The sad truth about this vid is that NO ONE intentionally sets out to mortally harm a fish like this, yet even with the best of intentions, in the excitement of the moment, too many folks are utterly unaware of how much harm is really being done.

Yes, everyone wants that glory shot of a fish of a lifetime, but even the most conservation-minded folks really need to be more mindful of what it takes to maximize that fish's chances of actually making a contribution to the gene pool instead of just the river's nutrient pool.

Look... from the outset, the guide was immediately concerned about elapsed air time. Yet he took no pre-emptive precautionary measures to get the deed done as expeditiously as possible. These things MUST be considered BEFORE ever lifting the fish from the water. Most folks are completely unaware of how long it takes to get the deed done without being prepared and having a plan. The time clock is proof enough... and there's evidence of this all over the land of YouTube.

Hell the dude even had waders so there wasn't even a need to lift that fish into the boat in the first place.

And to be clear, my purpose here is not to hate on these guys, but instead to use the vid as a valuable teaching moment.