Toughest Gamefish?

[walleye vision]

Questor,

Pound for pound a peacock would destroy a muskie. I've been to Venezula to fish for them and they are amazing. They frequently will break hooks, straighten split rings, pop 25lb test line, and even break lures in half.....and these are only the 5-10lb fish. Their initial strike is the hardest i've ever seen, and they fight the whole way back to the boat.

[Muskycrazy]

I saw a fishing show years ago and they were fishing for Peacock Bass . I thought they were amazing back then , about 15 years ago , and still do . I doubt that I will ever get the opportunity to catch one but they are the one fish that I would travel ( fly ) to go after .

[Quickstrike]

This debate definetly needs to be seperated by salt water and freshwater. I have never fished for them but have seen video and talked to people who have had fly rods snapped by a 3 or 4 pound bonefish. And these are 8 wt fly-rods the same size most people target steelhead and salmon with that are much larger. Bonefish, Tuna, and Tarpon would dominate any north american freshwater fish pound for pound.

Toughest fish that I actually have caught pound for pound would be:

King Salmon

Steelhead

Smallmouth Bass

Lake Trout

Pike

Don't attack me just my opinion!

[!wall-i-king]

Hey Quick I would agree with that scale but I have to fit muskies in there I am thinking right behind steelhead. This may sound strange but if you are thinking about pound for pound fighting I think you have to give some mention to bluegills. I mean just imagine what a 5 pound gill would fight like!! I don't know I just think they don't get the recognition they deserve sometimes.

[traveler]

I think we have to forget this "pound for pound" thing. There ARE no 10 lb gills, or 40 lb. smallies..I think the only standard that makes sense is how any given fish fights on appropriate gear for the size and type of fish. That might be ultralite for gills, 6 lb spinning for smallies, or 80 lb trolling gear for marlin. How a fish fights on the tackle we normally use is really the only true comparison. Now comparing a finesse fight of a gill or smallie to a brute power battle with a tarpon or sturgeon, thats a tough one. I love to fight the big, mean critters, so those rate highest for me.

[Quickstrike]

I agree with that completelly, toughest could mean many different things as well. Some people like strong fish that stay down and dog you and abuse your equipment as well as your arms with brute stregnth. I prefer fish that make explosive reel screaming runs and acrobatics. It's all a matter of opinion.

As for the bluegill comment, just imagine the circles a 5 lb gill would swim in on it's way up to the hole.

[traveler]

"We're gonna need a bigger hole"

[Moses2531]

How are you picking against the shark in the bracket??? I got the mako, I figure a shark should beat all the fish

[brian6715]

For me it would have to be that 53 foot whale shark I caught last summer. We had to shoot it with a cannon to subdue it.

[Tom Linderholm]

No doubt in my mind about the King Salmon being the beast, I would follow that with Muskie, Steelhead, Pike, and potentially the Carp.

[upnorth]

In my personal experience.

1 Steelhead

2 Smallmouth

3 King salmon

4 Koho

5 Pike

The top 2 are there because of how they fight and how much fun they are trying to bring in. If you fish Steelhead you will know that not all hookups result in a caught fish and that has to say something in itself, same with King Salmon they are like hooking a freight train. You hook a Steelie in 45+ degree water and there is no telling what their next move is, totally unpredictable, kinda like chasing an uncaged bird around the house.

[traveler]

You're right Cheffrey; theres just no fish in freshwater that moves with the speed and power of a steelie. Gotta put them of top:) I love kings as well, but for a 6 or 7 lb fish, steelhead can just be ballistic!

[LEECH21]

Here's my list from personal experience:

1.lake sturgeon

2.smallmouth bass

3.carp

4.muskie

5.flathead catfish

[smg04]

what about the giant grouper? i seen a show on the vs. channel a couple weeks ago and they were catching them off of old shipwreaks, i think hooking into one of them would feel like reeling in a school bus outta 150ft of water, and the teeth on those things? wow they get my vote

[Nate McVey]

We definitely need to differentiate between salt and fresh. Smallies are A LOT of fun as is a 12 in. Bluegill. Steelies are another fish that gets overlooked a lot here because there isn't always a lot of room to let them run.

Tarpon, Bonefish and Snook (all of which I have caught) are incredible on a flyrod. Snook will hammer streamers like a muskie, but then take you into the Mangroves like a freight train. A 2 lb. Bonefish will have you into your backing before you can say "fish on"! And Tarpon, well they kind of speak for themselves. Again, just my opinion