Catch and Release advise

[dsafety]

There has been a lot of chatter lately about harvesting trophy size fish. I release most of the fish I catch, but then, I have never landed a trophy-size fish. I am sure that I am ever fortunate to catch a really big one, I will have no qualms about keeping and eating it. The possibilty of such an event made me realize that I have no idea how to safely, (for me and the fish), release a big toothy speciman.

Obviously, when fishing with bait, you could just cut the line and sacrafice the hook. I suspect that this option would not be considered by many if the critter has eaten one of your favorite lures.

So here are my questions.

What is the best way to release a big fish so it will survive to thrill someone else another day?

What if you have caught a shark or big halibut with lots of very sharp teeth?

I have seldom caught a fish with an old hook or lure stuck in its mouth. Does this mean that fish who break off a line or are released using the cut-the-line method will eventually lose the hook? Does anyone know how long a hook will stay in a fish under this scenario?

Finally, and this is kind of a big question, how many big fish actually survive after being fought to exaustion and then set free?

Please do not turn my questions into any kind of a political discussion on the merits of C&R. That would be a subject for another thread. I just want to know the answers to my questions.

Thanks,

Bob