I was using 4/0 light circle hooks
I bent the hook pulling on the line to drag it up onto the rocks. I use these for 90 lb batrays. Haven't had one bend yet. Of course I haven't tried to lift or slide one up onto the rocks either. For large bats, I end up cutting the line. There is no way to bring them on the rocks at 50 lbs plus.
I actually have the drag figured out now. I've broken off many a big fish and have gone all the way up to 80 lb braid and cable leaders. I've only broken the 80 lb braid once on a thrasher. Have since worked with a looser drag and just let the fish pull as much line as it wants until it wears itself out. The yellowtail was pretty much just laying there. The rocks on the jetty are covered in moss and are extremely slippery. So I wasn't ready to risk falling in for the fish. I wished I would have been able to take a picture but I was too busy trying to keep my braid off the rocks and get it up.
The yellow tail was maybe 4 feet. At first I thought it was a big leopard shark. I could have easily fit my hand inside its mouth. Was probably 9" across at the gills. Was in the 30 lb range. Based on my 12 foot surf pole lifting 15 lbs and being doubled over. (Yes, I actually tested it to be able to better set the drag.) I could only get about a thrird of the fish out of the water.
Caught the yellowtail on a live mac, skinny one about 8". Used a Carolina rig, 4 ounce egg sinker and had doubled 60 lb cable as leader. I was fishing straight out off the end of the jetty. I have almost never got skunked there. There are always at least some willing macs or bass.
I even fish in the area off the end of the jetty on my kayak since I am familiar with the tactics which work there. Last time I went out on my kayak I started at the end of the jetty. Hooked this little guy there and it took me for a ride all the way to the kelp beds.
When I fish there I expect batrays. I usually put on heads or chunks of mac. If I am catching live macs and get a smaller one I will put it on the line. Usually end up with leopard sharks with the live ones. One day on my Kayak I caught one batray on mac chunks, one leopard shark on a live lizard fish, and another leopard shark on a live mac. My thinking is "Big bait, Big fish."
My answer to Aaron&Julie concerning the cable leader, I thought the same thing about fish not taking the bait because of the cable. I usually put out one pole with a cable and one with a braid leader. So far I have only gotten fish to pick up the cable when both are out. The yellow tale picked it up and pulled it until just after I picked up my pole out of the pole holder, then it dropped it. I waited a few seconds and it picked it up again and I let it run for a couple seconds and then started putting pressure on it and the game was on. I love circle hooks. I get corner of the mouth solid hooksets almost every time. The yellowtail was no exception. (You can see it in the picture above of the batray.)