RoadTrip,
In a nutshell you've got it...I worked the Shimano Catch and Release barge for years at numerous major bass tournaments in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana...I've released thousands of bass over the years, and probably 200+ 10 pounders...if all fisher"persons" treated the fish the way you describe my job would have been much easier...when somebody brought us a fish that'd been abused we had to do everything we could to revive...when we released if there was a "floater" the finger usually got pointed at us, despite the treatment of the fish priot to us getting it...all aspects of catching a fish stress it out, so anything you can do to minimize the stress will contribute to a sucessful recovery after release...we utilized Catch and Release from Jungle as well (BTW the bulk of C&R is salt !) it worked well...it contains an ingredient that calms the fish as well...the quicker you get the fish back into the water, the better off it'll be...if you must keep for pics or whatever, cool water with lots of aeration and C&R will up the odds substancially ! Also, best if you can support the fish in two locations, under the belly and by the jaw in the horizonantal position, less stress on the lower mandible...
Good luck
Torchy
