It is an issue, however if you are releasing the fish there is not much you can do about it unless you put them in the livewell. Let me describe to you what we have found in studies. This all has to do with handling fish, whether you drop them on the carpet, grab them with dry hands, or have the measuring stick hot and not wet.
You ever seen a 2nd degree burn on a human ? This is exactly what happens to the skin of a fish when the above happens. You could literally see the fingerprints on the side of the fish. And one actually had the rectangle shape of the measuring board on it during our summer study last year during one of our summer trail T's. Quite frankly, to see an 8 lb. 7 oz. with blisters ALL over it, you would want to puke. Needless to say, that fish didn't make it. Blisters all over it is when the fish was boat flipped and dropped onto the carpet and it flopped around for a while while they dropped another jig in the same hole of hydrilla. It is an effective technique, but obviously no regard for fish care. If your not putting them in your livewell, and you don't have your limit yet, perhaps you could drop them in for a bit and let them recover. Otherwise , all you can do is release them and hope for the best. If your livewells were big enough, and this is something I have started doing, is to make a salt dip on one side and keep your limit in the other side. I use stock salt you buy at the feed store. Mind you, you HAVE to rinse it out after each day, but it is effective at killing bacteria on their skin and making parasites let go. You dip them in for 10 seconds, then release them back in the lake. They will be stunned for a bit, but will then swim off under full power and healthy. Is also what we have incorperated into our weigh-in's. Is the last thing they get before they go down the fish tube at Diablo East. Is why I try to tell the boat flippers it is not a good idea. It isn't until I show them the fish three days later in a holding pen that they change their minds.

Thanks Carl, I will look into the salt stock and the suggestion of keeping the 2nd livewell as a "dip" before releasing.

Interesting.  I may keep a bucket in the boat for the salt mix.  I try not to let the fish touch the carpet and never the measuring board unless it's close.  I keep the board in the shade and splash water on it before measuring.  I look forward to seeing the recipe.

We're spoiled to have Carl here answering anything we come up with regarding fish care.  Awesome stuff!  Thanks Carl.

What about nets , what kind of damage to the slime coat do they do Carl ?