Black Seabass - be ready to sucessfully release one - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

stairman · 01-20-2010, 07:16 AM

BSB are very suseptable to embolizing also.This is when the air bladder expands due to the release of pressure due to being brought to the surface.The air in their bladder will double in size every 33 feet they are brought up.This is why they float belly up .The pressure in their belly also puts pressure on their central nervous system somewhat paralyzing them.

If you really want to be ready to quickly release the fish you need a three way swivel some 8lb test and a five pound rock cod sinker.
Take a very small hook tied up with a couple of feet of the 8lb, tie to the threeway.Tie your heaviest line available to the swivel and a snap swivel to the threeway for the weight.
Lower the bsb slowly to the depth you caught him at and troll as slowly as possible in no time the fish will revive and break the 8lb and be fine.

If the bsb is very small you will need to hook the fish under as small a bit of mouth skin you can ,lower the fish and yank sharply on the lineto break the hook away.

this works for small rock cod too and if your gonna fish them you will catch small ones that are so small to be not worth filleting.This has to be done quickly.once recompressed the fish will be able to swim off like you caught it in ten feet of water.If you have ever caught reds up in the north in real shallow water they will swim just like a calico when released.Recompressing them does this same thing but be fast about it.
This is what they do for divers in recompressure chambers.They increase the pressure to make the gas bubbles of nitrogen that have formed in your body from too much bottom time...then they gradully let the pressure return to normal.Fish don't need to have the recompression chamber ,they live in one just, put em back where you found them.

my .02$

-scallywag- · 01-20-2010, 08:00 AM

That is the best way if you have the sinker. There seem to be alot of BSB's around so having that setup around is a good thing, specially if your fishing for WSB w/bait, but they hit the iron too.

FOR HOBIE USERS: Just gently remove the hook and grab it by the lip and tow it around, even if the swim bladder is inflated it will eventually deflate as you tow it around to keep the water moving, usually takes only five min and the fish swim back happy.

What ever you do, DON"T POP THE BLADDER, and don't be "that guy" on the pier.

blitzburgh · 01-20-2010, 08:30 AM

Thanks for all of the good tips guys. I've never caught one but I'm sure it's just a matter of time. Now I will be ready!

Useful Idiot · 01-20-2010, 09:06 AM

This video makes me absolutely sick. Thank god I wasn't on that beach that day, I think you would've seen one live seabass and one dead human. Unbelievable.

Billy V · 01-20-2010, 09:34 AM

That whole incident is fu*ked up.

-Thats hard to believe that no charges were filed.

j mo · 01-20-2010, 10:14 AM

shirtless "tuff guy". Saw this on BD last week. Even w people yelling in the background that it was a BSB and not legal... whata DOUCHE

Oolie · 01-20-2010, 10:28 AM

this thread should be stickied, it has great tips for releasing BSB, something everyone should be aware of.

i have yet to catch one myself, but i one fished on a guy's boat, when he caught one, he had no idea what it was and was about to gaff it.

there's many people out there who don't know what they are or how to handle catching one.

i vote sticky!

01-20-2010, 07:16 AM	#1
stairman Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 84	releasing bsb BSB are very suseptable to embolizing also.This is when the air bladder expands due to the release of pressure due to being brought to the surface.The air in their bladder will double in size every 33 feet they are brought up.This is why they float belly up .The pressure in their belly also puts pressure on their central nervous system somewhat paralyzing them. If you really want to be ready to quickly release the fish you need a three way swivel some 8lb test and a five pound rock cod sinker. Take a very small hook tied up with a couple of feet of the 8lb, tie to the threeway.Tie your heaviest line available to the swivel and a snap swivel to the threeway for the weight. Lower the bsb slowly to the depth you caught him at and troll as slowly as possible in no time the fish will revive and break the 8lb and be fine. If the bsb is very small you will need to hook the fish under as small a bit of mouth skin you can ,lower the fish and yank sharply on the lineto break the hook away. this works for small rock cod too and if your gonna fish them you will catch small ones that are so small to be not worth filleting.This has to be done quickly.once recompressed the fish will be able to swim off like you caught it in ten feet of water.If you have ever caught reds up in the north in real shallow water they will swim just like a calico when released.Recompressing them does this same thing but be fast about it. This is what they do for divers in recompressure chambers.They increase the pressure to make the gas bubbles of nitrogen that have formed in your body from too much bottom time...then they gradully let the pressure return to normal.Fish don't need to have the recompression chamber ,they live in one just, put em back where you found them. my .02$

01-20-2010, 09:06 AM	#4
Useful Idiot Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 286	This video makes me absolutely sick. Thank god I wasn't on that beach that day, I think you would've seen one live seabass and one dead human. Unbelievable. __________________

01-20-2010, 08:00 AM	#2
-scallywag- Banned Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: on the road... Posts: 598	That is the best way if you have the sinker. There seem to be alot of BSB's around so having that setup around is a good thing, specially if your fishing for WSB w/bait, but they hit the iron too. FOR HOBIE USERS: Just gently remove the hook and grab it by the lip and tow it around, even if the swim bladder is inflated it will eventually deflate as you tow it around to keep the water moving, usually takes only five min and the fish swim back happy. What ever you do, DON"T POP THE BLADDER, and don't be "that guy" on the pier.

01-20-2010, 08:30 AM	#3
blitzburgh Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Menifee Posts: 2,509	Thanks for all of the good tips guys. I've never caught one but I'm sure it's just a matter of time. Now I will be ready!

01-20-2010, 09:34 AM	#5
Billy V Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bay Ho Posts: 1,382	That whole incident is fu*ked up. -Thats hard to believe that no charges were filed.

01-20-2010, 10:14 AM	#6
j mo Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Encinitas Posts: 600	shirtless "tuff guy". Saw this on BD last week. Even w people yelling in the background that it was a BSB and not legal... whata DOUCHE