I hate big fish. If you get them close, you get nervous. If they run too far, you get nervous. If they jump, you get nervous.
I got a 38 pound king once and never realized how big it was because of the fog. Once it hit the boat, it looked reaaaaally big in the bottom of a 16 foot boat.
Big fish aren't fun. They're nerve-wracking.
And yes, pour the coals to them or they head for the far side of the globe. Medium hard set to the drag, and when they run, point the rod butt at them to turn them....works every time.