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Location: Iowa | So my dad and I had an interesting conversation on the way to the Blaine show about which freshwater fish we thought, pound for pound, had the most power...muskies, esp. big ones are extremely powerful and bulldawg like its going out of style but they can be turned if need be at least in my experience...but when it came down to it they really have explosive quick runs as apposed to a fish like a lake trout, esp a big one, that takes off in one direction and cannot be turned for anything...I caught a 41 oound lake trout once that had we not chased down would have spooled my loaded 7000C3 on a 6'9" St. Croix that was doubled over farther than I have ever seen one...I couldn't turn the fish for anything and the only reason we got it was our guide had this happen several times before and knew what he was doing...don't get me wrong I have had muskies own me but never like this lake trout...I have caught small lake trout that I thought were huge until I saw how big they were just for the shear fight and power the exuted during the fight...My biggest muskie is a 49.5"er and that one fought pretty hard but still nothing compared to the 41 pound lake trout...I caught a 38 pounder that same week and I got down to being able to see the spool on that one before it got tired...waht are your thoughts on the most power, hardest fighting freshwater fish pound for pound...my dad went for a peacock bass, but having not caught one he couldn't say for sure...should make some interesting conversation...enjoy!....
Big Perc |
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Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Imagine a 41# bluegill... |
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| pound for pound?
Smallmouth bass are amazing for their size. But I think bluegills fight harder than anything else. Maybe its the flat shape? |
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Posts: 1529
| pound for pound chinooks. as for muskies its the hunt and the evil look you get at boatside. |
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Posts: 2015
| pound for pound muskie aint in the top ten.
But I haven't had a carp hit a topraider yet  |
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Location: The Sportsman, home, or out on the water | River smallmouth, pound fer pound. |
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Location: Brookfield, WI | Pound for pound, I'm going to say Sugar Ray Robinson.
Kevin
"Let someone else do it." |
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Posts: 440
| Pound for Pound I go with the White Amur........aka ....the Grass Carp |
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| A monster bluegill would be pretty tough to beat, however I also feel that King's (specifically the ocean run specimens--if they even count as a freshwater species) would take the cake.
As a side note its funny that whenever I have heard a topic along these lines mentioned only freshwater fish are considered. I almost feel bad for people that have yet to tangle with any saltwater species, the majority would take many fisherman's definitions of the word "fight" to another level. |
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Posts: 129
| bluegill or smallmouth bass. |
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Posts: 128
| Depends on where you are fishing. North shore of Lake Superior...nothing compares to Chinook Salmon during spawn in the rivers. Mille Lacs....Smallmouth. Anywhere else without a doubt... Carp! To me the best bang for the buck no matter what. |
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| Smallmouth or bluegill, but also those big Alaskan Salmon fight just like our big muskies and Tarpon also seem to outpower muskies |
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| I'd go for smallies for power and endurance, they never quit. If bluegills got to 5 pounds, you'd be in for a long fight....and a big dinner.
As far as long runs, I used to cast for Chinooks in the summer near some old pilings near Milwaukee, and I was spooled several times by fish that just headed East. Big spinning reels, 8 foot rods and 12# test. We used to beach them. 20#ers were common, but if you didn't get them turned, you could kiss everything goodbye. |
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Posts: 759
| Lets try this experiment this year. All of us agree to put away our "shark equipment" and use 7.5 flippin sticks with small casting reels and maybe say 15-20 pound line. That sounds fair to me. Now we will see what a musky can do. kdawg |
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| I've caught muskies on 17lb and a 7' spinning outfit. I still think the smallie is one of the toughest fights there is. Bluegills, too. A 25#+ King salmon on the run will take your breath away.
The muskie fight isn't really that memorable. It's certainly not the reason I fish for them. Sometimes the initial strike can be very violent, and I like the way they can rocket out of the water, and tail walk. But that is the exception. |
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Posts: 1504
Location: Oregon | The white musculature on a musky/pike is designed for bursting and killing and then resting while the red muscle on a chinook is designed for continual swimming. By design a salmon is going to be stronger, they are built to be stronger. I know the topic concerns freshwater fish but just consider a tuna for a moment...tuna are born to cover long distances and although I have never caught a large tuna I have heard their strength is unreal. Just look at the shape of a tuna and you can see why they would be great fighters. I have caught a whole bunch of chinook tho and yes they are quite strong, particularly in river current and cold water. A stronger salmon I believe tho is the chum. Chum are much like bluegill or smallmouth in that they never give up, incredibly strong fish but not much good to eat so they get far less recognition than they deserve. Carp are also very strong and quite intelligent. I have seined thousands of bass, gills, suckers, shiners, etc., and carp are the only fish intelligent enough to jump over the top of the seine as it is being pursed.
Pound for pound? Yea bluegill or smallmouth would both be amazing fighters if they were to reach 40 pounds.
RM |
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| Muskies are by far not the "beast" of the freshwater species that most seem to make them out to be. They are not superior to all other freshwaters species. They're fun to catch and fun to hunt no doubt. But they're not the king of fresh water by any means.
Definitely the salmon (king, coho, chinook) and steelheads take the cake.
