back and try again. The reason I prefer David Campbell's method is that the rib cage is a less dangerous area than the lower spot used by some biologists. David uses this method because sometimes an over-inflated air bladder does so from the head down causing the intestines to become misplaced. Also, a fish that just had a large meal may have misplaced intestines, especially with an over-inflated air bladder. Vital organs in the lower area include kidneys and the fish can be killed immediately should you hit them. Below is a diagram of both David's method and department standards. 'I'his procedure is one of the most important ones you'll ever learn, but remember it's only done as a last resort, not simply done because you want to do it.

3 TP&W standard recommended location for needle insertion Point of insertion with this method is to draw an imaginary line from the notch (A) separating the spiny-ray and soft-ray portions of the dorsal fin downward to the anal opening (B), insert the needle along this line approximately midway between the lateral line (C) - not the coloration line, but the actual lateral line, and along the anal opening 3 to 5 scales below the lateral line. Handling Fish Compiled with the assistance of Texas Parks & Wildlife biologists David Campbell and Steve Magnelia Permission to print and distribute this information is freely given by BassResource.com Bass are sensitive creatures that can be injured more easily than you might think. Tips for handling fish before you put them in your livewell include the following common sense items: 1. Keep the fish in water as much as possible. Bass can only hold their breathe as long as you can. Wind and other elements can damage their skin, too. Wet your hands before touching the fish so that you don't remove the slime coat that protects the fish from infections and fungus. Don't handle the fish any Jump to: * Fish Care * At the Tournament * Air Bladder Relief * Personal Notes * Diagram * Trouble Shooting

4 longer than you have to, and be gentle, don't drop the fish if you can keep from it. Bouncing off the carpet also destroys their protective slime. 2. Never hold fish through the gills or stick your fingers in their eyes. Lip the fish gently and do not bend back the lower jaw as it can break easily, particularly in larger bass. For larger bass give support to the body under the wrist of the tail so that you are not holding the fish's weight balanced on it's own jawbone. 3. Do not rip or tear out hooks. Gently remove by backing off the barb or use needle nose pliers. If the fish is deeply hooked just remove the lure portion (lizard or whatever) and cut the line, leaving about 18-inches off the hook and release the fish. The hook will eventually come out. There are ways to remove deeply embedded hooks, but do not do this without having a demonstration beforehand. The barb has to be backed off by applying pressure back against it and on small fish this is tough to do as you can't get both hands in their mouths. Not all hooks deeply embedded can be removed, but don't necessarily kill the fish, however if you see dark colored tissue or entrails coming up through the throat you have gut-hooked the fish and should clean it for dinner. If the fish is not a legal size you will have to cut the line and release it anyway due to state law. 4. Try to land the fish you catch quickly, don't wear them out by making them fight longer than they have to as this expends so much energy the bass can not recover and has no chance for survival if released. 5. If you feel you must use a dip net try to purchase one specifically designed for fish. Nets can remove the slime coat and leave the fish open to infection. 6. Gently release the fish back into the water. Do not throw or toss the fish. 7. Don't use stringers for fish that will be released. Just as sticking your fingers in the gills is bad for them stringers can destroy their gill filaments. Regardless of where the stringer is placed in the fish, there is no good way to use one, all do damage to lips, gills, etc. How would it feel if someone stuck a stringer in your lungs? However, if fish is bleeding a little from gills because of a hook injury you have not necessarily killed that fish. Hold it in your livewell with Catch & Release treatment in the water for several hours until the bleeding stops. Much like you pricking your finger, a little blood does not signify death in all cases. 8. Once you have the fish in your livewell use the information provided in this package to assist you in proper care of that fish while in your possession. Don't just fill your livewell and forget about it. 9. Treat the fish in your care as you would want your children treated and always use Catch & Release, year-round, never be without it. This product carries medicine that can save the fish you catch from disease and death. It replaces slime knocked off during the catch, treats antibiotically to reduce fungus and infection that can occur after you have released the fish back into the lake, and it calms the fish so that it doesn't do more harm to itself in the livewell.

5 10. If true catch and release is your goal follow these steps and others discussed in this package to the best of your ability. Delayed mortality is not generally seen by those who cause it, but shows a lack of respect for the bass by those who see it after you have gone. Live catch and release requires more than just the act of doing so. Fish Care Bass placed in livewells become stressed due to a number of factors. Improper livewell handling, being caught in deep water, or shock from being "played" for a long period of time can all affect fish. This information outlines livewell operation and the care and handling of stressed fish. Occasionally fish will die regardless of how they are handled, but with a little extra care on the part of anglers and tournament directors more fish can be saved. Survival of fish begins with their care in your possession. Jump to: * Handling Fish * At the Tournament * Air Bladder Relief * Personal Notes * Diagram * Trouble Shooting IN THE LIVEWELL Keep the water in your livewell cool. Five degrees cooler than the lake is preferable during hot months. Ice blocks, made with hot water or water that has had the chlorine removed, one-half gallon in size, will cool water approximately 8 degrees. Put the ice in the livewell as you begin to fill it or as water is replaced with fresh from the lake. Small (one quart) plastic soda bottles are best. If using larger bottles simply remove after well is full, replace ice bottle in well as water is changed or for short periods of time. An inexpensive thermometer can be purchased at aquarium shops to check the temperature in the livewell. Aeration and fresh water are imperative. Make sure your livewell is functioning properly. Don't simply trust your automatic livewell timers. For less than seven pounds of fish in the livewell aerate every eight minutes, supply fresh water from the lake every three hours. For more than seven pounds of fish aerate constantly and supply fresh water every three hours. Cool water slightly as it comes into the livewell, but do not overuse ice. Only use ice if surface temps are above 70 degrees. Livewell additives are a must. Catch and Release by SureLife is best. DO NOT OVERDOSE, follow directions on package. Keep water treated throughout the period fish are held in livewell. Replace Catch and Release as new water is added. This product also removes chlorine if you use ice that has been made from water without the chlorine removed. Check the temperature again after changing and re-treating water. Lack of oxygen and the presence of carbon dioxide and ammonia are deadly. Oxygen is added and carbon dioxide is removed by aeration,

6 ammonia can be lessened by supplying fresh water to the livewell or by using Catch & Release. Check the fish in your livewell regularly to see how they're doing, if not looking well supply fresh water and Catch & Release and aerate constantly. Fish excrete ammonia from both gills and in urine and it builds up very quickly in the livewell. Some tips from Steve Magnelia, Texas Parks & Wildlife biologist include adding a recirculating system to older boats. For $10 a 350 gallon per hour bilge pump hooked to a piece of automobile heater hose and a homemade PVC spray bar can be easily mounted in the livewell. This pump can also be used to drain the livewell by pulling the hose off the spray bar and putting it in the overflow.