Gp - do this fish a favor. Take your hero shots with them in the water. See steelhead, Kelbo my hero shots for proper ways. Steelhead is the best, still in the water.
They're not bass. For those that don't fish for trout, they have fine scales and a slime coat. Putting them in dirt or rocks rubs off that slime coat, and stresses the fish. Top off that you just fought the hard fight with the fish and his body is full of lactic acid makes for a path to death.
Don't even get me started on gill hooking trout...