Gas Bladder Deflation of Depressurized Largemouth Bass
- 1 August 1992
- journal article
- Published by Oxford University Press (OUP) in North American Journal of Fisheries Management
- Vol. 12 (3) , 662-664
- https://doi.org/10.1577/1548-8675(1992)012<0662:gbdodl>2.3.co;2
Abstract
Rapid depressurization oflargemouth bass Micropterus salmoides caught from deep water can result in expansion of the gas bladder. Largemouth bass released in such condition are unable to submerge and are subject to injury and predation. I compared angler returns in three California reservoirs for three groups of largemouth bass caught by angling: 76 fish with expanded gas bladders that were deflated by puncturing prior to release, 49 that did not demonstrate any gas bladder expansion but were punctured prior to release, and 159 that did not demonstrate any gas bladder expansion and were not punctured. Returns did not differ between punctured and control groups, suggesting that deflation of largemouth bass with expanded gas bladders is not harmful and can improve survival of released fish. Largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides that have acclimated to deep water and that are caught there by anglers are subjected to depressurization as they are brought to the surface, My observations indicate that m...Keywords
This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: