I'll agree with the superline scenerio. You want virtually NO stretch in your mainline when you're setting the hook. I sold off the last of my true "noodle" rods after losing fish after fish in a local river. They're good open water rods (which they were originally made for), but a pain on a big fish. Most of the advice was dead on. Keep that rod tip low to the water and slap your butt with the rod when you get a bite. I used to give it at least 3 hook sets just to be sure. Small hooks were a must so you'd drive that hook in. No worries about straigtening out the hooks since the line/rod took up the slack of the beef of fish.

AKkings, my biggest fish was a 54# king on 8# main/6# leader with a noodle rod. Caught many in the 20-40# range on that rod. But lost alot too, so I left her at home (and eventually sold it) because I didn't like having the odds I had stacked against me. Too many crossed lines and then "snip". But tons of pictures on my wall with slab kings and noodle rod.