Technical question

[coyotewhacker]

Since "fizzing" is not something most reformed bassin' guys do as a matter of routine, I am wondering if the worm inflator I have will work to deflate the swim bladder of a walleye....when I fished with Steve Fellegy at Bull Shoals, he had a whole kit with different size needles for a range of walleye sizes. CW is not so well equipped, but I do have the hollow needle on the worm inflator, and I also have several hollow round point needles that were originally intended to be used in refilling ink cartridges for my computer printer. Just wondering how critical the needle size is.......

[meat man]

Cw, can you get those needles @ bass pro?If not where can you get those?

[coyotewhacker]

I have no clue....since most bass are caught in relatively shallow water, they don't usually require fizzing. I never heard of the practice until walleyesrus showed me on some deep water walleyes we caught early in the spring. The pros also have a special way to return a released walleye back into the water to help it survive....after unhooking it, they literally throw it nosefirst into the water to help it get deeper quickly. Sorry, but that is the extent of my knowledge on this subject. The fizzing needles I saw looked almost identical to a basketball inflator needle, so one of those might work, too. Steve Fellegy carried his loose in his pants pocket, so the tips must not have been real sharp.
I never had a walleye blow out its swim bladder, but it happened to three or four crappie that I caught in some really deep water...50 feet or more...and it looks like a balloon inflating in their mouth. The walleyes certainly deserve better than that.

[Tablerock]

Cw... My fizzing needle was purchased at Ozark's Bait and Tackle in Kimberling City. It has a way bigger hole through it then a worm inflator does. I guess the worm inflator needle would work but it would take alot longer to "deflate" the fish....Still, the smaller needle might be better for the fish then a big one. dunno...

[coyotewhacker]

CW is looking at this in a pragmatic way....gotta have a fish in hand to fizz before the needle is needed, eh?????? Mine could rust away before they're ever used. Arrrrrrrgh!

[meat man]

I was shown how to this year by a couple of pros but I donot know where to find the needles.

[reelxtc]

CW,

I used to buy fizzing needles by the 100 at the Fleet Farm store in Hudson WI. If I recall they're #18 VET needles. I'd be happy to share a couple with you when you get here.

[coyotewhacker]

You, Sir, are a gentleman and a scholar as well. I knew those terrible things those guys were saying about you and that front row thing simply could not have been true.

[Steve Johnson]

CW, I am going to ask Doc Simmers to bring needles for everyone so that they can fizz their fish in the livewells. Although this is a Catch & Keep(if you choose to) tournament, we will offer everyone who brings in fish the opportunity to choose if they want to keep their fish or try to release those fish that are doing well. What I DON'T want is a lot of walleyes in the tank belly up like we had last September in the tournament. They needed to be fizzed, and there was no one there to do it(I did NOT have the time, as I was weighing in the fish). So, everyone that needs a fizzingf needlem including yourself, will get one. Just see us at the pre-tournament briefing on Friday night and we'll give you one.

[Lakebumb]

The needles sold at Ozark bait in Kimberling city are #16. They are real expensive. A whole $0.59 each.

Jim Carroll showed me how to fiz a Walleye.

From the "poop hole" (thats a technical term) move toward the head 3/4" and over 1/4" and with the walley on its back insert the needle at a 45 degree angle while submerging the walleye in the livewell. The bubbles will come out and by pushing gently on its belly all the air will come out. The fish will then swim upright.

Sounds harder than it is.

[Tablerock]

Well said LakeBumb.... It's really easy and your walleye will stay alive much longer if it's swimming belly down instead of belly up.

[coyotewhacker]

I'm glad I brought this up....and the walleyes-to-be-released thank you, too. Keep in mind, however, that the pesky woman who is working the registration table is asking for some extra walleyes for the October fish fry at Bull Shoals...that is a worthy cause for borderline fish that you don't want to see go belly up in the lake.

[darmstadter]

i went to a seminar once where they talked about fizzing but that was a while ago. maybe a quick demo at the pre- tournament meeting would be great.
i would also love to get one of those needles.
see you all tomorrow

[Juls]

I was taught by an experienced fizzer and the following is how I was taught:

From the anus of the fish, count two scales over and 5 scales up from either side. "Up" meaning towards the head of the fish.

Insert a needle, such as one used for spinal taps, and keep it at a 45 degree angle towards the bellyline of the fish. Puncture the outer skin and slowly move it inward until you feel a slight resistance. This resistance is the swim bladder. Move the needle in until the swim bladder is pierced. Hold the fish on it's back, under water (in the livewell), until all the air is released. You will be able to tell when the air is released when the needle stops letting bubbles out. Do not press on the stomach of the fish to make it let the air out faster, because this can cause harm to the fish. Make sure not to go past the swim bladder when your inserting the needle, because you will end up puncturing the liver or kidney. I forget. I'm not sure which organ is behind the swim bladder, but it is one of those two. You will know if you went to far, if you find blood on the needle when you pull it out. It will also be noticable that you went to far when you don't see any bubble coming out of the needle.
It is quite simple once you get the hang of it. Practice on fish you plan on eating and not releasing so you can get the experience before you need to use it.

And now, a completely different method to try that will let the fish lose the extra air in the bladder on it's own. I've tried it and it works! Simply attach a heavy snap weight to the fin closes to the anus to hold the fish upright. The fish will lose the air on it's own, and will not have a chance of a fatal needle prick in it's organs.
Once the fish is feeling frisky again, it will usually knock the weight off and stay upright in the livewell.
Just keep an eye on the fish until it's feeling better. The weights can get knocked off by other fish in the livewell, and will need to be reattached.

Juls

[powerdive]

Great info, Juls! I really like the snap weight idea--no chance of medical malpractice. Thanks!!!