It partially depends on time of year and water temps - warm water catches are certainly more stressful on a bass than cold water. Also, the depth at which they are caught can have an impact. I try to get any LMB I catch in, hook out, and back into the water asap - longer they are out the higher the stress. I also try to only handle a bass with my hands being wet. One other note: many folks hold a large bass by its lower lip/jaw and hold it out placing all of the fishes weight on the jaw/head area. This is the wrong way to hold a fish and it can put undue stress on their head/jaw areas. Hold by the lower jaw with the weight of the fish hanging down as opposed to the side. At any rate, anytime a fish is caught they undergo some stress - reducing time the fish is on the line plus out of the water only helps in the fish survival rate.