What about barotrauma when I catch smallmouth from 10 m (33 ft) or deeper?

Take it seriously — it is the ethical weak point of deep smallmouth fishing. Bass have a closed swim bladder, so a fast trip up from 10 m+ (33 ft+) leaves the bladder over-expanded: bloated belly, bulging eyes, a fish that can't swim back down and dies on the surface. The honest options: avoid the problem (fish deep schools in cold seasons briefly, or simply don't target fish you can't release well), release fast at depth using a descending/release weight — increasingly required or recommended in tournament rules — or, where legal and you are trained for it, fizzing (venting) done correctly. Long livewell rides and surface photo sessions are the worst outcome for a deep-caught fish.

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