Agreed, mortality rate could very well be higher than what the graph is showing. It could also be less... Who knows, it all depends on the angler. Maybe getting that quick photo is not so bad... but I do agree about getting the fish back into the water as qwickly as possible. Common sense.

Statistics like the above graph will only be supported by user groups if the statistics support the user groups agendas (the ifish thread for example). Otherwise it will be discredited in one manner or another.

None the less it was being used in support of the thread that sparkey posted (Pro C&R).

Fishing kills fish. If you fish, then you kill regardless of whether or not you C&R your fish.

People that keep their wild steelhead are limited to 5 fish per year. People that release all their fish have no limit and can continue to kill fish throughout the year. I tend to believe that limiting your kill rate is a better way to go.