Go ahead and keep your rod tip high if you want to risk a broken rod. Graphite rods are designed to be the strongest and exert the most pressure on a fish when held at a 45 degree angle ( between 10 and 11 O'clock). Also if you pump a fish and bring your rod tip to high you will lose ground on the fish watch someone next to you doing this and you will see this well thats all I have to say
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Would you say I have a plethora of fish?