Well, someone's gotta take the bait

Actually, I think it improves return, and here's why. Fish are reared en masse and counted by the pound. Nobody actually counts or looks at every fish unless they clip them. Then all of the pinheads, scoliated fish, those with fungus or other obvious defects or diseases are culled out - nobody wants to clip and release an obviously defective fish. So the result is you get real numbers of real healthy fish, instead of pounds of fish containing culls.

The reason hatchery returns of steelhead are getting worse is that hatchery steelhead are getting more inbred and unhealthy every year, that and predators are growing more babies on those abundant, stupid fish that are just made to be prey.