Weakest Fighting Fish?

[Turkey sandwich]

I'm really shocked and confused by the guys talking about catfish or carp as weak.  Hooking into a solid channel cat on something other than a telephone pole and winch gives a pretty hefty fight.  And clearly anyone saying carp must be confused.  River carp rarely take anything other than flies, live bait, or catfish-esque bread balls and are super flighty.  Hooking one on a fly rod or light tackle can be a sprint down river.  I've been nearly spooled by carp in current using light tackle.  

 

In my experience, walleye tend to be pretty lethargic fighters. Largemouth can be a mixed bag.  Perch tend to be pretty light fighters and pickerel tend to be pretty light fighters once you get them pointed at you.  

[heyitskirby]

On 7/27/2016 at 10:29 PM, WRB said:

LMB eat bluegill 1/2 their size!

The old argument what fresh water fish fights the hardest pound for pound has gone on for decades. In the bass family Spotted bass hold that honor followed by Smallmouth bass, LMB get a lot bigger than any other fresh water bass.

So would rather fight bluegill than bass that eat bluegill, then you will have the lake to yourself.

Tom

 

Funny thing is - large mouth bass in are actually in the sunfish family.

[MassBass]

eel. They just spin and twist you up.

[FordsnFishin]

Freshwater drum.  Talk about a junk fish.  I've caught a 15 lb one before. Fought like a dead log. Been told they are terrible eating as well. 

[PondHunter]

Of the different species I have caught, Walleye was definitely the most disappointing. A 20" fish that didn't do anything until you got it boatside.

[Onvacation]

Baby bass always have some fight in them but I've had three and four pounders which have probably been my biggest disappointments. Nothing like a lame strike followed by a single surge and then a fish that acts like its tail hooked to make you want to fish for bluegill with a bobber the rest of the day.

I had a catfish hit a 10" worm on Sunday and I could not get him to the boat.  He was pulling line like it was an episode of Wicked Tuna even with the drag cranked down.  Six minutes of fighting and he ducked under a log and cut the Carolina rig leader. He was definitely a fighter and it was cool watching the baitfish freak out and set the top of the water on fire when this fish was running and broke the surface. He was massive. Would have been my biggest freshwater catch.

Had a three pound channel cat hit a Ned rig yesterday. He actually jumped out of the water to try to shake the hook.

I don't specifically fish for catfish, but those two incidents certainly make me disagree that catfish don't fight.  

[Ratherbfishing]

With the exception of bullheads, catfish are among the hardest freshwater fish I know of.

I can't speak for river walleye but the lake walleye I've caught were only so so fighters at best.  This isn't to say I don't like catching them.  Northern Pike don't keep up a sustained fight very well BUT a big one will practically rip your arm out of its socket when it hits.  THAT by itself makes it worthwhile.

[Gundog]

A friend and myself were fishing for smallmouths at a local lake. We were trolling at night about 30 feet from shore. Occasionally we would get snagged on floating branches and would reel in the line to clear it. The first walleye I caught fought less than the branches we were hooking. I actually couldn't tell the difference because there was no fight to them at all. I've caught river walleye and they put up a fight but that might be just because of the current.

[Penguino]

20 minutes ago, Ratherbfishing said:

With the exception of bullheads, catfish are among the hardest freshwater fish I know of.

I can't speak for river walleye but the lake walleye I've caught were only so so fighters at best.  This isn't to say I don't like catching them.  Northern Pike don't keep up a sustained fight very well BUT a big one will practically rip your arm out of its socket when it hits.  THAT by itself makes it worthwhile.

Meh.. bullheads really aren't that weak lol. The problem is the majority catch them in still water, where all they do is try to burrow back in the mud and stay on the bottom. River bullies are a lot rarer, but put up a really good fight.

[Neil McCauley]

I've never found yellow perch to be much of a fighter. They shake their heads a lot but never make runs, jump, or much. Pumpkinseed and bluegills or other sunfish are better fighters.

[Dillo]

suckers, and crappie. Ive caught some pretty lame trout, too, but also some amazing fighters, I think that's more of an individual fish sorta thing. Pound for pound, Bluegill are consistently the hardest fighting fish I target.

[IamNewbie]

Walleye, don't do a single thing. Same with Perch, I think. 80% of the Perch I catch let it happen as well. The only time I've ever had a bluegill not fight was when I must of set the hook so hard I shocked it. Never had a LMB not fight, same with Crappies.

[Bankbeater]

For me it's a crappie on a bass rig.  I always think that I'm pulling in vegetation.

[kickerfish1]

Worst fighting for me would be a toss up between crappie and yellow perch. It is like a hooking into a piece of paper.

[Lucky Craft Man]

On July 28, 2016 at 11:15 AM, GORDO said:

Let me tell you, Chinook salmon are definitely the hardest fighting fish pound for pound I have ever caught. I was afraid for my rod when I hooked into my first one and it was only 7 pounds lol. They are incredible! 

Im not sure what your water temp is for the pike but here in Eastern Washington, if you hook one in the late spring or fall, hold on! If you get one in the winter they are lazy but still better than LMB for cold water.

LAZIEST FISH AWARD GOES TO..... walleye. you feel like you have a small stick on your line just coming straight to the boat. 

This is dead on.  Chinook, the best, Walleye, the worst.

[timsford]

Walleye are probably the easiest fish I've caught to reel in. Landlocked stripes and hybrids in current put up a really good fight. I fish for both at night and you never know what's going to bite, but I can usually tell which within 5 seconds of hooking up. Catfish and carp put up a great fight, and if you are talking about fight and take size in the equation,  most panfish like bluegill and red ears fight very hard

[hawgenvy]

Weakfish, of course!

[CityboyFishing]

On 7/27/2016 at 8:57 PM, gimruis said:

For those of you that say LGM bass fight the least, you obviously haven't caught a walleye.  I don't know if I've EVER had one take out drag in 15 years and we usually fish for them on medium spinning gear using 6 pound line.  They sure taste good but once they're hooked its reel and retrieve.

I've caught 30 inchers in Canada off a 4lb test that was a hard fight