Note: I couldn't tell if the photos of the Hoh fish in the "rest of the story" thread could be viewed or not. I got third or fourth hand email with the photos as attachments. Having not figured out how to post pics yet, I'll email them to anyone who wants them and maybe post them up.

One photo does show the fish bleeding. Not to judge, but I saw a nice steelhead hooked on a tight swung fly on the Skagit two years ago that got the hook partially into a gill arch. So bleeders are possible on the swung fly. The Skagit fish was released, and I'd guess a 50:50 chance of surviving. Such wounds are sometimes survivable.

Sg