When I first started steelhead fishing my partner and I would plug (more correctly, the fellow rowing the boat would manipulate the plugs, and we would watch the rods). We'd trade off takedowns so we didn't end up with the inside rod person getting all the action in certain stretches. It was hotly debated what constituted a 'fish on'. For our purposes, when plugging it's a fish on when the angler picks up the rod, sets the hook and there's weight on the rod -- even for a second. When drift fishing we count it as hook-up if the rod loads up for 3 seconds or more -- enough time for a second hookset if you're so inclined.

I think there's a lot to be said for not playing a to-be-released fish till it's belly up if you can throw it some slack and let it slip a barbless hook, or even break it off if it's lip hooked.

Perhaps by the same token it isn't 'right' to count as caught a fish that does something stupid (like beaching itself after a wild jump), but of course we do! I remember being up to my armpits in mid-river being pushed into the unseen hole behind me of unknown depth with a 14lb buck on the line. The fish had been fought at close quarters for 5 minutes and was still green. He had gotten below me into the sweepers streamside and waded quickly down below him to hoik him out. The fish came down with the current and under pressure I brought him cross-ways out towards me. Through some miracle I managed to tail this guy at which point he writhed a couple of times, wrapping the line around my rod (which was almost in the water and lying flat). I was now virtually hugging this fish and the rod, and figured I was in a bad, bad way. I leaned over and bit the leader right next to the fish's mouth and dropped him back in the river . . . right before I went for a swim. Now that was a fish that should have got away, but didn't, and it certainly made my day.