SWANY22: Just because they are being held like that in the picture doesn't mean they are always held like that. I just saw blood in your pictures and questioned if they were being handled right. Just say if they weren't handled right and I didn't say anything and they continued to be injured what good is that?
As you can see some of the Bass took our lures deep there is know blood coming from them. A good long pair of pliers helps. Though I do understand if a treble gets in their gill filters it can be a little difficult to avoid damage.
I know when we caught them, during the fight, one of my mates or myself would unravel the brag mat so the fish were then landed and put straight on the mat. Not always for a measure but to make sure their slime coat remained with as little wiped off it as possible. Only the bigger ones were taken from the water for a measure, the smaller ones didn't get to see dry land since they were unhooked in the water while I was sinking in knee deep mud to do so.
I don't know if Ando has a picture but I was absolutely covered in mud from constantly walking into the sinking mud and water to land and release fish so I could get the chance to swim them before they were released as the bank was only 5-10cm deep for a few meters out.
I wasn't criticizing your boy or anything like that. Just making sure fish weren't dying for the wrong reasons. Like you when I catch these fish I would like to recatch them at the 60 mark. No need to take offence to a pondering mind.
Troy