Hook pulls and hook bending/breaking are not likely to happen if you get a good hookhold. Look at the power in a feeder rod that can cast 6oz of loaded feeder across a big river. These are often used with 18's hooks. Compare that with a 3lb rod and a 6's or 4's hook and there's much more pressure on the weaker hook with the feeder rod. Any hook that isn't bedded up to the bend will pull or break/bend. Of course, you have to be sensible and use hooks made from thicker wire, such as Drennan Super-Spades and Super Specialists.
It also depends on what you mean by most fish. I was recently catching carp and catfish from snags to over 30lb with a 3lb rod and 18lb line. With that tackle I turned over a 50lb-plus cat after its first run and only lost it because the barbless hook pulled when it's tail came down on the line and gave it a split second of slack.
And believe me, it was fun. If you call a racing heart, aching arms and skidmarks fun, that is!
It's all relative.
On the Dove last season I lost one or two fish from snags that were bottoming out a 1.5lb rod on 10lb line and breaking the line. Stepping up the rod, with the same line, was the answer. Hook pulls were not a problem.