# feild and stream mag



## lark101_1999 (Apr 12, 2004)

anyone read this months issue where the fishermen talks about burping big blues he says he uses a 3 foot pice of pvc to let the air out of there air sacks also goes on to say that not doing so may kill the fish any one ever heard of this before


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## rockbass (Apr 16, 2004)

Never heard of this myself, but I am interested. I wished I had the mag to read the article!


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

I think I did read something about that a while back. I am not sure whether it was online or in a magazine. Unfortunately, I don't recall any of the details to it. I know, I am not much help huh? I guess I am happy that I at least remember anything.


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## lark101_1999 (Apr 12, 2004)

had alot of the normale stuff but the cats he was talking about burping where the ones u catch and there bellys look like they couldnt eat anouther drop he said it was the air sacks that where causing them to look this way and should be burped as he called before release to insure a healthy fish if my scanner was working id post the story


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

I actually have the magazine at home. It came yesterday but I have not gotten to that part yet. I can't recall what species was being talked about in what I read before but I am pretty sure it was not cats.


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

I'm not positive, but I think that goes for just about any species of fish caught in deep water.


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## spiff (Jun 3, 2004)

I just got mine yesterday & haven't read it yet. I checked their website and guess they don't put the current month's stories up.


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## katfish (Apr 7, 2004)

Magis is correct again. Any fish caught from deep water will display severe bloating of the air sacks due to the pressure difference. The PVC pipe allows the air to "vent" so the fish will be able to submerge. Without burping the fish would simply float on top and be unable to dive and eventually would die.

I experienced burping big blues while fishing with Chris Harris last Christmas.

This one caught from 20 ft of water in a creek did not need to be vented and was able to swim away effortlessly










This blue caught from 80 feet of water had to be burped before he could dive after being released. 










Any fish caught from deep water will experience a pressure change and may need to be vented before releasing.


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## Stampede (Apr 11, 2004)

Burping bluegills and cats?  This months field and stream,I've got to read this.Neaver heard of it,sounds interesting,but in a strange way.


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

I am not arguing the technique nor the need to do the burping but trying to understand it all. Wouldn't they eventually adjust the bladder themselves? After all this is not the first time they have come to the surface. Is their extreme stress to the inner organs? It just seems that they would be able to control it themselves pretty well.

Also, the article makes it sound like a pretty simple technique. Robby, did you personally burp them or just watch it done? (No this is not a trick question. ) I just wonder if it is as easy to do as he makes it sound in the article. Of course I don't always carry a 3' piece of PVC with me.


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

I think the issue is the speed which they're brougt to the surface. Possible like SCUBA divers needing to come to the surface very slowly. If not burped, they end up rolling around on the surface, unable to descend.


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

So what is the depth at which most fish will suffer this problem when brought up to the surface or is it different between species. I know they talk about it with perch on Erie as well but I don't even know how deep they pull them from up there when they start blowing up.


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## lark101_1999 (Apr 12, 2004)

personally i fish deep water at times 40 to 60 foot deep and this is the first time i have heard of it the reason i brought this up was because i didnt want to do more damage to the river


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## truck (Apr 12, 2004)

Now I am cunfused,did a search on this and it seems to be half & half on doing it.I to would like to do anything to help the fish.They say if you let out too much air it can be worse on them?I don't have F&S,what do they say about it?Thanks daryl


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

They really did not say much more than what we put in so far. I can't recall the exact details but hopefully someone can chime in. I wished they could have illustrated it a bit.

I also wondered about the danger involved for the fish. What is the risk of punturing the air bladder which would kill the fish I would imagine?


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## catking (Apr 5, 2004)

Would someone mind giving a rough idea as to what this involves? Sounds to me if you do it wrong, the fish will die? I usually fish in 25-30 feet of water for large blues, and this is not a problem. Just what is involved in this litle operation. Tube down the throat and pressure applied?.CATKING


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## katfish (Apr 7, 2004)

Guys

Sorry to say that I broke my camera and didn't get pix of the procedure. I will try and give you a little information.

When fish are pulled from the deeper water their stomachs will extend visibly.
Their eyes may bug out a bit and sometimes their stomach lining protrudes from their mouth.
On a catfish the air bladder is connected to the digestive tract and the bladder pressure can be relieved by venting the fish. The best way is to gently stick a PVC tube into the stomach and gently squeeze the fish until you hear and or feel the air being released. do this slowly and be patient since it might take a couple of tries or a few seconds of squeezing to occur.
The end of the PVC being inserted should have an X on it made of tape to reduce internal injury.

This method is greatly safer for the fish than methods used by biologists that employ needles insetrted directly through the sides of fish.

You will know you effort has been correct when the fish is able to dive after release.


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## spiff (Jun 3, 2004)

http://www.sheltonproducts.com
http://www.sheltonproducts.com/SFD5.mov

I did a web search as well. I don't know about the burping, but if you don't want to do it and still get the fish back to normal, this may be a cool product... Looks like thery are using it for saltwater fish, but the principle would be the same: Sink the fish back to where it came from and let it go. The water at that depth would re-compress the air bladder to what it was and the fish would get a lot of water over its gills on the trip. The movie is pretty cool and demonstrates the process.

I also found out that the air bladder in catfish is connected to their "inner ear" and is used to locate and amplify high frequency sound. They use their lateral line to listen/locate low frequency sound (just like sharks). So, by the time a fish gets to the surface, it's head must be banging like the morning after a "long night out" from all that pressure.


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## spiff (Jun 3, 2004)

At about 33 feet or so, the air pressure changes by 1 atmosphere....by the way... That's also about the spot where fish need to be taken for release, if you are going to allow the water pressure to re-compress the air bladder...

With this web stuff, I'm a freakin' genius... I know Google...he's a friend of mine..


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