OK, I'm gonna go against the established majority here, and suggest that if you want to hook these "smashing" strikes without breakoffs, that you hold your rod at a 90 degree angle to the line and make no effort to set the hook. If a fish strikes that hard, and is a large fish to boot, it's an automatic tear-out or break-off if your line is taut without a way to yield tension. The rod is your spring, use it.