"It is better to have angled and lost than to have never angled at all." Anonymous
*the word "wrangled" can be substituted for "angled" depending on the size of the fish or the ammount of beer consumed:)
Seriously, I hate to lose a nice fish as much as the next guy, but it is still better to have that moment of adrenaline and a great story than to have a day with 0 bites. jmho.
Nice field-aid with the paper towels and duct tape! I've done similar work with electricians tape and a sock (clean) when a buddy nearly cut off the tip of his finger.
You'll get 'em next time.