At tournaments a hospital tank should be made ready before anyone comes to weigh in. It's best to fill the tank just a few hours before weigh-in, treat with Catch & Release. Only unwell fish should be held for observation, possible air bladder relief, and treatment as necessary for about 30 minutes to an hour. If fish appears normal return to lake immediately, if not continue to hold and treat. This tank must also have both oxygen and aeration when possible. Pure oxygen must be used, not just aeration as the water must be supersaturated for fish with oxygen depletion. I gauge our oxygen bottle at 3 to 3.5 on the scale for a tank of about 100 gallons. If fish appear normal they can be returned immediately to the lake, but should the fish not take off for deeper water return fish to hospital tank. Return all healthy appearing fish to lake immediately, do not hold them, nor handle them more than necessary. Supersaturation with pure oxygen is not recommended for long periods of time, nor in any except extreme cases of stress.
Regardless of the reason for the fish's ill health if the gills are pale pink, no longer bright red in color, that fish cannot be saved. This fish should be removed from the hospital tank as it will put more ammonia and carbon dioxide into the hospital tank and harm the other fish. Be sure to maintain a temperature check on the hospital tank and don't fill it too soon before weigh in as the water temperature will change. It's preferable to use water from the lake to fill the tank, pumped in by bilge pump. Have an extra treated tank (Catch & Release & non-iodized salt) for anglers to fill bags before returning their fish to the lake because every moment of treatment counts. Fish not being held in water cannot breathe.
SHOCK AND STRESS
Fish can develop livewell shock easily. If fish appears stressed, rolling, or turning over change water in livewell, treat with Catch & Release, and hold fish horizontally until it can hold itself up. Or take fish to prepared hospital tank immediately and hold horizontally by giving support under tail with one hand and under chest (in front of front/bottom fins) until fish appears better. You may have to hold this fish up for 20 minutes or more, but just being in a correct position can help them. If the fish continues to roll, or try to go down and cannot, or swims in a nose-down position the fish may need air bladder relief in order to survive. Sometimes fish just become disoriented in livewells and don't know "up" from "down", holding them helps them regain their balance.
