I have seen people "revive" big saltwater game instead of sticking them. I always thought that was because the fish did not have enough oxergyn in them because they have been out of the water to long. After I went fishing with my uncle for river Red Drums we revived the fish by rocking them back and forth in the water. My uncle told me that it was to get the air out of the fish so it could make it back down. For bass instead of sticking them could you revive em? I feel more confterble shaking a bass then sticking a needle in them not knowing I hit there swim bladder or not.

There's a misconception that rocking a bass back and forth is helpful.  In reality, the gills of a bass are meant for the water to go through only one way.  Thus, pulling a bass "backwords" could actually damage the gills.

Reviving a bass and puncturing the swim bladder are two separate techniques

for two different purposes (you may have to do both). We revive a fish to increase the oxygen level

in his blood. We perforate the swim bladder to reduce the fish's buoyancy so he may return

to his original depth.

Roger