Great story and I feel your pain. I fish with a fella that has had the same problem since we started fishing together... he can get the fish on the hook, but can't seem to get the fish to hand. One thing that I have learned over the years is that getting the fish on the reel is very import. But, that being said, there are alot of times when trying to get the fish on the reel too early will cause you to break off... I have caught several hogs that, when I tried to get them on the reel, I broke off because I had pinched by line too tightly. So, when you pinch your line with your rod hand, give him some ability to run.

Once on the reel, if he charges, change direction for him. For example, if he is charging to your right, pull the rod up and to the left. If he goes left, go right, etc. This keeps tension on the line and also helps to get him closer to the net faster (the quicker you get him to net, the better off he will be). Anway, good luck to you. There is nothing like seeing what you have learned actually working. Good luck and enjoy.