Hardest Fighters

[Whack'emGood]

1. Smallmouth Bass

2. White Bass

3. Spotted Bass

4. Largemouth Bass

I don't have much experience with Hybrid Whites or Stripers but I know they fight great.

My .02.

Whack'em

[ozark trout fisher]

It seems to me to be a complicated question. A lot depends upon time of year, water temp, type of tackle used, size of fish, the health of the fish, what it's been doing lately, the part of the body or mouth where it's hooked. And what fighting characteristics do you consider more important? Speed? Strength? Leaping ability?

I'm going to assume average sized healthy fish for its species, caught in optimum water conditions, fair-hooked on tackle that matches the size of the fish. I've caught just about every species of North American freshwater game fish except hybrid stripers, so here goes...

Strength

1. carp

2. flathead catfish

3. striped bass

4. bluegill

5. smallmouth

Speed

1. silver salmon

2. rainbow trout

3. smallmouth

4. spotted bass

5. white bass

Leaping ability

1. rainbow trout

2. longnose gar!

3. smallmouth

4. spotted bass

5. largemouth bass

Keep in mind that I'm talking wild stream bred rainbow trout here. A lot of trout caught in the Ozarks are nowhere close to being the fighters that wild western or Alaskan rainbows are. And although brown trout aren't the fighters that rainbows are, I like them better, can't really explain why.

Although the smallmouth is my favorite fish, I have no illusions that it rates at the top in any fighting category. However, it has a nice mix of characteristics, ranking fairly high in all three. And it's such a pugnacious predator and so susceptible to surface lures, and lives in such really neat places, that it has to rank way up there overall.

For pure character, you gotta like muskies and pike and even chain pickerel.

Ozark walleye are great just because they are a challenge to catch. Of course, they are also good to eat, but I wish we as Ozark anglers could get past that. The fact that most Ozark walleye are killed to eat is probably the only real factor that is keeping the Ozarks from producing the next world record. As a fighter they are mediocre.

You guys must be catching different goggle-eye than I am. I love the little critters, but great fighters they ain't, after the first five seconds.

Top 10 IMO

1. Smallmouth bass

2. White Bass

3. Freshwater Drum

4. Bluegill/Redear

5. Brown Trout

6. Largemouth Bass

7. Rainbow Trout

8. Crappie

9. Catfish

10. Walleye

Of course it all depends on size. I just did that on how I think they fight pound for pound. Obviously a ten pound catfish is going to fight harder than a two pound smallmouth bass.

[duckydoty]

Asian carp are the only freshwater fish that I know of that when hooked, my line will created a rooster tail while literally making a sound screaming through the water.

Giant flat heads will roll and roll and roll seeming to never give up.

Huge carp can only compare to wild Alaskan 30" rainbows taking me into my backing several times over and over again. Not as many leaps and jumps though

Sliver Salmon have been my most acrobatical fishing experience with repeated leaps, huge jumps and somersaulting though the air all in one run.

White bass are pretty good pullers for their size.

[bajacoop]

A 70lb paddlefish hooked in the tail is a battle.