Charles Crolley wrote:

I have nightmares about some fish having to carry around my fly and
part of a leader for the rest of his life.


If that's really true, and you are actually losing sleep, then you
should likely find a new hobby.

That said, my observations won't make you rest any easier. First of
all, hooks are made to resist rusting, so they probably last quite a
long time. I have caught a number of fish with flies in their jaws, and
while the flies were not in the best shape, most weren't severely
rusted either.

On the other hand, if you're fishing mostly for stockies, even in a C&R
environment, it won't matter much as the fish likely won't live to see
a second season, so the hook and tippet issue is kind of moot. Wild
trout are a different issue, but if the area is heavily fished, it is
likely the fish will be caught again, and your hook will be removed.

Re the In-Fisherman study. Did they really expect stainless and cadmium
plated hooks to rust through?