Don't fight or pull the fish in the opposite direction it's heading. Turn him by guiding his head. Horsing a big fish to the boat usually means losing it. You'll usually tear out or straighten the hook. It's wiser to move toward the bass with the boat.
Long rods are an asset when playing a big fish.
They provide more shock-absorbing power, move more line when setting the hook and give you more control over the bass. Even a professional fisherman loses some fish. Learn from your mistakes, but don't let them ruin your fishing trip. A jumping, head shaking bass is a beautiful thing when fishing for fun, but not in a tournament. A bass will run and jump in the direction of the rod tip to produce slack in the line to shake the lure free.