How to fizz a fish?

I have heard catching deep water fish will survive if you fizz them before you release them. Does anyone know "how" this is done?

I remember having a discussion by e-mail with Doug Stange about this because their magazine published a few small sutdy results about this. I also talked to Dr. Julian Peperrell in australia about this.

fizzing seemed like a good idea, but for some reason, the fish didn't think so and kept dying after being fizzed. It's not that hard to figure out how to fizz the fish, but your fish has a 5% chance or less of survival. That is according to pen studies on fizzed fish. basically, line up the pectoral fin along the body and at the tip of the fin, insert hypodermic needle. Exact placement changes for different fish, but that's the basic idea. If you bring up a fish and it lookks a little inflated, a torpedo release or a weight to take it down are better than fizzing. If the eyeballs are already enlarged (the fish will be blind) and the stomach is poking out, it's time to think about grilling recipes.

Don Iovino has a kit that has the tool and step by step instructions on fizzing. you can order it on line at www.iovino.com hope this helps

I do believe you can also "burp" catfish, but outside of them and salmon/trout, it can't be done other than slowly reaclimating as several have alluded to.

ok most of these guys are close but hear is what happens when a fish is pulled out of deep water the air pressure inside the body cavity puts pressure on the swim bladder this decompress the swim bladder this is the organ the fish uses to keep itself upright in the water and to control the depth at which the fish hangs in the water. It is not possible to real a fish in slowly enough to decompress it it would take an hour to real a fish up from 60 feet the fish would be so exhausted from the struggle it would die. Some times the swim bladder will push out of the fishes stomach and you will see it in the fishes mouth. Chances of this fish surviving are almost 0 so this would be a good fish to take home and cook. As far as fizzing goes i would not attempt to fizz a fish without being shown by a person who has been shown the proper way to do it. I have used a snap weight of 2 oz clipped to the anal fin of the fish this works real well and does not injure the fish in any way these clips are made by offshore tackle or any rubber padded release will work as well. it takes about an hour for a fish to decompress enough to be returned to the water.

I wondered about that. Wouldn't it be fairly easy for a non-experienced guy to do the fish more harm by poking & prodding, missing your target, than just let him be upright for a while? If you can keep him upright, that is.

"Fizzing" Some anglers who catch fish in deep water, but decide not to keep them, insert a hypodermic needle into the fish in an attempt to reduce the air pressure in the air bladder. They then release the fish back into the water. Called "fizzing," this practice is discouraged. It does not help fish survive and can damage internal organs or otherwise injure fish.

I was at Basssmaster University and someone asked Larry Nixon about it and he said they sell a kit with illistrations and directions but I don't remember where he said to get it.You can probably google it.

don't know about fizzing,but Ive done some burping.Which is what I think you are referring to.It is done by holding the fish against the side of the boat in the water with one hand while running your other hand under there stomach from tail to head,until bubbles come out of there gills.I think it clears there swim bladder which is what helps them suspend or hang down in deeper water.Could be wrong. If you reel them in slow and give them a chance to acclimate themselves to the changing water depths you wont have a problem.

7-up? Obey your thirst? Soda water? Cola? Lets hear it guys! New one to me.