Hey this is my first post here. I'm an Ontario guy and mainly fly fish, but I often take a spinning rod as well for the trout opener in Algonquin. If I am using a superline - its power pro. IMHO much better than Fireline. I think the point of MT's post re rod position was that you have to have a tight line to the fish on the hook set. Bad hook set, no fish. With a 'soft' rod (bendy) the tip will bend way too much for a good hook set. Jax, I see where you are coming from in that you are trying to get the top third of the rod loaded, so by angling forward you hope to impart a max bend. The problem is that it is still the butt of soft action rods that, gives you the most power to set the hook so you are actually taking longer to get the rod butt in play when you angle the line forwards. With your use of fire line, you are okay in that the no stretch still allows a good set and on your stiffer rod, but if using mono and a soft rod, you'll end up losing fish.  A really good example is when I troll streamers with my fly rod. Even though its is fast action rod, it is still WAY more bendy than a spinning rod, and being 9 feet, it takes longer for the rod to load down to the stiffer butt section. If I angle the rod out to the side, I will get very poor hook sets and lost fish. What I do is point the rod tip STRAIGHT BACK behind the canoe, and hang the reel over the canoe yoke (or thwart). I have to be careful how I adjust the drag, so that I get a good set but that it will give line to a big fish. Usually I am quite fast on the set. As soon as the rod/line moves, due to a hit, I grab the rod and line, so as to ensure a good set from a turning/running fish, then let off the pressure a bit and fight the beast. I catch a lot of lakers like this. And walleyes too in other waters.

Hope no one takes offense to this post, as none was intended. We all have our own methods and obviously are having some success. Just my two cents.

Moonman.