Can a deep-caught walleye survive release?

From moderate depths, usually: studies and agency guidance generally put release mortality low for fish caught shallower than about 9 m (30 ft), especially in cold water and with fast handling. Beyond 10 m (33 ft) mortality climbs steeply, and cannot be judged by whether the fish swims away — internal injuries kill over hours and days. Fizzing (venting the bladder with a needle) is genuinely contested: done perfectly it can help a floater get down, done imperfectly it adds a wound, and several agencies advise against it outright, so check your local guidance rather than a forum. The honest playbook: fish deep when you intend to keep, release fish caught shallow, and in summer especially, move off a deep school once you have your eaters.

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