[pikergolf]

I don't believe blanket stats like that for a second. In the heat of summer I think the time frame is generous and in prime trout I think they can stand it. I think the time it takes to get a fish landed is the biggest variable. Light lines and long fights are not a fishes friend, trout or otherwise. We owe it to fish we are going to release to use the heaviest line that we can get away with.

I am not a fan of taking a picture of every fish a guy lands, but if a person is ready and knows what they are doing it's a very short process. A rule I read about when I was a kid, back with the dinosaurs, went like this. When you remove the fish from water catch your breath, hold it till the fish is back in the water. I did this for many years, it helps build empathy for the fish and surprises you at how quickly the time passes. A minute is a long time when you can't breath, for both man and beast.