who is tougher?

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

ok, it's well known that smallies fight harder than LM.

Well I was watching a show onOLN this morning and a biologist was saying that northern strain LM are the harder fighter of the 2 strains.  

I personally havn't had enough experience with the Florida strain but could some of you who have had experience with both strains, like Chris, please give your opinion?

[earthworm77]

I think the difference would be minute if any, however given the potential to catch a larger Florida strain than Northern, and since I now live down south....Florida strain over Northern.

[Guest avid]

Very cool post.  I never would have thought about it if you hadn't brought it up, but yes, I do believe that the northern strain are better fighters than the Florida's.  The strength and intensity are the same on a pound for pound basis, but the Northern bass can definitly keep up the fight longer.  The Florida bass quit much sooner.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

I agree with EW in the sense that you have a better opportunity for a better fight due to the size difference down south but pound for pound?

I would think the northern may be heartier in the sense that it's life cycle is much more dramatic and severe, but would that affect the fight?

[Rattlinrogue]

I've caught a lot of both subspecies(out of the same lake;before and after the restocking),and I'd say the Florida bass fight a whole lot harder.As you said, the size probably has a lot to do with it.I mean the Florida bass are a load.The 3-5 lb Floridas fight harder than the 10 + lbers.

[Raul]

We have both down here and what I like about northerns is that they make a big party when caught, they jump more, make more runs while floridas are more "pull me out if you can".  

[phisher_d]

I've never caught a florida strain bass before but something I've noticed around here is that the bass that I catch in small farm ponds hardly fight at all compared to the ones I catch in bigger lakes.  I don't know why.  anyone else noticed this?  

[FL_fisher]

I know in the winter time the florida bass fight a lot longer than when the water warms up .So maybe  the warmer water tires them out quicker.

[FALCON]

I'VE ONLY CAUGHT NORTHERN STRAIN UNTIL NOW, BUT IN TWO WEEKS I'LL BE IN FLORIDA SO I WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE A COMPARISON THEN.

[Madhouse27]

The Largemouths I've caught up here in Maine have put up some pretty spirited battles. Someone else meantioned that maybe the warm water down south takes some of the starch out of the bass's fight. I wonder if it has something to do with the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water. The lakes up here rarely get above the high seventies temperature wise. I'm thinking it may be more about water conditions than fish genetics.

[KU_Bassmaster.]

Lake Fork has Florida strain right?  I think that is my only experience with the Florida strain.

I noticed that when you hooked up on Fork, you had a pretty good idea about the size of the fish.  Meaning you could really feel the weight of the fish.  Where there are times up here and and you hook into what you think is a toad and you get it to the boat and it's a 2 lber.

I caught quite a few 4 to 5 lbers at Fork so in comparison to the northern strain, same size, I think there is no doubt they fight harder.  BTW I think the 4-5 lbs bass, in the waters I fish at least, are the hardest fighting pound for pound.

[basser89]

Someday I hope to be able to make the comparison! I've only fished for northern strain.

I'll have to get my uncle's opinion on this the next time I talk to him. He was real close to turning pro years ago. While he was in the Air Force, he was stationed in AL, TX, AZ and DE and fished several clubs in each state. I'd be real curious to his insights.

[George Welcome]

90% of my clients are from areas north of Florida. The comment made on every trip: "Man, these fish fight way harder that the ones at home!" Who really knows? I doubt if anyone has ever scaled the fish while fighting to see who fights the hardest. However, based on the comments of a few thousand people I would have to side with the Florida strain.

[Gatorbassman]

I don't know about the fight. But the reason we like to stock F1 bass is because the Northerns are more agressive and the Florida's grow faster. The combonation of the two makes a great fish.

[Hawg_Hunter]

Great post LBH.....Great answers! ......I won't know the answer til we hit Forkin March!

HH

[RoLo]

I lived in three states in my life, NJ, GA and FL.

I probably caught a fairly equal number of northern and Florida-strain bass.

When I lived in GA, I suppose I unknowingly caught some intergrade bass too

If there's any difference in the fight between the northern and Florida-strain bass,

I can't honestly say that I've noticed it.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

oops, did you mean, haven't noticed it?

[RoLo]

OOPS! I meant to say, I have "not" noticed any difference in their fighting ability.

Thanx Low_Budget_Hookers

[ball_coach_1]

I assume that it is near impossible to prove one over the other, but here is my very weak experience:

I have fished in Florida/TX/Alabama/Georgia/KY waters many times, and love them all.  BUT, this past summer I took my first trip to Maine, and LBH's post made me think about the trip.

I told the guy I rented from/fished with up there that the 2 and 3 pound LM that I caught up there ALL seemed to fight like bigger fish I had caught in the past.  My brother-in-law thought the same thing.

NOT a scientific opinion, and I am probably getting physically weaker by the day, but your post is an interesting one LBH.   CAN it be proven either way???

[Guest avid]

I've re-read this thread cause it really got me thinking  

I still believe that the Northern strain fight not so much harder, but longer. The Florida's average bigger, so it seems like your getting more fight.

[RoLo]

I've re-read this thread cause it really got me thinking

I still believe that the Northern strain fight not so much harder, but longer. The Florida's average bigger, so it seems like your getting more fight.

Hmmm...now you've got me rethinking

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Yea, whatever the difference is,..it's minute, but it is yet 1 more thing to ponder,lol

[Bronze12]

I can't say for sure which is the better fighter pound for pound in my experience with both the northern and florida strains.  Raul's post did get me thinking though and I do seem to recall the northerns being much more acrobatic.

[Chris]

Same if there is a difference I don't see it. Spots and smallmouth are tough little guys and there is a difference there. I think a lot depends on where you catch them and time of the year like fall northern fish fight like mad you take a summer Florida bass and they don't fight as much. Also figure in the kind of tackle you use. If I walk out to a Florida lake with a flipping stick and 65 lb braid slinging a shiner the fight will be short compared to a fish caught on a medium cranking rod on 10 lb line. That stick Marsh for example or farm 13 for that matter you take the same cranking rod when it first opened up and you might see some straightened hooks.

[roadwarrior]

dodgeguy,

"i'll really start a debate..."

<EDITED> No hijacking someone else's thread. Please start a new thread for a new topic.