I've been reading alot of polls and threads on this topic. What, in your opinion is the strongest fighting, freshwater fish in the country? Quite a diversity of opinions out there. I'm torn between a few. For brute strength of pull, I vote flathead catfish. For tackle busting, drag screaming runs, I vote hybrids and stripers. For drag burning and acrobatics, I say steelhead. I haven't fished for salmon but quite a few folks vote for them, too. Also quite a few fans of the bluegill and the smallmouth bass, on a pound for pound basis. Let's hear your votes, no right or wrong opinions!
Open water pound for pound the small mouth wins. Ice fishing, the bluegill wins pound for pound. These are the two I pick but they are all fun to catch and fight.
meanest fish in the river is a bowfin... also the biggest dissapointment when you get it to the boat.
(http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab7/Gobln2/003-9.jpg)
This big boy had my arm aching. 20 min fight on ultralite tackle & 6 lb. test.
33lb. 12oz. Carp 46" Long
My neighbor said he sure was good eatin ! :icon_thumright:
Wow, quite a carp! I imagine that was a fight of epic proportions on an ulttralight! Forgot to mention the carp, but they have got to belong on the short list, for sure. :)
Pound for pound a smallmouth. If they grew any bigger it would be dangerous to swim. :TooFunny:
The hardest fish to land, but the most fun to hook-up would have to be King or Coho Salmon, we fish for them every fall on the Salmon River in up-state New York.
MUSKY!!! without a doubt.
Smallmouth Bass :z-winnersmiley: Try em in shallow creek water :drool:
I say smallmouth too! I've fished the creeks around my county here in Indiana and they go crazy in the swallows of creek on ultralite rigs LOL.
Bring yer ultra light tackle to South Florida and try one of these Peacock Bass they will tear yer tackle up.
bluegill, if they grew to 10 pounds they would pull you in and eat you.
Quote from: stone road turkey calls on June 02, 2012, 07:41:43 AM
bluegill, if they grew to 10 pounds they would pull you in and eat you.
I agree!! If they were as big as a bass--you never would reel um in.
Pound for pound the toughest, meanest, nastiest fresh water fish has to be a dogfish!
I've caught nearly every fish mentioned here and for me the toughest wasn't listed. I would have to vote for the wiper. (Hybrid striped bass) Even using heavy line they will just about de-spool you if you hook a good one.
King Salmon. I know they go to the ocean but when I catch them they are in fresh water. It's like hookinh on to a Mack truck.
TRKYHTR
Im throwing out Muskie on fight per lb. As far as living in terrible condition probably a carp
Smallmouths on ultra light tackle, no doubt about it,
Quote from: Timberland Taxidermy on June 02, 2012, 10:05:41 AM
I've caught nearly every fish mentioned here and for me the toughest wasn't listed. I would have to vote for the wiper. (Hybrid striped bass) Even using heavy line they will just about de-spool you if you hook a good one.
Of all the fish I catch, the wiper would also get my vote.
Quote from: gobbler74 on June 02, 2012, 01:00:06 PM
Im throwing out Muskie on fight per lb. As far as living in terrible condition probably a carp
have you ever fished for or caught a 20-40 pound musky? Lol
Quote from: longbeard11 on June 04, 2012, 08:26:00 AM
Quote from: gobbler74 on June 02, 2012, 01:00:06 PM
Im throwing out Muskie on fight per lb. As far as living in terrible condition probably a carp
have you ever fished for or caught a 20-40 pound musky? Lol
My biggest Muskie was 36 lbs. Ive only caught a few and among the river fish here anyway that was a serious battle.
Alot I have never got to fish for. The ones I have hooked and got in, for me are 1 Musky 2 Stripper 3 Mud Cat 4 Blue Gill 5 Small Mouth 6 Large Mouth 7 Carp. All from the New River
:OGturkeyhead: :OGturkeyhead:
Quote from: 2ounce6s on June 04, 2012, 11:59:33 AM
IMO, A large river born brown trout is a tough critter to catch. It takes them about two seconds to figure out they are hooked and then the playbook comes out. If there's a way to foul the line they will find it, if there's current to use against you they'll use it. I know there's bigger tougher fish out there but for me a big brown is the cagiest and toughest to hook, catch and land.
