# Best Fighting Fish



## brian_s (May 24, 2001)

going to have to go with the BOWFIN


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## Shoeman (Aug 26, 2000)

WW,


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## Water Wolves (Jan 20, 2002)

Splits,

A three inch musky?

WW


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## IT pimp 2002 (Apr 2, 2002)

Read the whole thread and no one mentioned sheephead. I know they are a disapointment when you get them up but man do they fight. I set the ultra light out on purpose on St Clair with hopes that a smally or anything big will hit the perch rig. Last Sunday I landed a#6 lb sheep after about 10 minutes of tug of war. 
By the way I voted steelhead, fall is coming and so is the steel.


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## Water Wolves (Jan 20, 2002)

IT pimp,
Good point about the sheepers. A too often neglected angling warrior!


BAAAAAAAA!










WW


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## TBone (Apr 7, 2001)

I'm not sold on sheephead. They are work getting them to the boat, that's for sure. I don't know how much fighting they really do. I think that they just force you to drag them in sideways. They are such a broad fish that it's like dragging plywood sideways through the water. I never feel a lot of head shaking, runs, or any acrobats.

That said, they will put a little sweat on your brow trying to winch them in.

The sheephead that you caught on LSC sounds like fun though! I did catch one of friday fishing for perch and he gave a pretty good account of himself. I guess my complaint is more for the ones I catch trolling for walleyes on Erie.


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## reeldeal3 (Aug 27, 2002)

I like to catch bluegills but salmon is my all time fav. Smallies put up a great fight though


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## Jackster1 (Aug 17, 2001)

A tail snagged salmon heading down river!


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## Foxy Carp (Aug 23, 2002)

I would obviously say that a 30 pound salmon would fight harder than a 1 pound bluegill. But I would also say that a 30 pound bluegill would beat the pants off of any fish. So pound for pound I'd have to say the bluegill is the hardest fighter.


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## Water Wolves (Jan 20, 2002)

*Splitshot, What's a Chalkboard?*












WW


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## oolichan (Sep 11, 2002)

Although not on the list, the hardest fighting fish I've ever encountered is Acipenser transmontanus . Imagine an 8' 400 pound fish leaving the water right after the hookup, pretty crazy ****e.

Also not on the list is the Chum Salmon, who when fresh could embarass the average steelie.  

BTW, great forum.


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## treehunter2 (Feb 7, 2001)

the bullgill,,, also very,, hard to beat in the frying pan


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## DaveW731 (Jan 12, 2001)

Dennis:
Good to see you back! Send a PM when you are ready to do battle with the vicious bluegill, or (my vote) the ferocious smallmouth....
Dave


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## omerjim (Feb 19, 2002)

Gills on a flyrod are great fun ! But put a steelie on the same rod in fast water and you best have your track waders on!!
this is a tough poll, maybe it should have been broken down into game and pan fish?
Ice is comming , fix up the shanty!!


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## reflexman (Sep 18, 2002)

I didnt see Wahoo on the list? oh none around these waters lol 
but they are the best in salt water-


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## Lunker (Aug 27, 2001)

Facially hooked snagger ... always puts up a mean fight that I prefer. Try to push em in the drink first then its more of a moving target , and more challenge. Remember always sharpen your hooks!


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## DonP (Nov 15, 2000)

Pound for pound... it has to be the bluegill. I have caught many steelhead in my life... and lucky enough to have many of them top the 10# mark. 

But no way could I imagine catching a 10# bluegill!  All I can say is... HOLD ON!!!!!


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## jeremy L (Sep 19, 2002)

kings!


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## Can't Touch This (Dec 31, 2002)

Hard pole. Again, for those of you who said stuff like"i never seen a gill spool me" or something lie that, he specificly said for there size, and if a 1 pound salmon fights more than a 1 pound bluegill(LOL) then you would have to prove it to me!! I would say it's a close race/tie, but, if you never caught any in a clear/cool very remote lake in the UP, then you don't know what fight is!!! I went to sylvania wilderness area, they faught twice-3 times as hard as the lower penn, i had a 16 incher that i thought was a for sure state record!!! Took me about 15-10 minutes on light tackle, weighed about 21/2 pounds


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## fishing addict (Mar 15, 2003)

That's why it's called king.Anyone who didn't vote King, probably never caught one over twenty pounds.If bluegills,came in that size they would win. The pole said,"no matter what size,"not pound for pound.


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## pikeslime (Jan 2, 2001)

I just got back from Florida last week and have to chime in about the salt water species. I fished the intercoastal on the Gulf side near Siesta Key with a local retired guy. We caught a few Sea Trout, a catfish, a Jack, and tons of LadyFish. The Jack Crevalle was absolutely super-charged. It didn't give a head shake after it hit, it just went on a long run peeling off line. I don't know where they get all the power because their tails are so thin!?
The LadyFish were an absolute blast. Every one you hook jumps multiple times. And not like a steelhead jumps...i'm talking 3 or 4 feet in the air doing flips. I counted 8 jumps from one fish. I looked them up on the internet and it said they are a cousin to the Tarpon...no wonder.


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## fishing addict (Mar 15, 2003)

Pikeslime;I use to help a buddy with his bait-shrimp boat sometimes.In between trawels I would drop a line to whatever was raiding the nets.One time it was ladyfish,and they would use the stretch of the line from the moving boat to do super-charged jumps.Some of the 5&6 lber's would come out of over 15' off the water.They are a trip.Almost as much fun as tarpon.


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## rockinmichigan (Feb 22, 2004)

Now that would be funner then fun, to have a fish jumping in the air that much and that high in the air. Would certainly be a blast!


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## Trophy Specialist (Nov 30, 2001)

I caught a blue fin tuna that was 90" long and it fought harder than anything else I've ever seen.


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## rockinmichigan (Feb 22, 2004)

Stop that silly talk right now, you're making me want to do some deep sea fishing and I quite frankly can't afford to make it to the ocean right now.


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