fish descending return device - Compact & reliable release device built for long life. No mechanical release to fail. Great for red snapper. Unlike fish venting tools fully NOAA compliant

Built well. Easy to use. Great seller.

Now with requirements being what they are, it's required to have a descending device onboard even when fishing inshore now where I'm at. It's a good idea to try and save as many fish as possible when releasing them and this help tremendously. Only problem I had was trying to figure out the best way to use it without carrying an extra rod and take up a bunch more space. So I rigged it to a Kite Fishing rod and an old levelwind reel that's been sitting around for decades. Coupled with a small deepdrop weight it works great and doesn't take up much space.

As of April 2023, Florida requires any vessel targeting reef fish to have onboard either a venting tool or a descending device that's "rigged and ready for use". A descending device is also a requirement for reef fishing in Federal waters. In Florida, reef fish species include groupers, snappers, amberjacks, gray triggerfish, red porgy, sea bass, hogfish and tilefish.The issue is that, when you bring these fish up from deep reefs, the air in their air bladders expands and the fish becomes bloated. You'll often see these fish with bulging eyes and their stomachs pushing out of their mouths. If it's a fish that needs to be released, such as an under-sized grouper, for example, it can be very difficult, if not impossible, for the fish to descend back down to the reef while bloated with all that air.With the descending device, you simply attach a suitable weight to the device then hook the device to the fish from the top -> down. The weight pulls the fish back down to the reef and as the fish is pulled deeper, the atmospheric pressure increases, and the expanded air in the fish returns back to "normal".Because the fish is hooked on the (barbless) device from the top, a simple jerk up on the rod safely releases the fish from the device.I have not yet had a chance to test this specific descending device, but it appears well-made and I'm quite certain it will work as intended.Remember, it's not enough to have this device sitting in a tackle box when reef fishing in florida. It must be rigged and ready to deploy, so best to rig it on a cheap/spare rod and bring it every time you go reef fishing.

Very cost effective, easy to use and gets the job done also required starting this year in my area

Solid descending device. I have an old rod that I keep this rigged on for fishing in the Gulf of America to meet regulations. No signs of rust or corrosion

I just got this tool and went out ling cod fishing. First ling was too small, so back down it went with this too, super easy. Then tried on a couple rockfish we caught and I couldn't seem to keep them on the hook. Decided this needs to be a two person operation or use a pole holder with loose drag. Need to place the fish in the water with the hook and let the weight take it down. I was trying to lower the fish with the device and weight from the boat into the water and as soon as the fish hit the water it slipped off the hook. So holding the fish in the water with the hook, then dropping it down, seemed to work better.Unless someone can provide better tips. But it does work!

I always feel weird being asked to leave a review a few weeks after receiving a product as so much about my feelings on a product depends on how long it lasts. That said, on my very first fishing trip with this device I had to descend two fish and having this on hand undoubtedly saved their lives and my conscious.The descender is easy to use and and well built. It appears it will stand the test of time and even if it only lasts a year or two, the value is clearly there.

Works well and way cheeper than the auto devices. Save money by getting this over the automatic devices. This won't break and will last years.