fish floating side way

[colayn]

I notice often when catching crappie 15 ft or more deep they float on their side in the live well or on the lake when releasing them.
Anybody know what can be done to help them ?

Is it because the air bladder has not had time to change for the depth?

Thanks,

[M R Dux]

B&M has a new Capps and Coleman fish measure board that has a calibration on it so you can take a large hypodermic needle and deflate the swim bladder before releasing them.

[ricky]

I sometimes keep fish when I don't want to just because of that. You can turn them loose asd see what will happen. If they still float dip them back up. I turned 4 or 5 loose the other day that floated on their side most of the day. I pitched them back in the water and they darted to the deep. (these were keeper fish)