(http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/hattT05/South%20Holston%2008/P6180099a.jpg)
Theron
That's a beauty ! :icon_thumright:
Grew up in Colo. caught many huge rainbows and browns. Lived on the Columbia river in Wa. for 10 years caught many steelies, kings, cohos, walleye, huge smallies. But pound for pound WIPERS! are the hardest fighting freshwater fish I've ever caught.
Quote from: lonnie sneed jr. on June 04, 2012, 01:46:31 PM
Alot I have never got to fish for. The ones I have hooked and got in, for me are 1 Musky 2 Stripper 3 Mud Cat 4 Blue Gill 5 Small Mouth 6 Large Mouth 7 Carp. All from the New River
:OGturkeyhead: :OGturkeyhead:
New River? You are close then, good fishing I hear. Most of my River fishing is on the cowpasture River in Bath Co.
I'm gonna say Bluegill but one that brings back a lot of childhood memories is the Hornyhead!
I've caught almost every fish mentioned so far, but for pure, never give-up, tackle busting, wear-your-butt-out fighting, you can't beat an ALLIGATOR GAR !!!!!!
Quote from: longbeard11 on June 04, 2012, 08:26:00 AM
Quote from: gobbler74 on June 02, 2012, 01:00:06 PM
Im throwing out Muskie on fight per lb. As far as living in terrible condition probably a carp
have you ever fished for or caught a 20-40 pound musky? Lol
Now that you mention one that size.
(http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll24/OutdoorJay/LOTWMusky.jpg)
I uess the hardest pulling fish I have tangled with was a 23 lb. grass carp that I foul hookes at the dorsal fin...that was an epic battle! Caught a bunch of bowfin, choupique or whatever you call them. They pull pretty good too.
King salmon
(http://img600.imageshack.us/img600/2175/salmonkn2opt1.png)
Quote from: jakebird on June 01, 2012, 01:24:24 PM
For drag burning and acrobatics, I say steelhead. I haven't fished for salmon but quite a few folks vote for them, too.
I agree with the drag burning and acrobatics for steelhead and i would also include the salmon for their drag burning ability. A nice fresh Chinook/King Salmon on the line with put up one good fight for sure.
Bream, like catdaddy stated, you would never land one if they grew to 10 pounds or more
Chinook/King over 20lbs for me.
Quote from: Deputy 14 on June 01, 2012, 02:31:41 PM
Pound for pound a smallmouth. If they grew any bigger it would be dangerous to swim. :TooFunny:
I would have to agree. A bluegill would be right there with it.
And I believe for a trash fish the grennel may beat them all.
Smallmouth
smallmouth
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d7/Bowfin063007Coosa.jpg)
I'll tell you guys that I had the priviledge of cathing one of these grennel like in late Feb or early March here that probably would have weighed 10lbs. The water was fairly cold and this thing still put up a great fight. I have caught some 3lb grennel if I remember correctly in my younger days that fought as good as any 3lb fish I have ever caught. It's like catching a 6lb catfish. But pound per pound I do believe they probably would even defeat the smallmouth.
For sheer pull without the Pound for pound arguement, if you have ever put a hook in a big Muskie ( over 48 inches ) you'll say nothing else. On the best day we had on Lake St Clair ( one of the Best Muskie fisheries worldwide) We landed 4 and lost 2, the 2 we lost we only saw each of them once, One as it spit the hook out after 30 minutes about 50 yards away and it stuck in my shirt (almost my stomach )after flying all that way to me, and the other ended up breaking the crank on a saltwater reel that we have pulled in Big red snapper with. 50-60 pounders. We thin both would have gone 55 to 60 inches as our other ones were 45,48,49 and 51 inches. Muskies are tough up to 45 inches but then they get big and nasty after that its a different fish altogether
Alligator Gar or Choupique.
Quote from: stone road turkey calls on June 02, 2012, 07:41:43 AM
bluegill, if they grew to 10 pounds they would pull you in and eat you.
:agreed: