The study by fishery scientists in Cooke’s lab and at the University of Manitoba and University of Massachusetts and published in 2021 in North American Journal of Fisheries Management concluded there was no benefit to the use of carbonated beverages to stop bleeding.
November 05, 2025
By Dr. Rob Neumann, Steve Quinn, Dr. Hal Schramm & Ralph Manns
Fish Health Afield: Don’t Do the Dew to Stop Gill Bleeding
I first heard of tournament anglers pouring Mountain Dew over the gills of bass to stop bleeding about 30 years ago. The trick of pouring carbonated beverages into the mouth or over the gills has also been adopted by pike and muskie anglers. This procedure has been adopted and championed by muskie guide John Anderson, who enlisted Dr. Steven Cooke at Carleton University, Ottawa, and facilitated funding to test the potential benefits.
The study by fishery scientists in Cooke’s lab and at the University of Manitoba and University of Massachusetts and published in 2021 in North American Journal of...Continue Reading