SORTING THRU PERCH

However, if you pull a perch and its bladder is blown what do you do if it is small?

Ethical thing to do is keep it.

Technically the law is that when releasing fish, they must be released unharmed. Bringing Perch up from deep water often results in a distended air bladder, thus harming the fish. The intent of the law is unharmed by intentional, or neglectful mishandling ( yanking out a deep hook ). A WCO will not cite you for releasing small Perch just because the bladder is distended. At times there are size limits, and you MUST release them. Once you put them in a bucket, cooler, or on a stringer, it's a different story. It is ILLEGAL to cull fish. Once placed in a livewell, or on a stringer, they are considered a kept fish, and count against your limit even if successfully released later. If you simply put them in a bucket or cooler, and toss them back dead or dying, it would be considered "illegal disposition" and you could be cited.

I recently went perch fishing for the first time in years and ran into the same dilema. I kept the small ones because of the air bladder sticking out and I do not believe in killing something I cannot eat (or unless it's in the name of self preservation).
 
I would like to be able to release the small ones if it were possible.
 
Has anyone ever heard that a fish with an extended air bladder can be released if you first puncture the air bladder with a small needle? Supposedly the tiny pin hole in the air bladder quickly heals. Reading this thread made me remember that I once heard that, but I never considered trying it for fear that it is not true. But maybe there is truth to it. I don't know.   

In the last year or so danjae posted about how to release small perch. I have never tired it but if you do a search here it should turn up. Maybe someone with more computer skills than me can find it.

I agree with spoon that what you see is not the air bladder so using a pin on it will do no good. Again i have no proof only what i;ve read on several boards.

In the last year or so danjae posted about how to release small perch.

 From old board:
The thing you see in the throat is the stomach. The air bladder inflates and pushes the stomach out. Don't pop the stomach

Here is what we did for the perch.....and still do though now it is to get the small fish away from those smart dolphins that hang out at the boat and wait to pick off the fish we release, and those **** barracudas.

Buy one of those collapsible fish baskets. Cut a round hole out of the bottom of the basket about 10 inches across. Take a 5 gallon bucket and cut a round section of the plastic out of the bottom about a inch or two bigger then the hole you made in the fish basket.

Add a few ounces of weight (we used a pound) around the outside of the basket so it will drop faster. Take the round plastic and wire it to the bottom of the basket (outside) in a spot or two on one side to act as a hinge. Connect a cord from that plastic bottom to the top of the basket to keep it closed.

Hang the basket overboard and when you catch the shorts put them in the basket and when you have a few or after each short you lower it down.

To use it.....Disconnect the cord that is holding the bottom closed and let it drop quickly. Water pressure as it goes down will keep the bottom closed. When it gets to the desired depth pull it up and the water pressure will make the hinged bottom swing open and the fish are washed out safely at depth no worse for wear.

Say your fishing in 60 feet of water, you don't have to drop them back to 60 feet, 30-40 will do fine. As the fish drop back to depth the pressure returns the fish to normal almost instantly.

Easy.....

Danjae