[JDTuna]

Small lures should be discouraged as well. I use large lures and have only had one fish out of countless numbers get hooked deeply (and it swam away). Pike typically grasp their prey, then turn it to swallow it. Using large lures prevents the fish from swallowing the lure. While they don't inhale baits like bass, using a small lure (like you saw, Esox) could allow a moderate to large fish to easily swallow the bait.

I wear waders so when I hook a fish I can step into the water to facilitate the release, even if the bank is relatively high. When the fish is ready to be landed, I wet my hand and grasp the fish directly behind the head. I never put my fingers in the gills. Then, it is quickly unhooked, I snap a quick picture and back in the water it goes (revived if needed). This process is usually about a minute or less. If the fish is a small individual, I prefer to leave it in the water and just remove the hook without taking the fish out of the water if it is not necessary. I avoid touching all small fish to prevent slime loss.