Frightening too, Butch. I once hooked a big Halibut on sport gear when trolling for salmon, in a 12 foot skiff about a mile off shore just south of Ft. Bragg. The ocean was flat and I had a radio to call in case of emergency. That Halibut was in the neighborhood of 200+ lbs. I had it up to the boat two times and it stripped over 200 yards of 40 lb. test off the reel each time heading out to deeper water. I had to fire up the outboard to keep up with that fish. I ended up off of Casper High Point some 2 miles south of Ft. Bragg before the line broke.
The fish was too big to land in the boat anyway. I'd have to tie it by the tail and tow it off the stern. But if it came alive it would tear the stern off the skiff.
The whole time I was torn between trying my damnedest to land that fish or just cut the line, and play it safe. Oh, I couldn't cut the line.
The only reason I stuck with it as long as I did is because it was a flat calm ocean and I had several coves nearby to duck into for safe landing, if the need come.
The whole experience was exhilarating and freighting all at the same time.
Truly a tale of the "Old Man and the Sea". Ah, but I was only 30 then. Bring it on!