Gotta say I am thankful for ALL the imput here I could just do some more Google searches but I know there are some good fishermen here thanks for narrowing down some of the factors.
It reminds me of when I 1st got interested in fly fishing so many opinions and things you NEED...I have BOXES of flys but only use a few...JUST SAYIN'
 
Hers a pic of the pike I got yesterday...not my biggest ever and they are a nuisance fish to a lot of people but it made me happy ...I am not taking this Muskie quest too seriously but enjoying it!
You never know what will hit a Mepps Bucktail been throwing them for decades.
Whats with the yellow markings on its skin???
WCW

post spawn stress.  or jaundice.  

Esox like it rough

sir.  children read this forum. 

anzomcik
How is verticals holding a musky by its jaw with a boga different than vertical holding by a persons hand? Isn't the fishs weight still on its jaw joint? Wouldn't a hand vertical hold actually putting more of the fishs weight on one side of its jaw joint?

A net does damage to a fish as well. Tail splitting, slime removal, fish tear hooks out of their faces by hook getting caught in the net then rolling. A net is not the best way to land a musky you plan to imeditly release.

Example:

You got a 36" to the boat. You are not going to photo the catch. Is netting the fish and jacking around chasing it in the bag, unhooking the bait from the bag while still pinned on the fish, slime being removed, tail getting split from bag material. Very rarely is netting a fish a perfect text book landing. At least one thing mentioned above happens. All stressing the fish.

Same fish as above you get it to the boat snap a boga on it with out even taking it out of the water you unhook it then open the boga letting it swim away. Effectively not even touching the fish. Does it stress the fish yes but not nearly as much as one thing mentioned for the net.

So is the boga bad in that example?

You really should listen to that podcast. I feel your opinion is based on only hearing one side of the story.

They shouldn't be held vertical at all, IMO.  So, two wrongs don't make a right, as they say.
 
If you have problems with too many hooks getting caught in the net bag, use less hooks.  I & the people I take fishing with me only use single hook flies, sometimes double, but rarely.  And barbless, more for my protection than the fish's.
 
Your final example is the proper way to use one, but you know as well as I do, that that is rarely done.  Very few anglers can resist using that boga to hang a fish from for pictures, that's the problem.  If it's not there to use, because it's really not necessary, it's not there to be used improperly.

I remember a big outcry regarding Bass being held by the bottom jaw and parallel to the water for picture opts.  A that time it was said holding the fish vertical was by far the best position because it creates less stress on the fish being out of it's weightless environment.  That was the consensus from the Pros. and stemmed from the picture opts. taken during bass tournaments as well as fishing shows.  Touching the fish was also of concern in that the fishes slime layer would be disturbed, allowing for bacteria attack.
 
Given the fact that most people do not fish for Musky but do catch the fish, may not have a net, cradle or, know how to properly lift the fish without damaging the gills I'd say a Boga Grip (if available) gives the fish much less chance of being harmed.  
 
Good grief, people still carry gaffs to boat these majestic fish and still place scale hooks under their gill plates just to see what they weigh.  
 
Cut the line you say, yeah right, not without pictures you can bet and not by non-seasoned anglers catching a fish of a thousand casts and the fish will be going in the boat.
 
Give the fish the best possible means of being returned to the water in a timely manner and without injury.
 
In my book, the Boga Grips are the best possible means to prevent injury to both fish and angler.
 
Thank-you.

BeenThereDoneThat.
 
 
In my book, the Boga Grips are the best possible means to prevent injury to both fish and angler.
 
Thank-you.

Haven't read that book.  The Boga Grips: A gathering of short stories by BeenThereDoneThat
It's not on Amazon.  is this an April Fools?  not cool man.

BeenThereDoneThat.
I remember a big outcry regarding Bass being held by the bottom jaw and parallel to the water for picture opts.  A that time it was said holding the fish vertical was by far the best position because it creates less stress on the fish being out of it's weightless environment.  That was the consensus from the Pros. and stemmed from the picture opts. taken during bass tournaments as well as fishing shows.  Touching the fish was also of concern in that the fishes slime layer would be disturbed, allowing for bacteria attack.
 
Given the fact that most people do not fish for Musky but do catch the fish, may not have a net, cradle or, know how to properly lift the fish without damaging the gills I'd say a Boga Grip (if available) gives the fish much less chance of being harmed.  
 
Good grief, people still carry gaffs to boat these majestic fish and still place scale hooks under their gill plates just to see what they weigh.  
 
Cut the line you say, yeah right, not without pictures you can bet and not by non-seasoned anglers catching a fish of a thousand casts and the fish will be going in the boat.
 
Give the fish the best possible means of being returned to the water in a timely manner and without injury.
 
In my book, the Boga Grips are the best possible means to prevent injury to both fish and angler.
 
Thank-you.

Nobody carries gaffs in freshwater, don't be ridiculous. 
 
"The best possible means of being returned to the water in a timely manner without injury", as you say, is with single hooked barbless baits/lures/flies and without a boga.

No worries I am too poor to buy a BOGA...WCW

Musky fishing is a blood sport, plain and simple. D-nymph I think you understand what my examples are ment to show. Your right any vertical hold can be damaging. But I do not know any other way to lift a fish into a boat than with some amount of vertical lift.

Have you ever seen a gill plate get ripped out from a hand lift? I have, and have it happen to myself as well with a fish thrashing in the net I'm about to lift. Fish was calm until I got it about half out then head shaked till I dropped it back in net. She swam away but not sure if she made it.

Is the boga perfect, nope nothing is. But if you know how to use it, it's the best method of safely releasing musky for both fish and angler. Education is key to teach people proper way to use a boga.

The only way to protect musky 100% is to not fish for them.