I used to be pretty into the "winding into it" idea. If you have a lot of line out, it is necessary to wind into them a little before setting just to get the slack out of the line. But for inshore halibut and surface calicos and any time where you don't have too much line out, I have just gotten to where I set the hook more like I'm freshwater bass fishing. I figure the hook is riding up on the swimbait so when I set, I set straight up. I used to set to the side and it made me lose a lot of fish. I think when you sweep to the side the lead head turns in the fish's mouth and the fish can spit it or the hook can tear out more easily. A straight up hard hookset nails the roof of the mouth and you usually catch those fish. Keep in mind that doing this, you need to have a rod with some backbone. Glass rods are hard to do this with. Larry Heron has converted me to the 8' graphite and composite rods and they work very nicely for ripping head. I still like my 9' noodle rod but my 8' Rainshadow's are winning out recently.