Pound for pound, what is the hardest fighting fish in the world?

[Flounder Boy 3]

Opinions?

Can be fresh or salt, of course.

[thorhammer]

Depends on environment but my experience is tuna and amberjack. But you see these guys taking two folks to keep a 600lb Goliath grouper out of a bridge after eating a ten lb jack....

[redsetta]

It's a relativity rather than an absolute, as there are so many variables.
Albacore and skippies can offer a tremendous fight on light gear, but their soft mouths mean it's hard to really put the pressure on.
On the other hand, we had a 700lb black marlin on last year, securely hooked in the corner of its bone-hard mouth.
The deckie had it wrapped on the leader, drag was at sunset (40+lbs) and it casually ambled away from the transom as if it wasn't even aware of being hooked - five times!
The power was simply colossal.
We get some hefty XXL kings here in NZ, which can put some real pressure on too - even more so if they're trying to get to structure.
Had one on a while back (off the rocks) that nearly broke me - rod shoulder was actually loose in the socket for weeks after.
In the fresh, an 8lb rainbow on 6lb tippet can offer a world-class fight - particularly in a big river like the Tongariro. A pound-for-pound contender in my view.
Friends who fish the tropics reckon bonefish, dog-tooth tuna and GTs are among the 'cream of the crop' fight-wise, but I'm yet to try 'em.
I s'pose the answer really depends on each fisho's personal experience...
Cheers, Justin

[MarkT]

Bonito are tough.  If they got big you'd probably never land one!  Pound for pound a YT is tougher than a Tuna.  YFT is tougher than BFT.

[steelfish]

try triggerfish on a light rod and reel

[conchydong]

It is hard to say. I have caught Bonefish on the flats that were tough and yet the same fish I have caught bottom fishing in 80' was little fight. Large Groupers like Jewfish are demons until you  get them off the bottom and then not as much. Yellowfin Tuna and AJs are tough customers also. Even what we call a "canal tuna" in Florida which is a Jack Crevalle can ne a tussle.

[Bill B]

I have never caught one but California yellowtail have been rumored to be a pound for pound best fight around.....Bill

[day0ne]

If blackfin tuna got much over 30 lbs, or the size of YFT, some people say you wouldn't be able to catch them.

[Gfish]

Here in the tropics(Hawaii)pound for pound the fish in general seem to be much more energetic, probably 'cause of the warm water( increased metabolic rate). Haven't caught all the sport species here but my personal pound  for pound best was a bonefish and I bet that's gonna be the one. Close 2nd would be a Black skipjack tuna and 3rd would be the Hawaiian sub-species of Amberjack. In colder waters, nothin' ever beat the fresh from the sea Cohos of Alaskan rivers.
Gfish

[Flounder Boy 3]

Pound for pound, I think bluegill rates right near the top.

Smallmouth too.

[Normslanding]

I've been lucky enough to catch a lot of different fish in a lot of the world. Having thought about this question a lot I've formed a couple of conclusions.
1. Teen aged fish fight better than young or old fish. You hear a lot of talk from long range fisherman about the middle size fish pulling hard.
2. Some fish fight hard if they really feel threatened, but may not if they don't. Buy that I mean tackle that is of a size to get there attention, but not 
     big enough to beak there will.
3. Most hard tail fish fight harder than soft tail fish. They make there living covering more water to survive.

So all of my big freshwater fish are not on my list. The saltwater fish are in two groups, short fights, and long fights.
   Short fight fish are Giant Travelly, Groupers, Toro, AJ's, Pacific Yellowtail, Bonita.
   Long fight fish are Tunas/Bonitas, Marlins, Opah, the above Jacks.
On the right tackle Yellowfin Tuna, Blue/Black Marlin, Toro, Travelly, and Yellowtail can be tough long fights. Long does not necessarily equate to tough. I caught a 70lb. Albacore on 20lb test that took 3 hours and 45 min. it was not a tough fight. I did not get heat stroke and go into shock which has happened to me. I think I will take Yellowfin as the one fish to give you a shot at your toughest.

[Flounder Boy 3]

I've been lucky enough to catch a lot of different fish in a lot of the world. Having thought about this question a lot I've formed a couple of conclusions.
1. Teen aged fish fight better than young or old fish. You hear a lot of talk from long range fisherman about the middle size fish pulling hard.
2. Some fish fight hard if they really feel threatened, but may not if they don't. Buy that I mean tackle that is of a size to get there attention, but not  
    big enough to beak there will.
3. Most hard tail fish fight harder than soft tail fish. They make there living covering more water to survive.

So all of my big freshwater fish are not on my list. The saltwater fish are in two groups, short fights, and long fights.
  Short fight fish are Giant Travelly, Groupers, Toro, AJ's, Pacific Yellowtail, Bonita.
  Long fight fish are Tunas/Bonitas, Marlins, Opah, the above Jacks.
On the right tackle Yellowfin Tuna, Blue/Black Marlin, Toro, Travelly, and Yellowtail can be tough long fights. Long does not necessarily equate to tough. I caught a 70lb. Albacore on 20lb test that took 3 hours and 45 min. it was not a tough fight. I did not get heat stroke and go into shock which has happened to me. I think I will take Yellowfin as the one fish to give you a shot at your toughest.

Any thoughts on a mako? They seem to have a big reputation.

[MarkT]

Pound for pound, I think bluegill rates right near the top.

Smallmouth too.

I was thinking of bluegill too.  My son caught a 3 1/4# bluegill and thought he'd hooked a 5#+ largemouth.   Smallies are very tough for their size!

[Keta]

I too would say bluegill are one of the toughest.

[RowdyW]

Do you think I should use a 80 series reel for bluegill or a 130 with bent butt rod??