Todd, let me put a different spin on this. You're fishing a stream that uses broodstock for their hatchery. It's January or February or March and you catch a downstream spawned hen. Since the fish is still in the river, you have to assume that this fish spawned in the river and is now headed back out to the salt. She's brightened up again, and ready to go. Do you retain or do you let her go? My vote - let her go. I don't think this scenario was exactly where you were headed, but it has happened to me several times on a small coastal stream.