stargaser, at the PB conference before this one, the lady that runs all the Bass Pro aquariums was a keynote speaker. She said the same thing about holding the larger bass. She said that they might not look broke or seperated, but the effects of poor fish handling might not show up until 60-90 days later.
One of my Texas friends has a 35 acre "pond" that is a trophy LMB pond. He is fanatical about fishing in the pond with only barbless single hooks, using a rubber net to pick up the fish from the water, only keeping the fish out of water 30 seconds or less, and NEVER lip the fish. Even the Texas Parks and Wildlife say the same thing, there's a poster in his cabin from them. I believe I took a picture of it, let me find it.
