What are some of the hardest fighting fish?

[dafack01 0]

I have no experience with Saltwater, so I'm just gonna speak from my experience. And this is pound for pound.

 

Smallmouth

Brown Trout

Carp

 

 

I've no idea about Salmon, Steelhead, etc... I know that a small 3-5ish pound Bonefish or False Albacore will strip you into your backing on an 8 weight faster than you can say "Holy Shnikies!", but so can Carp. Smallmouth are acrobats and are stubborn as mules. Browns don't drag in the current quite like a Carp or a Smallie, but they can pull as hard as a Smallmouth.

 

The closest I've gotten to a Striper is a Wiper. They're like reeling in a Garbage can lid and are strong, but don't seem to have the endurance of a Smallmouth or Carp.

 

Overall, it seems like the fish who love open and/or flowing water seem to fight the best.

 

 

Since I have limited species experience, what are some other perspectives?

[Joe Hard 0]

Pike and musky are great fighters, stripers are strong, atlantic salmon are fast strong and hard to beat, sea run brook trout are alot stronger than fresh water brook trout, halibuit will wear you out, and belive it or not there cousins flounder are quite scrappy.

[Steeldrifter 0]

I'm sure salt has probably the hardest fighting fish, mainly because of the shear size of some of them, but I dont fish salt ethier so for me...

 

Salmon(fresh kings)

Steelhead

Smallmouth

And Believe it or not...Bowfin (dog fish) I've taken some 8-10lb dog fish that just plain kicked my ass!

[mb82 0]

These are not in order.

Spanish Mackerel ( had one nearly spool my penn 4300SS loaded up with 300+yards of 6lb test)

Sting rays

Croaker

Smallmouth

Chain Pickeral

Carp

Flathead catfish.

[Joe Hard 0]

I forgot about mackerel, and dog fish, but dog fish here are sharks.

[Joe Hard 0]

Belive it or not a big eel will give you a good go

[dafack01 0]

Forgot to add Peacock Bass. Those things go NUTS when you hook 'em. They NEVER give up, either. Bass will paralyze when you lip 'em. Not Peacocks (they're actually a cichlid). They'll flip all over the place until you release 'em. Mean sumbucks.

 

A Smallmouth with Roid Rage is a good description of a Peacock Bass.

[Gregg A 0]

On the fly rod it would be steelhead. On spinning tackle it was my last sturgeon, 7ft long and fought him for almost 2 hours.

[Dble Haul 0]

Freshwater: Smallmouth bass, steelhead

Saltwater: False albacore, bluefish

 

Pound for pound, the above mentioned fish have always proven to me that they are the strongest.

[HideHunter 0]

C'mon, like the man says, "If bluegill weighed five pounds no one would fish for anything else." :headbang:

 

Catfish and carp make you think you have fish on.

[Guest]

Saltwater, Jack Cravalle are one tough fish and they don't quit. They're not well known outside of the south, but a 7 lb. Jack will flat kick your a$$. Ask Ralf, he met one last winter.

 

 

[day5 0]

The one at the end of my line!!!

I think each fish has its own abilitys depending on the tackle in use.

Gills on a small light rod can be a son of B

Steel on the right rod are awsome!!! Id have to say pound for pound the gill is the toughest (on the right rod)

steel offer a different aspect and the is speed!!! they are tough and fast as heck I have had steel turn and bur in to the nastyest of nasty log jams well before I had a chance to say Oh SH__!

[Graham 0]

I gotta agree with the Jack. While fishing a beach in Mexcio I thought I had a large fish on, what a battle, then this flat little fish rolled in on a wave. I was truly surprised. Yellow fin tuna are also hot fish.

 

Graham

[Bud Guidry 0]

jackfish ( jack crevelle) in the 30 to 40 pound range kick ass. tuna make you feel your hung up on a submarine. shark over 10 foot i want even try to explain.

 

 

Bud

[Kodiak Commando 0]

I think most all gamefish can fight well if you use the right tackle. Here is my top 5 fish that i have caught

 

1. Chrome Chum Salmon- Pound for pound the hardest fighting salmon or even salmonid.

2. Big wild Alaskan Rainbows-They fight much harder than the rainbows i caught in the lower 48 and steelhead, i'm guessing it's because they are gorging on eggs and their metabolism is raging.

3. Red Salmon

4. Brook Trout

5. Silver salmon