Setting the Hook

When I get a strike from a trout taking a size 18 dry fly I can hook him securely by gently lifting the rod tip because the tip is firm enough to cause this small hook penetrate. However, when I set the hook on a smallmouth bass taking a size 4 Shenandoah Blue Popper I like to lift the butt of the rod firmly since this is stiff enough to cause the hook to penetrate. I also use a solid line hand strip to help set the hook on bass. When I get strikes from blues or striper on a 2/0 streamer I hit them hard from the rod butt and with my line hand twice.