best fighting fish in NJ fresh water
 

8.5 lbs on 2 lb test line and 1/32 oz jig from the Millstone River Wednesday. Made 2 jumps much higher and farther than every largemouth bass that I saw in the past 60 years.

Re: best fighting fish in NJ fresh water
 

try a small hybrid on that gear , you may change ur tune....nice reort

Re: best fighting fish in NJ fresh water
 

Eh idk...I think carp are tougher to catch overall. Though I've never seen a carp or hybrid jump it's pretty rare.

Re: best fighting fish in NJ fresh water
 

Yeah, I'm going to have to disagree with ya on this one.

Re: best fighting fish in NJ fresh water
 

Pound for pound for prob not
But I was catching crappie and pike on an ultra light- hooked an 8lb carp or so- peeling drag, moving my kayak-
Their bigger so is a different fight
I call it a draw lol

Re: best fighting fish in NJ fresh water
 

Carp are definitely one of the best fighting fish around here!
I have heard of people catching 20 lb ones on 2 lb line. Idk how they did it..

Sounds like i have a new thing to try - hybrid bass with an ultralight rod and a big spool of 2lb line. Hybrids have been renowned for being the best fighters but i still have my doubts. Need to catch more to silence those doubts :D

Re: best fighting fish in NJ fresh water
 

ANY big fish will give you a great fight on ultra light gear. If you had hooked an 8.5 pound smallie on that rig, it would have eaten your lunch! Still, a nice catch on 2 pound test, so congrats!

Re: best fighting fish in NJ fresh water
 

Lucky red eyes don't grow to larger sizes !! Those fish taken off nest on UL plenty of sport & eat well too !

Re: best fighting fish in NJ fresh water
 

I accidentally ass-hooked a 20+ pound grass carp on musky tackle. Didn't put up much of a fight.:eek:

Re: best fighting fish in NJ fresh water
 

Grass carp don't fight much at all. Carp are very good fighters...they fight very much like red drum. Pike and musky are exciting fish with aggressive strikes, but pound for pound they really aren't that strong. My vote would definitely be hybrids. Can't really think of another freshwater fish in NJ that will scream drag for their size like they do. Even carp.