I know we as muskie fishermen put the best interest of the muskie in mind first and we use really strong gear and really strong line...but...it does take all the fun out of catching the muskie. Anyone can rip a muskie from the water with a rod and reel the equivilent of a pool cue and rope from the water in a split second...but..that takes all the skill and finesse away from the angler. I know we do this so that the fish doesn't fight itself to death so that we can release them...I know this. But...still...it takes all the fun out of it and takes away nearly all of the skill that makes fishing so fun.
Catching Steelhead and Salmon on a wippy Downrigger rod with 17-20 lb test is a good time right there. However, those fish 90% of the time are kept to be cleaned and eaten.
Two completely different methods to fishing, two completely different goals and mindsets and two completely different results...I realize.
But if I was looking for a brutal fighting freshwater fish....hook me up with the Salmon/Steelhead with downrigger gear or the Smallmouth on a small spinning rod and light mono or some good bull bluegills with an ultra-light setup! :thumbsup:
Edited by MACK 3/14/2007 9:06 AM
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Location: Nowheresville, MN | Sheer pulling power...Lake Sturgeon. |
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Posts: 1080
| tfootstalker - 3/14/2007 9:19 AM
Sheer pulling power...Lake Sturgeon.
YEAH.....that too! :thumbsup:
A muskie compared to a Lake Sturgeon would be like comparing a bluegill to a muskie... |
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Location: Roseau | Burbot (eel pout)!!! |
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Posts: 358
Location: London, England | For sheer power I have no idea, but the thrill of musky fishing is nothing to do with fighting the fish for me anyway. The follows, the attitude and the eventual take are unlike any other species. Completely addictive and their sheer size and look is awesome. I'm glad they don't fight like a tuna or we'd never boat them. I want them in the net asap before the hooks fall out!
I used to fish for trout a lot and you could spend a fair while being dragged around by them because of the light tackle and the current, but they don't have "it" in the same way muskies do!
Edited by Tim Kelly 3/14/2007 9:57 AM
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Posts: 759
| Mack makes the comment that muskies are not the superior fish in freshwater? WHAT?!!! Then how in the world did they become the fish on top of the freshwater food chain? Evolution 101. Muskies are the superior, more powerful fish, above northerns,walleyes, bluegills and , I don't want to break any hearts here, smallmouth bass. IF other fish were more powerful,should'nt they be on top? Other fish acheived there fighting abilities based on there need to escape fro muskies and big pike. I may be a "purist", but this is a MUSKIEFIRST web site, and I'm sticking to it. Kdawg |
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Location: Germantown, WI | I would say that Hybrid Stripers (also known as wipers) pound for pound are as tough as any fish I have ever caught. I too love pursuing the mighty musky, but agree with others that the thrill is in more in the chase and the strike than the duration of the fight. On normal musky tackle most fish up to about 25 lbs provide a relatively short fight.
I guess it's a bit of an unfair comparison, because I've never caught a Hybrid Striper on musky gear. On comparable gear such as medium bass or walleye rods, however, I have no doubt that a 10 lb Hybrid Striper would fight rings around a 10 lb musky even though they do not jump as muskies often do.
Honorable mention would go to Flathead catfish and Common Carp.
Tom Ramsey |
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Location: Iowa | Kdawg,
not trying to start anything here but just a little information...muskies are an extremely feroicous creature that is at the top of the food chain, however the question here is what do you think it the most powerful, hardest fighting fish in FRESHWATER pound for pound...we all know they are at the top of the food chain for their complete disregard for sparing any innocent perch, cisco, sucker, etc's life when it comes to eating or killing for that matter...like most of the people have said here...the muskie is not designed for power (though they are extremely powerful), but speed burst...the salmon/char family is truly designed for power and that, I believe, is the reason most people will agree that the salmon/char family are pound for pound the hardest fighting fish in freshwater...tango with a 35 lb+ lake trout or salmon and you'll know what I am talking about...
Big Perc |
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| kdawg - 3/14/2007 11:47 AM
Mack makes the comment that muskies are not the superior fish in freshwater? WHAT?!!! Then how in the world did they become the fish on top of the freshwater food chain?
Allow me to clarify:
In a lake where Muskie are the dominate fish in the food chain? Yes. (Meaning, no other predator of their level, ie, Stripers, Salmanoid species, Lake Sturgeon and some of the other top-line predators mentioned...)
Most superior and most powerful fresh water fish overall? No.
What about some of those 200+ lb catfish species that exist out there...
But yeah, a muskie in a lake that mostly is made up of shad, panfish (crappie, perch, bluegill, sunfish, etc) large and/or smallmouth bass, etc...the muskie would be that top-of-the-line predator on the food chain of course...that's quite obvious. |
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Posts: 139
| pound for pound I'd have to go with smallmouth bass. Take the fight a 3 lb smallie gives and multiply that by 10 to equal that of a 30 lb muskie, and the smallie hands down would give a more ferocious fight. |
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| Without a doubt Smallmouth Bass...especially river Smallies.
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Location: searchin for the first legal. | i think smallies,sturgeon,carp,or big channel cats |
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Posts: 551
Location: Columbus, Georgia | Yep.
Smallmouth Bass. |
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Posts: 134
| It's kinda like "rock paper scissors", every thing mentioned is eaten by Muskies. I would like to catch that 41 lb. bluegil though. There sure is a lot to talk about in this muskie fishing sport. The sport is SHEER POWER.
Joe W |
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