I see your point in theory, but the other day I saw a bunch of guys with Canadian tire outfits and drags set to the moon all limit out within a couple of hours. Not a single fish they lost, and they didnt give the fish an inch.
And on the same subject I lost barely any fish in the mouth of the Squamish - well over a 0.9 average - and in the Fraser I am under 0.25. Different runs have different mouths?!?
To play devils advocate, last weekend I saw a fella get a bite just as I was getting in the car. So I stopped to watch the action (Not much for me that day) and within 3 seconds I called it, that his drag was WAY to high. The fish could not get a run if he wanted, and the guy would reel in, and then let it swim side to side a bit. But drag was full on and rod was as bent as I could imagine it getting. He got it in within about 6-7 feet of shore, and the fish tried once more and snapped his line clean between the rod and fish. Godspeed little fishie!