Hey Jeff,
I wish I could help you with a pix or two but...
tough subject, I have been a catch and release guy for most of my life, if for no other reason than I love to catch fish but have little use for them otherwise. And after so many years of fishing I have come to realize that I have not much interest in the fight either! I live for the bite and hook set, after that I could really care less. Weird, I know....in my view, after the bite, the real challenge to fishing has been accomplished, I fooled 'em! Hee Hee!!!
Anyways, taking all that into account let me add my two cents regarding catch and release....
Before you consider the need to revive a fish, or how to do it, let's consider a few things that can be done to prevent you from having to revive the fish at all....
1) The right tackle....
I personally believe that it is incumbent on the fisherman to use the proper tackle and technique whenever and whatever the species you are pursuing. During the 70s and 80s there was a great effort to pursue the light tackle IGFA open records. As well in the freshwater realm, the incredible advances of light test mono and the "finesse" revolution, had light test fishing become the norm for virtually any species. This resulted in prolonged fight times for the angler and fish, to the point where, at the moment of capture the fish were coming up near dead exhausted. To compound this we were fishing at greater and greater depths which brought the decompression problem to bear. (this became a big issue in the South Western regions for tournament fishing). At any rate I am a big believer in fishing the heaviest line that will get bit, and using the thinnest wire, sharpest pointed, barbless, hooks you can.
2) The hook set,...
Pay attention! Lip hook is the goal, Gullet hooks can be fatal, Be attentive and skilled! Gut hooks are for floons and bankers! (this is where I take issue with allowing fisherman to put their rods in holders. I believe the rule should be if you have a line in the water, the rod should be in your hand!!!)
3) The fight....
I know that every fisherman will tell you that the "fight" is what he lives for. BUT,.. we need to take into account what that fight means to the fish. He, (she?) is fighting for his life! Massive influx of adrenaline and (toxic) lactic acid, life and death stresses and physical pressure, elevated heart rate, even to the point of heart failure, (tuna and other pelagic species die on the hook, of this regularly). You need to lick this fish as quickly and as efficiently as possible!
4) The capture,...
Big nets, with long handles,... TRY NOT LIFT THE FISH OUT OF THE WATER!!! remove the hook with an inline dis-gourger, TRY NOT TOUCH THE FISH!!,...Take your pictures with the fish in the water, in the net...
I know this is a hard issue for virtually all fisherman, I know we all have been trained by the pictures and videos of virtually every TV fisherman we have ever seen, and the need to put our hands on our quarry and proudly hold it up for inspection is so hard to resist, but the scientific proof is undeniable... damage can be done, and every moment that fish is out of the water is potentially damaging.
Ok,.. I am after all these years a bit of an idealist,.. I have tried to revive everything from a 10" trout to a 500lb Marlin, with dubious results. Every fish is different as to how well he survives the fight of his life. What I do know is that if the aforementioned ideas are used, the fishes chances are better.....
bodfish