That's one hell of a fish. When do we get to hear what he was taken with?
I can't say I've never pulled a fish onto the beach before release, but I can say I won't do it again. Will a little clay fatally wound an adult steelhead? I doubt it. But I also feel that it's best to take every precaution possible to make sure the fish is ok. Sometimes that means not getting a picture. I do have to say, I did cringe a little when I read the part about "measure the fish, take off my vest, unzip the back compartment, take out the camera, unzip the camera case and take the picture." I think a lot of anglers do more harm to fish by depriving them of breathing than anything else. If I just finished a marathon, I couldn't hold my breath for more than a couple of seconds.