quote--
From: lid (Sierra=A0fisher)
Holding a fish by its gill or its gill plate is stupid. ...

If you hold them vertically, you are definitely not doing them any
good,
---quote

Lets see the fish just had a big hook embedded in its throat, lip, or
gut. Has been scared to near death most likely not knowing what the hell
is happening to it. Your tugging against it reeling it in with quite a
bit of force relative to the fishes size, remember that hook in its
throat is what you are yanking on. The fish is using all its energy to
try to get away.

After all this you people NOW worry about how the fish feels.
Worry if its being held vertically or in its gills.

LOL