Best fighting fish

[getin]

pound for pound, what is the best fighting fish in your view. mine are

1) Smallmout bass
2) Largemouth bass
3) Panfish in this order: rock bass, perch, blugill
4) Salmonoids (Steelhead, salmon, etc)
5) Carp
6) Pike
7) Catfish
8.) Walleye (the least fighting fish)

Not sure were muskie would fit, as I am yet to catch my first one

 

[Somenomai]

Bowfin is my number one for sure. Even better than a smallie.

 

[getin]

Bowfin is my number one for sure. Even better than a smallie.

Didn't even cross my mind to include that, since I have not caught that one too. So "my to-catch list" now includes Muskie and Bowfin

 

[Float_On]

I'd like to know where lake trout fit into everyones list.

I havnt caught many but the ones I have caught have been all over the map!
Some just drag in while others fight like steelhead.

Many people use the analogy that they "fight like a garbage bag" but I'm not so sure of that.

I'd like some other thoughts.

If caught on heavier tackle (downrigging) I think that a lot of fish fight like a garbage bag, but catching lakers on evenly matched gear is great in my opinion.

 

[RedSkullz]

Yeah those dogfish(bowfin) can scrap for sure...for me though its
1 Smallies
2 Gar Pike
3 Fresh Run Steelhead

 

[Joel52]

As for Lake Trout, it depends on how deep you catch them. In the spring they're still in shallow water and fight like crazy when you hook them. In the summer they're down deep and when you reel them in, the rapid change in water pressure tends to take the fight out of them. Never caught a bowfin, so no comment there. My favorite(s) - anything over average size for where I'm fishing. Muskies can be fun when they're big, large Northerns are good too, but there's good fun in a 4+lb Smallie. I have noticed over the years that how vigorously a fish will fight is dependent on where it's been hooked. I've had large Pike come in like a stick because they were hooked in or near the gills.

 

[staffman]

I would have to go with smallmouth bass followed closely by steelhead.

 

[gshink]

I would have to put Salmon very high on my list, followed almost in a dead heat with Musky. I just recently started trolling Lake Ontario for salmon and was pleasantly surprised by how hard they fight. As far as Musky go, nothing compares to the violence of the strike and the aerial show that a 40 inch plus musky puts on.
The rest of the list
Smallmouth
Brook Trout

 

[NADO]

I have noticed over the years that how vigorously a fish will fight is dependent on where it's been hooked. I've had large Pike come in like a stick because they were hooked in or near the gills.

Very True. Once I had a pike around 21" or so take down my minnow under a bobber, I set the hook and the fish fought like crazy it took so many peels and I was surpised when I brought it to see both how small it was and that it was somehow hooked in the stomach....That same day I caught a pike that was maybe 3" bigger hooked in the corner of the mouth and it didnt nearly fight as much it wasnt even able to peel out my line.

Id say my choices out of the fish I have got would be

1. Running Steelhead
2. Deep Water Kings
3. Bass
4. Pike

 

[Alfiegee]

The question was lb for lb the best fighting fish. I'd have to go with smallies, bowfin, gar pike and steelies.
One of the best fights I ever had however was when I somehow snagged a 25 lb carp near the tail in the Credit River on 8 lb line. An hour later and half a mile downstream I finally beached it.
Earlier this year, just after opening day I hooked a 7 or 8 lb channel cat in Cootes. The drag on my reel was still set on " Speck." That was a hell of a battle too keeping it out of all the branches while trying to tighten my drag LOL.

Alfie.

 

[PainInTheBass]

lb for lb...

on ultralight panfish gear, I will take a large bluegill
carp
pike
bass (haven't caught enough big smallies to differentiate between the 2)

Of all of my fshing, my hardest fight was an 8 lb carp on ultralight panfish gear, followed by a foul hooked pike.

 

[Meppsman]

Hmmm! Large bluegill fight pretty hard! So do small steelhead!

I think it would have to be bluegill!

 

[newbie099]

1) SM 2) Fresh water Drum 3) Steelies 4) LM 5) bowfin 6) big pike or musky

 

[punkrockerpj]

i've found that the carp usually put on the best fight... i rarely enjoy taking them off the hook, but i sure do know when i hook one compared to a bass or panfish...

 

[NADO]

i've found that the carp usually put on the best fight... i rarely enjoy taking them off the hook, but i sure do know when i hook one compared to a bass or panfish...

Well it does make sense that a 20lb carp will outfight a 3lb bass.

 

[punkrockerpj]

Well it does make sense that a 20lb carp will outfight a 3lb bass.

i meant pound for pound. where i grew up, carp are ferocious!

 

[Porter86]

I have not really caught any of those fish, a few rock bass, which i pulled in by lifting my rod up lol. But the best fight I've ever had was the 12" Sheephead I caught in Florida.

 

[hammercarp]

Carp in warm water that has a good O2 level and is not too cloudy. .
A 6 lb carp could tow 2 6 lb bass to their death.

 

[troutchaser]

1. Carp
2. Carp
3. Carp
4. Carp
5.Carp
6. Carp
7. Carp
8. Carp
9.Carp
10. Carp
11. Carp

Must I say more?

 

[diggyj]

Smallies............ :grin:

Dirk