There have been a number of threads on here about proper fish handling over the years if it is your intention to catch and release a fish without killing it either intentionally for food, or unintentionally through lack of knowledge and improper handling. Trout Unlimited has been publishing proper fish handling recommendations for years along with explanations of the science behind them, but they just recently (today) released a youtube a video. The video is specifically about Steelhead, but EVERYTHING here can be applied to trout. The biology is very similar – after all a Steelhead is just a rainbow trout that likes to ramble. :-) Steelhead are far more sensitive (as are most anadromous fish while they are on their inland spawning migrations) and threatened, so naturally people care much more, but keep in mind that small fish are also more easily harmed when caught. Hope you find it interesting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_xdC5-G69c A few scientific result mentioned here directly relate to discussions we have had on this issue on this site. (1) Mortality rates after catching these fish may DOUBLE (from ~ %5 to ~ %10) when using barbed hooks instead of de-barbed, (2) even exposure to air of only 10 seconds may in some cases have a harmful effect on the fish, (3) the fish's internal organs are easily damaged by out-of-water 'manhandling', and (4) damage to the 'slime' layer on the fish though improper handling of the use of knotted nets can also damage the fish mortally. All of these are old news, but here you have it from the horses mouth, as it were.
