I've yet hook a really BIG nate..... My biggest nate is about 17-18 Lbs. Not huge, but still plenty big. I hear a lot of guys saying to "pour the steel to him" And thre is definately a time and place to do that...... That time and place is when you've run out of options. I also dont believe in babying a fish too much, fighting them too long increases your chances oflosing and itsalso a good way to kill a fish that you'd otherwise release. I just keep steady, even pressure on all of my fish, regardless of if they're big or small, I let my drag do it's job and I use the rod to get some leverage on the fish. If I cant hold the fish and he takes off downstream like crazy, I chase him.... I think it's crazy how guys will have 100 yards of bank to fight a fish in and when the fish takes off peeling line downstream 1000 miles per hour, these guys will just stand there and let the fish run, then when/if the fish slows down, these guys will try to crank the fish back up to them. Why would anyone just stand flat footed and try to pump a big hog back up against all of that current? Get off your @ss and chase that fish down! The time to Start horsing and praying is when you've hooked a fish in a bad spot and there's nowhere to play him. when letting him run would mean losing him in a log jam, or watching him disappear down a slot of rapids that you couldnt follow him down. When that happens, I say a little "Please God, let me get this fish" and start horsing.