Fish handling is one of those things that most will never agree on. Some believe it don't matter as long as they see the fish swim off and others believe fish are made of wet tissue paper.
Very few people get to truly observe the results of c&r fish handling. If you are doing it out in public waters you will not know the end result. Not all fish float when they die or show signs of problems when released.
Every species has a different tolerance level. Even from fish to fish it will vary. Some will survive chunks take out of them and other die from too long of a fight.
From seeing the results under closed conditions with trout I have my own opinion. Over time I have found somethings to be myths and others exaggerations. My opinion comes from years of observing large numbers not a few week or month long study.
When it comes to time out of water there are a bunch of factors that effect how long is safe. Extreme cold or heat, dry wind, rain, and stress all change the time you have.
Do your best not to beat up or exhaust the fish and limit the time out of the water are good practice. There is no magic time.
Just do your best to treat the fish you release with respect and if there is doubt on survival and legal keep it as part of your limit.
Good luck fishing guys
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