Probably got a kiss from the angler too, not something I would do but not uncommon
for a specimen like this.
Fish will be held below water until it gives a kick with it’s tail and swims
away, not released until it’s strong enough to swim away under it’s own steam.
In Off Topic, calebfishn writes:
Another important consideration related to the angler's ability to strike
this pose is that it is likely the fish was held for only two or three seconds.
To ensure the most gentle and safest handling of a trophy catch for live release,
t is best practice to keep the fish in the water, until the cameraman says "go",
and then lift, snap the picture, and lower the fish. Total time held up literally
only a second or two.
United Kingdom, England
