Best Fighting Size

[Mergie Master]

Since we were talking about largemouth bass...what do you consider the best fighting size fish?

To me the size that gives the best fight is a fish between 4-5½ lbs. They fight 'faster' than a larger fish and they can still put on a good show in the air. Plus their stamina seems better, they can fight longer.

The really big ones over 6 lbs can pull hard but they can't get out of the water as good and get air under them. They usually just stick their heads up and shake it sometimes they can get about half their body out. They also give out pretty fast. An 8-9 lb fish may give you 3 or 4 good runs then they roll over.

But...if you plug a smallmouth into this equation you can erase everything I just wrote. As far as fighting, ounce for ounce a smallmouth beats a largemouth hands down every time. They fight harder and way longer.

[adk]

ive never caught a smallie, but as far as lmb go, id say about 4 lbs

[Hunt Master]

The most fight I ever got out of a fish is a 3 1/2 lb small mouth I caught in the broad river. I hooked it on a small spinning rod with 8lb test line. Fight very hard for the size.

[Duck Nitz]

You are damn right about smallies. THe gamest fish that swims in North America! LM-3.5-4 lbs

[b-stick]

about a 4lb river fish...river fish are always stronger fighting wise in my opion then lake fish..

[PBiz]

The hardest pulling bass I fought was a 22" 7lb 7 oz. That old bitch looked like a football and fought like a tuna.

[BOGSTER]

about a 4lb river fish...river fish are always stronger fighting wise in my opion then lake fish..

its the current dude.

I'm kinda new to smallmouths, biggest only around 2lbs, but they got mad fightin skills.
Especially on a 4wt flyrod.

[Foie Gras]

I've never caught a smallmouth, but those peacocks fight twice as hard as any largemouth I've ever caught. Spottail bass will tug on you pretty hard as well.

[DUCK MASTER]

Hookin a big one close to the boat will put up a heck of a fight. I dont give them much of a chance to fight.

[Fishunter]

In this case i'll say that size really doesn't matter. It all depends on where the bass are that you are catching. A 2lb river bass may fight harder than a 4lb lake/pond bass. although I would say that the most airshow sized bas I have caught have been 5lbers.