Something to think about.

[zimmy]

I think there are a couple studies on it. Years ago when boga's got popular and those studies started popping up, I bought a sling. Only used it a few times cause I don't really care enough and catch big fish with enough regularity from shore anymore to bother dragging it along, but it is pretty cool. There is nothing in the anatomical design of a fish that indicates a 25+ pounder should be ok when held in a vertical position out of water and, on top of all that, suspended by the jaw. The popular quick shake to make sure the scale is reading accurately can't help either.