I have a hard time believing that the stress from being caught stifles the growth of a healthy trophy fish that was growing normally prior to being caught. Now, an older fish that is on the verge of decline, that's a different story. Being caught could push it over the edge and it could start the decline ever so slightly earlier, but I'm thinking negligible at best.
I realize this is a blanket opinion of mine and I should never say "never". So, maybe one out of a bagillion fish stresses out and never grows again, but it can't be the norm.
I hope I do not sound like I am arguing, because I have nothing to back up my opinions. It just seems unlikely that the stress of being caught stops the growth of a healthy growing fish.
