Hardest fighter pound for pound

[capuzzi2]

I used to think sheepshead, cobia and bluefish were the hardest fighters poung for pound. Then I went amberjack fishing. Tops for fighters in my opinion. Stripers are the weakest. Any other opinions? I hear big spadefish are tough. Never caught a big enough one to have an opinion.

[Peddler]

Bluegill, Blue Marlin, Yellowfin Tuna, Bonefish,Tripletail. If Bluegills grew to 100lbs, god help ya.

[Fishboy OV8]

BIG Spades......... they never give up !!!!! Tough Fighters.

[capuzzi2]

Bluegill, Blue Marlin, Yellowfin Tuna, Bonefish,Tripletail. If Bluegills grew to 100lbs, god help ya.

I've heard that tripletails are beasts to fight. I've never caught one.

[schafedog 2]

I agree -- Big Spadefish!

[Peddler]

I've heard that tripletails are beasts to fight. I've never caught one.

We catch them every now and then on the grass lines while bailing dolphin. You think you've got a 20lb gaffer or a small tuna and up comes about a 5lb tripletail.

[JMUDuke]

I have to say amberjack. Only fish that ever made me quit. We moved on to fight sailfish and tuna which was a vacation compared to the amberjack. I also agree on the bluegill. No match if they were bigger.

[joe nailer13]

AJ's are king!

[Fishboy OV8]

one more is a Trigger......... strrrrrong.

[Jarosh]

spades are #1 pound for pound. With that thin mouth you can only apply so much pressure. AJ are #2 in my book, followed by salmon fishing in the river.

[OceanViewKid]

Fish with that wide body shape, like tripletail, spades and triggers have a natural advantage and are all tough and fight a long time. I think if croakers got to be 30 lbs, I'd start carrying standup harnesses while fishing inshore. If they got to be 50 lbs, I'd stop swimming in the bay. Nothing is more agressive on the bite or the first run. All in all I think I'd have to say spadefish.

[Sea Gristle]

Never had the pleasure of hooking a wreck donkey, so my initial thought was Spades, but then I remembered an encounter with a 16"-18" Ladyfish on a light rod that was pretty awesome.

[Surfbass]

#1 Bluefin tunas over 150 lbs. Especially on light tackle.
#2 Amberjack. Jesus these things are serious. (see video)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1It5qpBCebI

#3 Smallmouth bass. Pound for pound would kick a croaker or bluefish's ass.
#4 Cobia

[LY2000]

Disagree on sm over croaker (big time) and I say a carp beats the sm anyway. The strongest I have caught was the amberjack...never caught a bluefin though.

[flatduck]

The ole cow nose ray!!!

[fishtales]

Bonita on light tackle, yeehaa

[Phishphinder]

Halibit will run ya around the boat for hours

[classicrockfish]

Favorites offshore hands down would be large bluefin tuna
inshore/ offshore wrecks/clt hands down would be large spade fish They are my favorites for pullage cause you can hook up so many so fast.
Third in line would be casting topwater for cobia for pullage cause the fight on those bigger ones just rocks and they are quite tasty also so the reward does not stop at the pullage!
Amberjacks would be fourth don't get me wrong cause their pullage is awesome but the meat I am not that crazy about.....Nice post by the way :0)

[Entourage]

aj's in 40+ inch range can pull 30lbs of drag off of my 18000 saragossa"s like i am on a trout rod. and thats average size not even a large aj.

[Big Country 08]

I have had the pleasure of fishing both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. I have caught Spades, AJs and BFTs and all are great fighters. However, I have to say, pound for pound nothing beats a Pacific Yellowtail. Even the small ones try to pull you out of the boat. I was addicted to fishing for them when I lived out west. Fishing for them is about the only thing I really miss about the west coast.

[Entourage]

arnt they almost the same as an aj?

[Big Country 08]

No, not really

[Bushkill]

I would love the option of pitting myself against a sunfish if they ever got to be 30#'s. They are predatory and relentless.
On the flip side...Aj's are just plain tough. They sometimes don't even relize that they have been hooked and then all of a sudden sprint 70 yards in the other direction...time after time. I've boated them (35-40# class) on an Avet MX but upgraded to an LX model this year just for these devils.

[gunsmoke]

It had been said that if a SPOT got to 40 lbs it couldn't be caught on rod and reel. The yellow bellys are screamers.

[cnaff]

I believe Pacific Yellowtail and Amberjack both fall under the Seriola genus.Correct me if I'm wrong but that would make them related,would lead one to believe they share some characteristics.AJs have a body that looks a little deeper than the YT,and the YT is a bit more fusiform in shape,but they both kick like the dickens.You probably hafta tie them together by the tail to know the deep truth here.

[cnaff]

Hey Bushkill--They pull that HX over perty good.It's been difficult to get my fishing guests to lay their hand on the spool to hold em from getting in the tower,so my jig costs are big when I entertain.But man,if you get on em often enough,you find out they can pull that heavy drag,and then whatever your hand can put on em too.It would make sense to use 100# line for AJ's around structure(where else are they found?).