It’s all about taking care of your fish and not just in bass tournaments.  Anytime an angler is out on the water fishing for bass that are in deepwater they need to have a fizzing tool and know how to properly use it.  For bass it’s a matter of life and death; for anglers it being a good steward of their resources.  The Pro Fizz FZ-1 was designed to safely and quickly deflate a fish’s swim bladder that aids in regulating their buoyancy.  A bass controls where they are located by adjusting the amount of gas pressure in the bladder to correlate with the atmospheric pressure in a certain depth.  Bass brought up quickly increases the gas pressure in the swim bladder that affect the ability for a bass to swim correctly.  Anglers can release this gas pressure by fizzing fish with a venting tool.

Before an angler attempts to properly vent or fizz a bass with the Pro Fizz FZ-1 (www.teammarineusa.us) the fish should show signs of requiring venting.  These signs include if a bass has knots on its side or is floating instead of swimming in an upright position.

On the side:  With the fish on its side, lay the pectoral fin against the body, straight back along the lateral line.  Two to three scales back from the tip, remove one scale (which will grow back) and insert the needle (set in the “side” position) through the soft skin, straight down, and as you submerge the fish.  An eruption of bubbles will indicate that you have found the swim bladder.  When the bubbles slow, or you fell the fish relax, remove the needle while there are still some bubbles escaping.

Mouth (for largemouth and smallmouth bass):  Bass have a pair of “crushers” on each side of the roof of the mouth near the throat.  Between the crushers is a soft strip of skin.  The insertion point is near the back margin of this strip of soft tissue.  Insert the needle (set to the “mouth” position) about ¼ to ½-inches at a slightly upward angle toward the dorsal of the fish.  Again, submerge the fish as you insert the needle so that the bullbes will indicate a successful attempt.

Tips for successful venting include never squeeze the fish!  Doing so will cause water to seep back into the swim bladder, always remove the needle and stop the venting process whicl there is still positive pressure (indicated by bubbles) in the swim bladder, Occasionally, the needle may become clogged and no air will escape, even if you find the swim bladder-simply clear the needle with 25-to 30-pound test monofilament fishing line and reinsert, and clean the needle with isopropyl alcohol between uses.  For illustrations or more information on proper fish care go to www.bassmaster.com/conservation

The Pro Fizz FZ-1 was made exclusively for BASS by Team Marine USA.  It is safer than a hypodermic needle with an innovative cutting tip that facilitates recovery in the fish; in addition to being simple to use with a ergonomic design, multiple venting positions, and a lifetime warranty.  Taking care of your Pro Fizz FZ-1: use a non-petroleum based lubricant, such as vegetable oil, to lubricate your FZ-1, always thoroughly wash your FZ-1 with fresh water and lubricate prior to storage, and should the needle become dull, use a small file to carefully sharpen the tip.   

Taking care of your bass today will insure that there are fish for your grandchildren and their grandchildren to catch tomorrow.  Being good stewards of our environment is up to you.