article on releasing fish - excellent read!!!

[spinner]

and when your bringing these fish up from such deep depths the chance that they survive is like less than 10% they usually float back up around the boat. You might as well toss it in your cooler now instead of scooping the floater up a few minutes later.

Here is an short excerpt from the Ministry on the subject.

Releasing Fish Caught From Deep Water

Releasing fish caught from deep water (more than 10 metres or 30 feet) can present special problems. Cold water species such as lake trout can rapidly equalize changes in water pressure. They can usually be released successfully regardless of the depth they came from, summer or winter. Warmwater species don't have this pressure-equalizing ability. Fish such as pike and walleye therefore should be brought to the surface slowly (to allow them to adjust to the change in pressure) and then be released immediately, if possible. Fish caught from deep water can be released by allowing them to slip out of your wetted hands head first into the water, while you are in a standing position. This not only heads the fish in the right direction, but also sends a blast of oxygen through its gills.

[Hoover]

understandable, if its not going in the cooler from the start then its good to give the fish the best chance of survival you can!

[nighttroller]

Another tip when you want to get a good photo is to hold the fish in the water after taking the hook out for a minute. When your partner has the camera ready, pull it out and take a quick picture and then release it. I always have a taling glove in the boat to hold fish until they are strong enough to swim away. Of course with Bass you can just hold them by the lip!