My big bass experience is similar. This season I nearly was stripped at the canal by a bass I suspect was in it's 40's. The fish used the current and it's body weight to work me down to the last 50 yards of the spool. I swear the fish did not even know it was hooked for the first five or so minutes of the fight. It didn't start shaking it's head until well into the battle. I seem to recall you had the same experience earlier on the one that got away Larry?
Still, I can remember big bass coming up to the boat without much of a fight also. Not all of them give up and my memory was that it wasn't just a warm water thing. Perhaps the big, old stripers can sometimes be geriatric cases. Maybe a little Geritol sprinkled on the water? After all a fish in the 40's is around 13-14 years old according to my length/weight/age chart.
Larry, congrats on an excellent catch. More and better this season!