Re: Best Fight in Fresh?
 

I haven't caught a carp in in over 40 years, so I can't speak to their fighting ability. I've only caught a few wipers and they are relentless. My first was caught on UL tackle and it took me close to 15 minutes to bring it in. I recall my partner saying "Don't lose this thing because I just want to know what it is." It was a 3 lb wiper in a lake that I didn't realize that they were stocked. A few years later in that lake I caught a 6 lber and it put up one helluva a fight on my bass tackle.

But pound for pound I still say smallies. The aerial show is a huge part of that. I caught one this summer in my canoe on an Adirondack lake and it dragged my canoe around like a "Nantucket sleigh ride". When I finally boated the thing I was surprised to see that it barely broke 2 lbs.

Re: Best Fight in Fresh?
 

Hybrids and smallies do fight well, but in my experience I'd have to go with the peacock bass and snakeheads I used to catch in south Florida. Pound for pound peacocks and snakeheads will outfight hybrids and smallmouth and snakeheads add in a nice tail walking show. I also agree that carp are good fighters as well. Never caught a flathead so I can't really comment on them. The king salmon I have caught up in the Great Lakes deserve a mention as well as they have some great runs in them.

Re: Best Fight in Fresh?
 

Salmon in a river, or Great Lakes.

Re: Best Fight in Fresh?
 

I've fought shiners for at least 3 min when my fingers r numb!!!

Re: Best Fight in Fresh?
 

Never caught a hybrid though I hope to one day.

It's hard to say with all the different tackle and environment s but for me, I'd say smallmoth bass or steelhead.

Re: Best Fight in Fresh?
 

Spring run steelhead in the Great Lakes or wipers. If I could only pick one, it's wipers, simply because they're more accessible.

Re: Best Fight in Fresh?
 

This is like asking which of my internal organs is my favorite! :D

Re: Best Fight in Fresh?
 

Carp only fight good because of the weight they have. Hook a 20 lb carp and of course it fights good but I can't imagine a 20lb hybrid fight,

Re: Best Fight in Fresh?
 

American Shad give one hell of a fight. Something about the attitude of a salt water fish in fresh water.

My vote is for SMB though. There attitude and relentlessness is just unparalleled. The smaller 1.5# ("sporty") class are a blast to catch. No stop in them.

Re: Best Fight in Fresh?
 

Spent about 1.5 hr on the SB yest and managed 2 nice SMB ~14" or so on UL tackle. Man they are feisty, full catapults out of the water - multiple times.

The ZZZZZZZZZZ, power and head shake of the Hybrids is addictive however.