The thing that made the biggest difference for me was switching from a 7 foot rod to a 9 foot rod.
You get a much better hook set(more leverage) and it is way easier to keep pressure on the fish during the fight, meaning you won't get slack. Getting slack in the line makes it easier for the fish to shake the bait loose.
Also....keep the line tight, but don't over do it, you do not want the fish's head out of the water, this also makes it easier for the fish to shake the bait loose.


Another advantage to a longer rod is it makes figure 8's effortless!