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   Ice fishing for panfish is a popular activity for Minnesotans. Each winter small villages of fish houses pop up on Minnesota’s lakes with panfish, particularly crappie, a common target. Due to the schooling nature of crappies, especially in deep water areas of our lakes, these fish may be susceptible to angling-induced barotrauma.

   Barotrauma is the result of fish being caught at depth and brought to the surface. Because fish, like crappies, can’t expel gases from their system fast enough as they ascend, they often exhibit signs of barotrauma such as bulging eyes and hemorrhaging blood vessels in fins and around the mouth. There are also internal injuries that can occur but are rarely seen by anglers, such as ruptured air bladders and blood vessels.

   DNR biologists partnered with anglers from the DNR Panfish Workgroup and various media outlets to determine how common barotrauma is among crappies caught at various depths and to examine survival of released fish caught at various depths, in three different lakes. The highest rates of mortality were associated with fish caught from deep water and ranged from 50% in deeper water to 10% in water shallower than 24 feet. Overall, fish caught at depths of 24 feet of water or deeper were highly likely to exhibit signs of barotrauma.

   While anglers are encouraged to practice catch and release, it’s important to consider barotrauma and the effects anglers may be having on fish caught from water deeper than 24 feet. Those fish are less likely to survive. As a result, when fishing deeper than 24 feet, focus on harvest instead of catch and release. Consider harvesting fish that show signs of barotrauma. And consider fishing in shallower locations.

   Looking for more information on barotrauma? Check out the Prairie Sportsman video on the research. The DNR webpage on barotrauma includes detailed information and AnglingBuzz videos from research that took place during two recent winters. We also covered barotrauma in a DNR webinar.

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